Radio Havana March 22

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Radio Havana Cuba-22 March 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 22 March 2001
 .

*THE BAY OF PIGS: 40 YEARS LATER - CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN
HAVANA

*HAVANA IS CONFIDENT OF LATIN AMERICAN SUPPORT IN GENEVA
- PEREZ
ROQUE

*WASHINGTON PUTS PRESSURE ON LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES
TO VOTE AGAINST
CUBA

*HAVANA PREPARES FOR UPCOMING INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION
MEETING

*GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO MEETS WITH FIDEL
CASTRO

*CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY SUPPORTS CUBAN PARTICIPATION IN
AMERICAS SUMMIT

*INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON AFRICAN INFLUENCE IN THE
CARIBBEAN

*CUBA CELEBRATES WORLD WATER DAY

*VENEZUELA: POLLS SHOW HUGO CHAVEZ STILL IMMENSELY
POPULAR

*U.S. ARMY GENERAL VISITS LATIN AMERICA
 .

*THE BAY OF PIGS: 40 YEARS LATER - CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN
HAVANA

Havana, March 22 (RHC)--An historic conference is underway
here in
the Cuban capital -- "The Bay of Pigs: 40 Years Later." The
conference, with the participation of both U.S. and Cuban
historians
and actual participants from the invasion and defense forces,
was
presided over today by Cuban President Fidel Castro.

This marks the first time in 40 years that delegations from Cuba
and
the United States sit together to discuss issues related to the Bay
of Pigs invasion. More than 50 U.S. experts, including former
government and even CIA officials -- along with five members of
the
defeated invasion forces --arrived here in Havana on Wednesday.

The first day of discussions began in the Cuban capital Thursday
morning with the participation of Cuban President Fidel Castro.
The
closed-door session will end with a news conference where
official
U.S. and Cuban documents on the U.S.-financed and organized
invasion
will be made available to journalists.

In opening remarks to the session Thursday, Havana University
Rector
Dr. Juan Vela, highlighted the systematic communication that
had been
going on between Cuban research organizations and the National
Security Archives at George Washington University in the United
States.

On the importance of the Bay of Pigs issue for Cuba-U.S. relations,
the Havana University Rector said that regardless of the different
opinions that might exist on either side, when speaking of Cuba-
U.S.
relations, necessary mention had to be made of the invasion. The
academic thanked the U.S. side, including the visiting Bay of Pigs
former invaders, for their readiness to participate in the Havana
conference. He said that the memoirs of the three-day meeting
will
soon be published.

In a short address during the opening session Thursday, U.S.
academic
Thomas Blanton from the National Security Archives, expressed
satisfaction that knowledge on the Bay of Pigs issue was finally
being expanded. Blanton said that the Havana conference was
already
making history.

"We are examining this old history. It is a bitter history. But by
doing so, we are making a new history. We are making history by
the
fact that we are here; we are making history by the way in which
we
are talking to each other -- respectfully. We are making history
by
the extraordinary documents that both sides have brought to the
table. This briefing book [holding up large notebook of bound
papers]
was put together by the North Americans -- and this briefing
book
[holding up another large notebook] was put together by the
Cubans.
At this conference, these two books will come together."

The Havana conference -- "The Bay of Pigs: 40 Years Later" -- is
scheduled to end on Saturday with a visit to the actual site of the
invasion, where for the first time in 40 years, participants from
the
two sides will walk together down the wide, sandy strip of beach
called the Bay of Pigs.

 *HAVANA IS CONFIDENT OF LATIN AMERICAN SUPPORT IN GENEVA
- PEREZ
ROQUE

Havana, March 22 (RHC)--Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez
Roque
says that Havana is confident of Latin American support during
the
upcoming debate at the United Nations Human Rights
Commission in
Geneva. Cuba's foreign minister noted that the United States is
using
pressure tactics to convince member nations to vote in favor of a
resolution to condemn Cuba for alleged human rights violations.

