> >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Havana: Arrivals for South Summit. Proceedings > [MORE THAN A WEEKLY] > [BIENVENIDOS A GRANMA INTERNACIONAL] > April 9, 2000 > > First dignitaries arrive for South Summit > * Rest of the heads of state and government from more than 130 > countries will reach Havana between today and Tuesday > >VIETNAMESE President Tran Duc Luong; the prime minister of Vanuatu, > Barak Tame Sope; and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun >Sen were the first three dignitaries to arrive in Havana to >participate in the South Summit, which will begin sessions tomorrow >and last until Friday, with the participation of some 130 countries. > > Within the next few hours, Nigerian > President Olosegun Obasanjo will arrive. > Nigeria is the chairing country of the > Group of 77, the negotiating body which > is sponsoring this summit of the countries > from the poorest and least > development part of the planet. > > SOUTH SUMMIT -� Official site of the Group of 77 > > During the course of the day, Denzil Douglas, prime > minister of St. Kitts and Nevis; and Abderrahmane Yousseoufi, > prime minister of Morocco, are scheduled to arrive. The rest > of the dignitaries are expected on Monday and Tuesday. > >The South Summit, held April 10-14 at the International Convention >Center, will begin with a meeting of high-ranking dignitaries, who >will analyze the action program and the final declaration, one of >whose main aspects is South-South cooperation. > >On Tuesday the foreign ministers' meeting will take place; they are >expected to debate on the role of the United Nations in the 21st >century. >The South Summit itself, the first of its kind, will begin on >Wednesday, April 12, with speeches by Cuban President Fidel Castro; >Group of 77 President Olosegun Obasanjo; the Movement of Non-Aligned >Countries President Thabo Mbeki; and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. > >The latter will also carry out an official visit to Cuba April 11-14, >at which time he will meet with the island�s highest authorities. > >ABOUT GRANMA INTERNATIONAL ONLINE > � Copyright. 1996-1999. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. GRANMA > INTERNATIONAL/ ONLINE EDITION > > ************* > [MORE THAN A WEEKLY] >[ BIENVENIDOS A GRANMA INTERNACIONAL] > April 9,2000 > South Summit experts' meeting commences > >THE South Summit, the first of its kind of the Group of 77 (G-77), >began today, Monday, with an encounter of experts, in search of a >consensus among the underdeveloped countries for confronting >the realities of the contemporary world. > > Representatives of more than 110 countries meeting in three >commissions, where four fundamental issues are being discussed and >two final documents being drawn up. > > The issues are: the globalization of the economy, North-South >relations, South-South cooperation, and information and technology. > > At the same time, heads of state and government are expected to >approve a final declaration and a plan of action on Friday. The >meeting continues on Tuesday, April 11, among foreign ministers, >while Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are reserved for heads of state > >and government. > > ************* (continued) JC > >[BIENVENIDOS A GRANMA INTERNACIONAL] > >A UNIQUE CONFERENCE OF ITS KIND: THE SOUTH SUMMIT > > 1200 million people suffer hunger > >Heads of State and government together with ministers from the Group >of 77 countries will be seeking a common strategy in Havana to >confront urgent problems > > BY JOAQUIN ORAMAS (Granma International staff writer) > >SOUTH-South cooperation and debates on the effects of globalization > >in Third World countries are among the main objectives of the Summit > >to be held in Havana, which will be attended by heads of state and >government, together with ministers and experts from the Group of >77, composed of 136 countries, including China. > > More than two million people will be represented in this unique >event of its kind, in which southern countries will be seeking to >work out common strategies to confront the unjust and unsustainable > >international economic order imposed by neoliberalism, noted for its > >tendency to mainly benefit industrialized countries. > >For four days, the words Unity and Cooperation will be common >currency in this event in which Third World countries will reiterate > >their agreement in defense of the principles of International Law, >as a basic condition for achieving a just and equitable world order. > >The Summit favors a common platform in the search for solutions to >problems. > >In the event, two documents will be submitted for approval. One is a > >plan of action for south-south cooperation and north-south >relations. The other, which is political in nature, deals with >problems facing the world. > >The eradication of poverty forms part of these documents because it > >is a reality that more than 200 million people in the world are >suffering from hunger, misery and hopelessness. At the same time, 20% >of humanity enjoys development through the uncontrolled exploit- >ation of natural resources. In this sense, the discussion will be >focused on devising strategies to facilitate the establishment of >fairer and more equitative relations between the north and south. > >Experts have warned that poverty and unemployment brought about by >the automatization of industry will be the most important problems >of the 21st century, while developing countries will gradually >become mere suppliers