> >from:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Cuba press release 60 63 >Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2000 > >PRESS RELEASE NO. 60 FOR ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS HAVANA, WEDNESDAY, >APRIL 05, 2000 > >HAVANA.- News of interest related to the situation of child Elian >Gonzalez, held in the U.S., yesterday focussed the attention of >reporters and lawyers gathered in a round table discussion. Experts >agree with the national and international public opinions, the latest >press reports and the polls results and the reports released from the >Cuban Interests Section in Washington. Various news agencies and the >U.S. television network CNN confirmed on Tuesday the temporary >breaking up of negotiations between the U.S. Immigration and >Naturalization Service (INS) officials and the lawyers of Elian's >Miami based distant relatives. > >HAVANA.- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon yesterday >affirmed that the Miami based anti Cuban mafia is demonstrating its >incapacity to mobilize, not only the majority, but not even a part of >the Cuban community. He also said that the reclaim of a panel of >psychologists to analyze the child is last chapter of the lawyers of >the Miami based distant relatives maneuver, when participating in a >round table discussion of national television to actualize the >situation of child Elian Gonzalez, still being held in the U.S. by >distant relatives for almost four months. Alarcon also recalled that >when the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) decided >that the right on the child belongs to the father Juan Miguel, >the lawyers of the retainers reclaimed a judicial process. > >WASHINGTON.- Solidarity organizations with Cuba protested against >Vice President Albert Gore's proposal of granting permanent residence >to Elian's close family in Cuba. Gathered in front of Vice >President's presidential campaign offices in New York City, the >Committee for the Return to Cuba of Child Elian Gonzalez (CRNEGC) >showed its rejection to the position taken by the U.S. Vice President >of the White House to support the plans of the conservative Congress >members. The CNREGC is a coalition of over 70 U.S. organizations >which has been active at national level and in its >respective communities to pressurize for the return of Elian to his >father to Cuba. > >WASHINGTON.- U.S. Vice President Albert Gore changed his opinion >concerning the case of Cuban child Elian Gonzalez, when favoring his >return to Cuba, according to press here. The democrat candidate to >the U.S. presidency agreed on the minor's return to Cuba under the >condition that his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez declares that his son >should return to him in the case he travels to the U.S.. Last week, >the Vice President broke with the established by Bill Clinton's >government, who together with Janet Reno, U.S. Attorney General, >supports the minor's return to his father in Cuba. > >WASHINGTON.- The CNN television network confirmed that two basic >differences yesterday caused the breaking of negotiations between the >U.S. authorities and Elian Gonzalez' Miami based distant relatives on >the minor's fate. The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service >(INS) tried the lawyers of great-uncle Lazaro Gonzalez to accept the >conditions to deliver the child to his father Juan Miguel Gonzalez, >once he will be given the minor's custody when he arrives in >Washington. But according to information, the lawyers of great-uncle >demanded that a panel of three independent psychologists study if the >delivery of Elian's custody to his father could bring or not >harmful implications for the six year old boy's health. The great- >uncle's lawyers want the INS to commit to accept the result of that >independent evaluation. > >WASHINGTON.- Most of the U.S. people wants the Cuban child, retained >by his distant relatives in Miami, to return to his father Juan >Miguel Gonzalez, who lives in Cuba, reveals a poll published >yesterday. The poll made by the TV channel CNN shows that 56 percent >of the interviewed wants the six year old child to return to his >father in Cuba. Only 31 percent was against his return interviewers >asked people who are the people they like most in this conflict and >92 percent answered Elian and 77 his father. > >WASHINGTON.- The U.S. government could force Cuban child Elian >Gonzalez' relatives to respect the law if they refuse to accept the >terms of negotiation, still opened, a legal expert in migratory >issues told CNN. Robert Wallis, ex Immigration and Naturalization >Service (INS) official told CNN that federal authorities could >enforce the decisions taken in the meeting through an order of a >judge. For fourth consecutive day and in an confusing environment, >Lazaro Gonzalez, child's great uncle, and INS members negotiate a >solution to Elian's more than four months long kidnapping by >the Gonzalez family against the will of his father in Cuba. > >GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.