Speaking with reporters in the Cuban capital at the unveiling of a
bust of the late Mexican Foreign Minister Manuel Tello, Havana's
top
diplomat said that he is sure that Latin American countries will
be
able to stand up against Washington's pressures. Felipe Perez
Roque
noted that of the 53 countries taking part in the current session,
11
are from Latin America -- Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Asked by reporters for a comment on Argentina and that
country's
possible vote against Cuba, Perez Roque noted that current
relations
between Havana and Buenos Aires are low and that Argentina's
ambassador to Havana was recalled and has not yet returned to
the
Cuban capital. However, Cuba's foreign minister emphasized that
Havana's representative in Buenos Aires continues on in his post.
He
added that Cuba is not concerned that an Argentinean is
presiding
over the session of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights
Commission --
calling Leandro Despouy "an experienced diplomat and serious
man" who
is respected by Cuba.

 *WASHINGTON PUTS PRESSURE ON LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES
TO VOTE
AGAINST CUBA

Mexico City, March 22 (RHC)--Washington is putting maximum
pressure
on the governments of Latin America to join with the United
States in
a vote against Cuba. According to the Paraguayan ambassador to
Mexico, Efrain Enriquez Gamon, the U.S. is working behind the
scenes
to bribe those countries that are taking part in the 57th Annual
Meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in
Geneva.
Gamon added that the issue of human rights in Cuba should not
be used
politically for Washington's own interests.

Speaking with reporters in Mexico City, Chile's ambassador to
Mexico,
Luis Maira, stated that his country has chosen to abstain during
next
month's vote on alleged human rights violations in Cuba. Maira
said
that the resolution promoted by the United States and the Czech
Republic is not serious and reiterated Chile's opposition to the
U.S.
economic blockade against Cuba. The Chilean ambassador to
Mexico said
that his country does not like the pressure exerted by the U.S.
State
Department on other member nations at the Commission and
will not go
along with its manoeuvres.

Venezuela's representative in Mexico, Lino Martinez Salazar,
called
on Latin America to unite in solidarity with the people of Cuba.
He
said that Washington's efforts to push through a resolution
critical
of Havana's human rights record is nothing more than an attack
against the Cuban people and their revolutionary government.

 *HAVANA PREPARES FOR UPCOMING INTER-PARLIAMENTARY
UNION MEETING

Havana, March 22 (RHC)--At least 110 of the 140 member
nations of
the Inter-Parliamentary Union have confirmed their attendance
at the
upcoming meeting of the organization in Havana. The 105th
Conference
of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will be held in the Cuban capital
from April 1st through the 7th.

Speaking with reporters in Havana, the President of the
International Relations Commission of the Cuban Parliament,
Ramon Pez
Ferro, stated that more than 1000 delegates will gather for the
important international meeting. Pez Ferro said that among the
delegates will be at least 36 presidents of national parliaments --
from Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The head of the Cuban Parliament's International Relations
Commission
said that Havana will promote a resolution on the struggle
against
terrorism in all its forms. Other resolutions include a call for the
lifting of the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba as well as an
end
to neo-liberal economic policies.

The previous conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, held in
Indonesia last October, dealt with suggestions to improve the
organization's work. Organizers of the conference in Havana said
that
similar resolutions will be discussed during next month's meeting
of
international parliamentarians.

 *GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF RIO DE JANEIRO MEETS WITH FIDEL
CASTRO

Havana, March 22 (RHC)--The Governor of the Brazilian state of
Rio
de Janeiro, Anthony Garotino, has characterized his talks with
Cuban
President Fidel Castro as productive. The two leaders, who met in
Havana on Wednesday, discussed the world economy, the need
to
strengthen ties between Rio de Janeiro and Cuba and the refusal
of
U.S. transnationals to reduce the prices of desperately needed
AIDS
medicines.

The Cuban president expressed the need for AIDS medications to
be
made available to all who need them worldwide, especially the
African
countries which are the most affected.

The Governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday toured
the
Latin American School of Medicine located on the outskirts of
the
Cuban capital and praised the island's solidarity with other
nations.

Governor Garotino also visited the Carlos Finlay Institute and
the Biotechnology Center as well as Havana's Neurological
Restoration
Center.

The Brazilian governor announced the upcoming opening of a
vitiligo
clinic in Rio de Janeiro using Cuban technology to cure the skin
pigmentation disorder.