of raw materials. It is another scourge to be > >confronted together with the danger hanging over international trade > >as represented by the establishment of megacorporations that control > >the production of important sectors of the economy, including the >pharmaceutical industry, financial activity and the manufacture of a > >range of products which frequently increase in cost while raw >materials supplied by the south decrease in price. > > South-South cooperation is a pressing theme that may influence the > >complementing of Third World country economies. In this sense, the >proposal is to work toward the closest possible cooperation among >those southern nations in more favorable circumstancesand those >undergoing difficulties, in particular the 48 poorest countries on >earth. > > Another of the themes on the agenda is facilitating southern >countries' access to knowledge and technology thereby allowing them > >to undertake in sustainable development and increase the standard of > >living of their people. > > Developing countries are a long way off from engaging in electronic > >trade which amounts to the unbelievable sum of $350 billion USD. >However, it is important that they gain effective access to the >benefits of electronic and other state of the art technology in >which the United States and other powers hold the monopoly in world > >power. > > It is worth pointing out, in the heat of the debate, that the unity > >and cohesion of developing countries may put a break on those whose > >interests are affected. An example of this was the united decision >taken by southern countries at the Ministerial Conference of the >World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle. > > The external debt, which exceeds $2 billion USD in the more >underdeveloped countries, as in other international events, will be > >the subject of analysis and proposals with the aim that creditors >contribute to just and lasting solutions to this problem damaging >the economies in which millions of people live. > > The Summit starts on April 10 with a meeting among high-ranking >officials who will negotiate and debate the projects that will be >put before the ministerial forum. This will be followed by a meeting > >of heads-of-state and government. > > ************** > (continued JC) > [MORE THAN A WEEKLY] >[BIENVENIDOS A GRANMA INTERNACIONAL] > > PRE-SOUTH SUMMIT > Protecting human value as well as profits > >* THE South Summit Business Forum recommends the creation of a bank > and a debtors club >* Countries overwhelmed by the external debt must be exempted from > WTO-established rules >* Stimulating direct investment among nations of the South >* Information network proposed to offer services to developing > nations > > BY RAISA PAGES ---Granma International staff writer > >WITHOUT enclosing themselves in a marginalized group by reason of >their shared history, but seeking concrete actions to face the >challenges of the new millennium, representatives of 30 countries at > >the South Summit Business Forum in Havana drew up sensible >recommendations to be discussed by the Group of 77 heads of state >and government at the upcoming summit on the island. > > However, discussions were not confined to economic and financial >issues, given that together with bold business initiatives, in their > >speeches delegates affirmed that preserving the principle of human >value is as necessary as profits. > >The creation of a South Bank, for which a feasibility study has >already been undertaken by the Group of 77�s Chamber of Commerce and > >Industry, is a proposal that would make a major contribution to the > >urgent reform of the current international monetary and financial >order. At this juncture it was noted that although the project needs > >to be analyzed again, it could be set up after detailing the capital > >contributions from each country and funding strategies to stimulate > >national production by promoting exports and replacing imports. > > Evaluations of the steadily more burdensome South external >debt-standing at $2.5 trillion USD- led to the suggestion of setting > >up a debtors club, which could act as a joint counterpart in >negotiations with creditors, which are grouped into distinct >institutions like the Paris and London Clubs. The formation of a >South-South information network covering all sectors would not only >facilitate access to commercial and financial information, but could >offset the inherent risks of globalization, according to the report >from the commission examining funding for business development. > > In the face of the Multilateral Investment Agreement sponsored by >the nations of the North at the World Trade Organization (WTO), it >was agreed to create independent mechanisms to protect and stimulate > >investments by the South and within the South. > > Talks within the WTO must take into consideration that fresh trade > >negotiations should not be undertaken until questions arising from >earlier agreements have been resolved. These include neoprotec- >tionism, the deterioration of North-South terms of trade, and the >need to treat small nations differently. > > Countries overwhelmed by their external debt must be exempted from > >complying with WTO rules, according to the final report on access to > >markets, trade and competition, which proposed the creation of a >South Consultative Commission. The vast majority of flows of direct > >foreign investment executed in the world are effected among the >developed nations, and given this reality, South-South