- Cuba vigorously accused the U.S. for violating >human rights when maintaining and strengthen the blockade imposed to >Cuba for more than 4 decades. In an intervention during the 56th U.N. >Human Rights Commission Session Period taking place in this city, the >member of Cuban delegation, Mercedes de Armas Garcia, denounced once >more Washington aggressive attitude against Cuba. She highlighted >that with the blockade to the island, the U.S. government ignores the >repeated and growing demands of the international community to >abstain of taking unilateral measures against international right and >the U.N. Chart. > > >HAVANA.- With the public exhibition of the biographies and photos of >the more than 31,400 candidates running for municipality >government, preparations for Cuban partial elections, scheduled for >April 23, entered its final stage. In the elections, that take place >every two year and a half, any Cuban citizen above 16 year old can >participate apart from race, religious belief, sex or political >ideas, as established in Cuban constitution. Next April 16, >everything have to be ready to guarantee citizens the full exercise >of their rights to elect and being elected, said Roberto Diaz >Sotolongo, Minister of Justice and president of the >National Electoral Commission (CEN). > >HAVANA.- Over 5,000 delegates attending the 12th Latin American >and Caribbean Students Congress (CLAE) ended their working sessions >in commissions yesterday and will take part in a final discussion >today, at the Karl Marx Theater. On the penultimate day of the event, >participants concluded debates on six major issues, including >neoliberalism and the students' role. They also ended discussions on >the relation between the Latin American and Caribbean Students >Organization (OCLAE) and the secondary students movement. They also >debated talked about the application of policies in terms of youth >integration, gender, culture and national identity, environment and >development, as well as the current situation of Latin American >universities. DPTO. INFORMACION/MINREX > > ********** > >PRESS RELEASE NO. 63 FOR ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS >HAVANA, SATURDAY, APRIL 08, 2000 > >HAVANA.- Cuban President Fidel Castro attended the open tribune of >the young people and the students a round table discussion on the >results of the presence in the U.S. of Juan Miguel Gonzalez, father >of the child held in Miami Elian Gonzalez. Miguel Gonzalez travelled >to the U.S. on Thursday to meet U.S. Immigration and Naturalization >Service (INS) authorities aimed at stating aspects of the delivery of >his son and the return to Cuba of both. Gonzalez, who travelled >accompanied by his wife and youngest son to the U.S., said at the end >of talks that these were favorable to his reclaim. Both Cuban >television channels and national radio network and the Radio Habana >Cuba International waves broadcast alive the program's details. > >WASHINGTON.- Juan Miguel Gonzalez refused to talk with Delfin >Gonzalez, accomplice of the child Elian's retention, shortly after >the police hindered the furtive entrance of the intruder in the >residence where the family rests after its arrival on Thursday from >Cuba. The CNN television network showed images of how Delfin, brother >of Lazaro Gonzalez and also Elian's great-uncle, violated the police >barrier until getting close to the garden of the residence of the >Cuban Interests Section in the U.S. head, Fernando Remirez de >Estenoz. With the use of a translator after living for over 16 years >in the U.S., the great-uncle opposed to Elian's reunification with >his father said "Juan Miguel is my nephew... I'm his godfather, >besides I just want to speak to him as family... But if he does not >want, then I will call him over the phone." > >WASHINGTON.- The CNN television network considered the meeting of >Elian's father with U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno as a very >successful day for Juan Miguel Gonzalez, 24 hours after his arrival >to the U.S. Reno, accompanied by Doris Meissner, Immigration and >Naturalization Service (INS) director, announced on Friday that >after giving opportunities to Elian's Miami based distant relatives >to seek for an honorable solution, it was decided to begin the >reunification between Elian and his father next week. After the >meeting, Juan Miguel told the press to feel very satisfied with the >talks maintained with U.S. government representatives, accompanied >by his lawyer, Gregory Craig. This satisfaction was expressed before >the press conference offered by Reno, in which she considered the >talk as "honest" and to Juan Miguel as a "devoted father of a lovely >child." > >HAVANA.- Jose Pertierra, lawyer of Cuban origin resident in the >U.S., explained the procedure which could follow the decision of the >U.S. authorities of giving to Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Elian's father, >the minor's care. Interviewed by Cuban television during an open >tribune held here, the lawyer said the U.S. Immigration and >Naturalization Service (INS) should communicate this decision to the >Miami based relatives who have the minor, throughout a letter. Elian >survived when the boat in which he was illegally taken to the U.S. >territory sank. His mother died in the accident together with other >10 people out of the 14 who participated in the attempt. > >WASHINGTON.