 *CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY SUPPORTS CUBAN PARTICIPATION IN
AMERICAS SUMMIT

Havana, March 22 (RHC)--Despite Washington's opposition, the
Caribbean nations will continue defending Cuba in the 3rd
Summit of
the Americas to be held in Quebec, Canada next month.

According to the Guyanese newspaper, the Chronicle, the
Caribbean Community's position is that Cuba must be included in
all
the hemisphere's cooperation projects.

The Guyanese paper asserts that the so-called 'lack of democracy'
claim pushed by Washington, reveals the arrogant and insensitive
position of the United States with its failed 40-year blockade
against a small Caribbean island located just 90 miles from its
shores.

In relation to the future, the Guyanese Chronicle, adds that
Caribbean leaders will insist during the Summit of the Americas
in
Quebec, that Cuba be invited to next year's regional summit.

 *INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON AFRICAN INFLUENCE IN THE
CARIBBEAN

Havana, March 22 (RHC)--The eastern city of Santiago de Cuba
will
host an International Workshop on African influence in the
Caribbean
which will be held from April 10th to the 15th. The event is
sponsored by UNESCO's Cuba Commission and the Spanish Alcala
de
Henares University.

During the meeting the participants will debate issues related to
ethnology in Cuba, Latin America and the Caribbean, race,
cultural
identity and cultural anthropology.

Other themes to be discussed are the works of Cuban ethnologist
Fernando Ortiz and Romulo Lachatanere and the evolution of
mixed
cultures from Africa and the region.

 *CUBA CELEBRATES WORLD WATER DAY

Havana, March 22 (RHC)--Cuba is celebrating World Water Day
with some
90 percent of its population enjoying access to water.

The UN General Assembly first decided to celebrate World Water
Day
during the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992.

The eastern province of Camaguey was selected to host this year's
main activity in recognition of the province's improvement in
supplying water to its population and in food production.

More than 383,000 people have benefited from the construction
of some
600 aqueducts as part of a project to guarantee the right of the
island's citizens, particularly children, to access to drinking
water.

According to international statistics, at least 1.2 million people in
the world lack drinking water and approximately three billion
have no
access to clean water.

 *VENEZUELA: POLLS SHOW HUGO CHAVEZ STILL IMMENSELY
POPULAR

Caracas, March 22 (RHC)--A new opinion poll in the Venezuelan
capital
shows that President Hugo Chavez continues to an extremely
popular
leader. More than 60 percent of those questioned recently
expressed
their confidence in the Venezuelan president.

The survey was carried out by the company Eugenio Escuela and
reveals
that the president's popularity is strongest among the poor and
marginalized -- with up to a 68 percent approval rating.
According to
the opinion poll, Hugo Chavez is also still very popular among
middle
class Venezuelans -- registering 58.3 percent.

Political analysts noted that after two years in office, Hugo Chavez
enjoys one of the highest popularity rates in the history of
Venezuela.

 *U.S. ARMY GENERAL VISITS LATIN AMERICA

Buenos Aires, March 22 (RHC)--The head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs
of
Staff,  Army General Henry Shelton, is touring several Latin
American
countries to study the military forces of the region. The U.S.
general arrived in Argentina on Wednesday and is also slated to
visit
Brazil and Chile.

Speaking with reporters in Buenos Aires, General Shelton said
that
the purpose of his Latin American tour was to meet with civilian
and
military personnel to "learn first-hand about the military
institutions of these countries."

Following a meeting with Argentinean Defense Minister Horacio
Jaunarena, the U.S. army general was asked by journalists if he
planned to extend the infamous Plan Colombia to other parts of
Latin
America. Plan Colombia is a multi-billion dollar project put
together
by Washington and Bogota to allegedly fight drug trafficking --
but
political analysts say it is actually designed to destroy the
Colombian guerrilla movement.

General Shelton staunchly denied that the United States is
planning
to push through similar plans in Argentina or other countries in
the
region, saying that Plan Colombia is exclusively for that country.
However, the U.S. army general stated that -- in his words --
"there
are still security threats," noting that these threats can be dealt
with "through mutual cooperation and regional programs."

Many observers have warned that Washington is aggressively
pushing
a regional defense program that will be led by the U.S. military,
in cooperation with the military top brass of cooperating Latin
American countries.

(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights
reserved. 

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