investment >capital with attractive legal, taxation and fiscal facilities must >be encouraged. In this context, the forum discussed holding >conferences on joint ventures with the participation of member >countries of the group. > > Initiatives like the telecommunications corporation G-77 Chamber >Trade Information Network (TIN) must be approved to extend the South > >states' access to current and future information superhighways. > >With the objective of cooperating in the resolution of conflicts >causing heavy human and material losses within the nations of the >South, it was proposed to constitute a Conflicts Resolution >Committee. > > In order to continue facilitating contacts among entrepreneurs from > >the developing nations and to implement the agreements of the 26th >committee session of the Group of 77 Federation of Chambers of >Commerce and Industry, a standing committee composed of >representatives from the South's various sectors will be set up. It >was agreed that six regional representatives of the South >business sector would present the two reports approved by the forum > >to the heads of state and government during the summit. > > The millennium round convened by the WTO is going to be more >difficult than was previously thought, stated Cuban Minister of >Foreign Trade Ricardo Cabrisas, during the forum's closing session. > >He noted that a review of that organization's regulations, in line >with the reasons for its founding, could not be postponed. > > ABOUT GRANMA INTERNATIONAL ONLINE > � Copyright. 1996-1999. > ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. GRANMA INTERNATIONAL/ ONLINE EDITION > > ************* > >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Havana G77 South Summit >X-From_: sentto-1280215-158- >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Apr 11 2000 >Delivered-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >X-eGroups-Return: sentto-1280215-158- >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 19:31:18 -0400 >X-eGroups-From: "Michael Canney" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: "Michael Canney" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [Cuba SI] Cuba leads summit on globalization >Sender: sentto-1280215-158- >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >[This "South Summit" of the G-77, occurring the same week as the >action in Wshington, DC, should not go unnoticed by Northamericans >concerned about the impact of the WTO/IMF/World Bank plunder of the >third world. > >It is an extremely significant event, moreso because it is taking >place in La Habana. I suspect it will get little coverage in the US >media, but we should make sure the word gets out, especially to the >organizers of the protests in Washington. Cuba's message is finding >a great deal has been taking place. "Business as usual" is about to >become more difficult for the imperialists.] > >AP 04/10/00 > >World Leaders Gather in Havana > By JOHN RICE, Associated Press Writer > >HAVANA (AP) _ Dozens of leaders from the world's poor countries >began gathering today in Cuba to forge a common position demanding >a greater share of the world's power and wealth. > >The 133-nation ``Group of 77'' is expected to call for debt >relief, greater global attention to the needs of the poor and >possible structural changes in the United Nations during its formal >sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. > >``The process of globalization that we have witnessed in recent >years has exacerbated problems (of poor countries),'' said Arthur >Mbanefo of Nigeria, president of the Group of 77, during a weekend >news conference. > >He said the summit would aim to ``redefine North-South relations >with a view to assure that the South plays an active role in the >design of the world commercial system.'' >Cuban and summit officials estimated that more than 60 heads of >state or government would appear, along with scores of foreign >ministers and other senior officials. > >Already in Havana today were Nigerian President Olusegun >Obansanjo and Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong. Also expected >were U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and leaders of Indonesia, >South Africa, Cambodia, Venezuela and Pakistan. >Cuban officials said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Libyan >leader Moammar Gadhafi also might attend. > >The G-77 was created in 1964 by 77 developing nations and has >grown to 133 members as new countries have emerged with the end of >the colonial era. >``Our problems cannot be resolved only through collaboration >between countries of the South,'' Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe >Perez Roque said in a state television interview Saturday. > >``The only way the countries of the Third World -countries of >the Group of 77 -have to defend our rights is to unify and join in >a united front to take part in this discussion with the developed >countries.'' > >He said the resolutions could form the basis for a common front >at a ``Millennium Summit'' of world leaders at the United Nations >in September. > >Within Cuba itself, the summit has been overshadowed by a >6-year-old boy: Elian Gonzalez and the Cuban government's battle to >win his repatriation from the United States. > >--- >Cuba SI: http://www.egroups.com/group/cubasi/ >Imperialism NO! Venceremos! Information and discussion about Cuba. >Discussion of the path of Ernesto Che Guevara." 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] ___________________________________