- An anti Cuban organization which actively supports >the retention of Cuban child Elian Gonzalez in Miami threatened to >block the Miami Airport, Florida. The so-called "Movimiento >Democracia", Florida based, said it wants to hinder what was >considered as an imminent return of the six year old boy to his >father Juan Miguel Gonzalez, currently in Washington. Elian survived >a shipwreck during which his mother died in front of the U.S. coasts >in November and since then he has been illegally retained by Miami >based distant relatives against his father's will. > >HANOI.- Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong will begin an official >visit to Cuba this weekend and he will attend the Group-77 Summit, to >be held in Havana. Luong, a mining and geology engineer, 63, born in >Pho Khanh, district of Duc Pho, in the central province of Quang >Ngai. He is graduated of the University of Hanoi in that specialty. >During the first ordinary session of the 10th national Parliament >legislature of 1997, was elected President of the Socialist Republic >of Vietnam. > >HAVANA.- Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Perez Roque praised >the unity of the Third World expressed in the Final Declaration of >the South Summit, to be held in Havana on April 10-14. After the >hoisting of flags of the Group-77 member countries at Havana's >Conference Centre, the Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister said the >document "has a particular importance for our countries", after a >statement to the press. > >HAVANA.- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expects to attend the >Group-77 Summit to be held in Cuba next week, Venezuelan Embassy >sources told local press. Felix Torres, Venezuelan Embassy Charge d' >Affairs in Cuba referred to Chavez' next trip to Cuba. He also said >the G-77 meeting is an ideal space for the countries in development. > >HAVANA.- Yasser Arafat, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) >President will attend at the South Summit to be held in Havana on >April 10-14, according to information. Imad Jada'a, Palestinian >Ambassador to Cuba confirmed the information and he also said his >country's delegation will be very wide and include the Foreign >Affairs Minister and some Ministers. > >KUALA LUMPUR.- Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad heads the Malaysian >official delegation to the Group-77 South Summit, to be held in >Havana on April 10-14, said here Foreign Affairs Minister Syed Hamid >Albar. For the veteran Asian leader, this is his second visit to >Cuba, where he carried out a visit on September 25-28, 1998, at the >invitation of Cuban President Fidel Castro. > >PNOM PENH.- Prime Minister Hun Sen travelled to Havana heading the >official Cambodian delegation to the South Summit taking place in >this city in April 10-14. He is accompanied by Planning Minister >Chhay Than, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs , Uch Kiman, and >State Secretary for Economy and Finance, Ouk Rabun. >DPTO. INFORMACION/MINREX > > ************** > >PRESS RELEASE NO. 63a FOR ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS >HAVANA, FRIDAY, APRIL 07, 2000 > >HAVANA.- President Fidel Castro said "there must be confidence" on >an adequate solution to the case of Elian Gonzalez, after the >departure of Juan Miguel Gonzalez to Washington yesterday. The Cuban >leader went to Havana's International Airport to bid farewell Juan >Miguel Gonzalez, who arrive in Washington three hours later from >Havana on board of a N717JB lear jet at 04:00 local time, accompanied >by his wife Nersy Carmenate, his youngest son and the Cuban Interests >Office in Washington head, Fernando Remirez. During an interview, >Fidel Castro highlighted the good mood of Elian's father on his trip >to the U.S. to take care of his son. The Cuban leader also >had confidence in the prompt end of the scandalous case which has >focused the attention of the international public opinion since >November. > >WASHINGTON.- President Bill Clinton considered as a positive step the >trip to the U.S. of child Elian Gonzalez' father, Juan Miguel >Gonzalez, which will help to solve the situation regarding the minor >illegally held in Miami. The White House spokesperson, Joe Lockhart, >said during a press conference that President Clinton's government >favors the idea that Elian should meet his father, who is the only >one who can speak for and legally represent the six year old boy. >"The father's arrival is a constructive way of facilitating the >reunification process. The President and the administration consider >this as a positive step to rejoin the father with his son", said the >spokesperson. > >WASHINGTON.- Lawyers of child Elian Gonzalez' Miami based distant >relatives yesterday said negotiations with the government failed and >the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) will begin the >transference of the minor's custody to his father. Jose Garcia >Pedrosa, one of the defenders of Elian's great-uncle, Lazaro >Gonzalez, said during a press conference that talks concluded with >the INS's decision of removing the minor's custody from the distant >family. He also said, the steps to make effective the >minor's transfer to Juan Miguel Gonzalez, who arrived in Washington >yesterday morning with the decision of "returning to Cuba with my >son." will begin immediately. > >HAVANA.