> >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Cuba press release 86-89 > FOR ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS >HAVANA, TUESDAY, MAY 09, 2000. NSA > >HAVANA.- Elian Gonzalez' case has had the effect of awakening U.S. >and Miami public opinion, which will only fall back to sleep with >difficulty, according to Francisco Aruca, "Radio Progreso >Alternativa" radio station. The journalist, a Cuban resident in >Miami, was interviewed by Cuban television colleagues during a live >TV round table discussion. The program analyzed details of the >situation of child Elian, who was illegally retained for five months >by great uncles. The minor has not been able to return home with his >father, stepmother and half brother, due to legal measures brought by >Elian's former retainers. > >HAVANA.- Cuban television displayed new photos of Elian and his >classmates, in reply to U.S. Senator Bob Smith query regarding a >possible reindoctrination of the boy. Images show Elian playing and >dancing with his friends and older cousin, who arrived in the U.S. a >few weeks ago to help Elian's reintegration, after almost five months >of retention in Miami. During a live TV round table discussion >broadcast by national television, Cuban psychologist Patricia Ares >rejected U.S. Republican Senator Bob Smith's statement regarding >reindoctrination of the boy, survivor of a shipwreck at the end of >November. > >WASHINGTON.- U.S. citizens would have saved themselves US$ 42 million >in the legal process brought by minor Elian Gonzalez' retainers, if >they had responded to the demand for the boy's return made by his >father, according to information. The case, acknowledged by the >majority of tax payers and U.S. businessmen as highly expensive, will >cost a few million dollars more whilst the political asylum request >brought by the minor's great uncle, Lazaro Gonzalez, before the 11th >Atlanta Court of Appeals remains unresolved. > >PHNOM PENH.- A Cuban Communist Party (PCC) delegation, headed by >Rolando Alfonso, PCC Central Committee member and Ideology Department >Head continues a tour of Asia, and is beginning a two day visit to >Cambodia. After his arrival at Phnom Penh, Alfonso began talks with >Cambodian People's Party (CPP) Foreign Affairs Commission President, >Yos Son, who personally welcomed him at Kampong Chhnang airport. > >HAVANA.- Bolivian Work and Micro enterprise Minister Luis Vazquez, in >Cuba on a 5 day official visit, will met Cuban Work and Social >Security Minister Alfredo Morales. During the meeting, both parties' >experiences on employment and social security were exchanged. > >HAVANA.- Cuban and Zambian Health Ministers, Doctor Carlos Dotres >Martinez and Doctor David S. Mpamba, analyzed their countries' >current relations and future collaboration in their sector, in >Havana. According to Mpamba, his visit to Cuba will allow the >ratification of both parties wish to renew bilateral cooperation, >including the work of 153 Cuban doctors in Zambia. HAVANA.- Over >3,500 foreign professionals are taking postgraduate courses in Cuba >mainly related to technical sciences, according to an official from >the Higher Education Ministry (MES). Applications to study at various >Cuban higher education centres have increased due to the growing >prestige of the Cuban education system, explained Rene Sanchez Diaz, >International Postgraduate Office Head. The majority of applications >are from Colombia, with 410 students registered; the U.S. (393); >Mexico (283); Germany (233), and Brazil (203). People from Canada, >Venezuela, Chile, Spain, Italy, Great Britain, France, Japan, >Switzerland and many other nations, including some from Africa, are >also linked to continuous training programs, academic degrees, >teaching degrees and doctorates. > > HAVANA.- Two Spanish trade missions will visit Cuba in the next few >days, aiming to explore the Cuban domestic market and implement >bilateral cooperation links, according to the Cuban Chamber of >Commerce (CCC). The Zaragoza Chamber of Commerce delegation will be >headed by Foreign Office Services official Carlos Karan. Businessmen >from Zaragoza will arrive in Havana on May 9-10. Also during the next >few days, a group from the Valencia Community Chamber of Trade and >Industry is expected. > >HAVANA.- Today, Roman Rodriguez Rodriguez, president of the Canary >Islands Autonomous Community, Spain, begins an official visit to >Cuba. Invited by Cuban government, Rodriguez Rodriguez will carry out >a full agenda of talks with government officials, and visit places of >social, historic and tourist interest in both Havana and Matanzas, He >will also meet the large colony of Canarians and their descendants >here. The visit ends on May 14. > > HAVANA.- The World Custom House Organization (WCHO) awarded a medal >of distinction to the Cuban General Custom House, as acknowledgment >for its work. Toru Nagase, subddirector of WCHO Trade and Tariff >Affairs, with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, acknowledged Cuban >advances in applying custom house regulations and its role as member >of the organization, which includes 152 other countries. > >HAVANA.- From yesterday until May 12, experts and important figures >from 15 Caribbean countries are attending a regional seminar on >classification and codification systems for goods. The event is >sponsored by the World Custom House Organization (WCHO) and has the >objective of updating training in the newest aspects of the system >for participants. The event is taking place in Havana's Melia Cohiba >Hotel. > > HAVANA.