- Cuban reporters and lawyers, gathered in a round table >discussion, yesterday examined steps for the solution to the case of >child Elian Gonzalez, illegally held in the U.S. With the habitual >presence of Cuban President Fidel Castro, experts shared with the >international public opinion the impact of the recent arrival to the >U.S. of the minor's father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez to take care of his >son. When arriving in Washington yesterday morning, Juan Miguel said >the decision of delivering the minor has not yet been fulfilled and >it was subordinated to an endless and confused judicial process. He >also said on March 21, a Miami based federal court decided in favor >of what should have never been questioned. > >WASHINGTON.- Juan Miguel Gonzalez, father of the Cuban child >illegally held in Miami for over four months, said that he is >impatiently waiting to get his son back -to immediately return to >Cuba with him. In a statement read to the U.S. people at Dulles >Airport after his arrival yesterday morning, Juan Miguel affirmed he >expects very soon to hold Elian after four months without seeing him. >Gonzalez, who is accompanied by his wife Dersy Carmenate and his six >months old son, said this is Elian's real family and it has been 137 >days since he has been unjustly and cruelly separated from his son. > >WASHINGTON.- Cuba renounced the diplomatic immunity of the >residency where Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Elian's father, and other >members of the family, will stay in Washington. Fernando Remirez, >head of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, made the official >declaration after doing the customhouse procedures with Gonzalez >family on their arrival to this city. Juan Miguel Gonzalez had >previously pronounced himself for the immediate devolution of his son >and spoke about the many sufferings that the child as well as the >rest of the family in Cuba have been through during four months, >since the moment the child was taken away from the island illegally >on November 22. Juan Miguel Gonzalez arrived yesterday in >the morning in this capital accompanied by his wife and his six- >months-old son. > >WASHINGTON.- The U.S. Secret Service is protecting the Cuban >residency where Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Elian Gonzalez' father, and >other members of the family are staying since yesterday, informed >the TV network CNN. This house is the residence of the chief of the >Cuban Interest Section in Washington, Fernando Remirez, located in >Bethseda. Maryland. > >WASHINGTON.- U.S. Vice General Attorney, Eric Holder, said that the >US government wants to "reunite as soon as possible" Juan Miguel >Gonzalez, father of the Cuban child Elian Gonzalez, with his son. In >press conference, Holder expressed that the authorities are "looking >for the cooperation" of the distant relatives, who have the six-year- >old child retained in Miami, for this meeting could be calm and fast. >The higher official defined as a "great step forwards" in the >solution of the conflict, the presence of Elian's father since >Thursday morning in the US. When Gonzalez arrived before 07:00 am >(local time) in Dulles airport, he declared that he wants to meet >immediately with his son and return to Cuba. > >HAVANA.- The head of the Cuban Interests Office in Washington, >Fernando Remirez, considered enormous the impact in the US public >opinion about Juan Miguel Gonzalez' travel to Washington. In a phone >interview given to the Cuban TV from Washington, the diplomat >declared that "Juan Miguel's arrival yesterday morning has had an >enormous impact in the US people". Washington has not reported any >reject action or protest for this event. Gonzalez has a great support >in the US territory, commented the Cuban diplomat. > >WASHINGTON.- Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Elian Gonzalez' father, will begin >his meetings with officers of the US Justice Department, announced >CNN. Gonzalez arrived yesterday morning in Washington in order to >meet his six-year-old son and take him back to Cuba after four months >in which the child has been retained by distant relatives in Miami. > >NATIONS.- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said that he wants Cuban >child Elian Gonzalez to be with his father Juan Miguel Gonzalez, who >arrived in the U.S.. Annan highlighted that he favors the reencounter >between the six-year old boy and his father, although he affirmed >that his position is personal, because the conflict "is not a UN >matter." The child survived a shipwreck in November in front of the >U.S. coast, in which his mother died. Since then, he has been >kidnapped by distant relatives in Miami, Florida. > >HAVANA.- The final hearing of a demand presented by the Cuban people >against the U.S. government for economic damages, will be held today, >Friday, after following a intense civil process. At Havana's >Revolution Palace, where the presentation of evidence was held in >March, a staff of lawyers - representing eight Cuban grassroots >organizations - will report their analysis. The attorneys will assess >the proofs from experts, documents and witnesses presented in support >of the claim, which demands to U.S. to pay US$ 121 billion to >compensate the damages to the Cuban people. > >DPTO. INFORMACION/MINREX " JC > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