- Cuba reiterated its rejection of the bans imposed on Cuban >boxing officials in Mexico last weekend, and will continue the legal >battle against the International Amateur Boxing Association's (AIBA) >arbitrary decisions. In a press conference, Cuban Institute of Sports >(INDER) president Humberto Rodriguez stated that "we do not accept >any of the sanctions imposed on our officials, and we will take our >claims to the highest level." The AIBA Legal Commission, headed by >Mexican Ricardo Contreras, decided to suspend Cuban Boxing Federation >(CBF) president Jose Barrientos (four years), CFB vice-president >Teofilo Stevenson and national team head coach Alcides Sagarra, >penalizing them for the "Houston Scandal" in the U.S., when the Cuban >team withdrew from the 1999 world championships due to >unfair decisions against Cuban boxers. > >BUENOS AIRES.- Argentinean people were able to verify the healthy >progress of former soccer star Diego Armando Maradona on the T.V. >screen. He has been recuperating in Cuba since January. Maradona, >nicknamed "El Pibe de Oro", attended the Cuba-Barbados football match >in Havana, part of the Central American and Caribbean qualifying >round for the 2002 World Cup. TV viewers saw a much improved >Maradona, in comparison to the person who left Buenos Aires almost >four months ago. He displayed a good sense of humor, and talked a >lot. DPTO. INFORMACION / MINREX > > ************** >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Cuba press release 89 >Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 12:03:36 -0500 > FOR ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS >HAVANA, FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2000 > >HAVANA.- Cuban President Fidel Castro last night received U.N. >High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata, who arrived in Havana on >Wednesday to carry out a two day official visit. The Cuban President >held talks with the official in a peaceful, pleasant atmosphere. >Fidel Castro initially expressed interest in details of her 13 hour >trip to Havana from Switzerland. > >HAVANA.- The identity of experts who attended Cuban child Elian >Gonzalez during his almost five month retention in Miami was revealed >yesterday in Havana on a national television program. Luis Maderal, >Alina Lopez Gotari and Rigoberto Rodriguez were named as the doctors >who directly assisted the minor after he survived the shipwreck in >which his mother died at the end of November, and was subsequently >illegally maintained by Miami based distant relatives until April >22. > >WASHINGTON.- The Atlanta hearing on Cuban child Elian Gonzalez case >lasted for 90 minutes, but concluded without any decision by the >three judges in charge of the hearing. They announced the decision >will be delayed for some weeks. Originally, the hearing was expected >to last only 40 minutes, but continued due to the magistrates' >questions. Press attending the courtroom said the judges' questions >to lawyers were aimed at clarifying whether or not Elian is too young >to decide if he wants to request political asylum in the U.S... They >also added questions on an alleged situation in Cuba which would not >be convenient for the minor - an issue refuted by Gregory >Craig, lawyer for Juan Miguel Gonzalez, the child's father. Shortly >after the oral hearing, Craig told press that Juan Miguel is a >magnificent father and should decide on behalf of his son. > >WASHINGTON.- Gregory Craig, lawyer of Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Cuban >child Elian Gonzalez' father, yesterday said that it would be inhuman >to break up the minor's real family by granting him political asylum >in the U.S. "An asylum request process could maybe last six years, >which means the child, father and family would become prisoners of >U.S. laws", he added. "Juan Miguel is a magnificent father and should >decide on his son's behalf", stated Craig. "Elian is too young to >make his own decisions and this is a family issue. What we have here >is a real family who love each other, in danger of being destroyed", >explained Craig. > >HAVANA.- Cuban journalists yesterday warned that the case of Cuban >child Elian Gonzalez might turn into a serious boomerang for the U.S. >government, as happened a few years ago when it encouraged planes to >be highjacked in Cuba. Participants on a TV program said the first >sign of this boomerang effect was the reply by Miami city's Anglo >Saxon population, who protested at the rude and excessive behaviour >of the Cuban community which supported Elian Gonzalez' illegal >retention. > >WASHINGTON.- U.S. Democrat legislator Charles Rangel yesterday said >the case of Cuban child Elian Gonzalez has influenced the growing >atmosphere in U.S. against the blockade on Cuba. "Prospects for a >change in Congress regarding Cuba have improved since Elian's case", >Rangel told press. The Congressman specifically referred to a measure >recently adopted by a House of Representatives subcommittee and a >Senate committee which would exclude medicine and food from the cruel >U.S. blockade on Cuba carried out for almost forty years. This motion >still has to be approved by full sessions in both Chambers. > >HAVANA.- U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata highlighted >Cuba's participation in refugee protection, and described health and >education services as exemplary. Ogata, who arrived in Cuba on >Wednesday for a two day visit, made the references yesterday whilst >giving a master lecture at the University of Havana's Aula Magna when >beginning her agenda on the Island. > >HAVANA.- Yesterday, Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage announced that >Cuban oil production could reach three and a half million tons this >year, and four the next, due to discovery of new deposits. Lage >stated that total production will be higher than the 3.2 million >predicted. > >SANCTI SPIRITUS, CUBA.- Cuban tobacco leaf production will once >more increase this year although it will not break its historic >record, said experts from National Small Farmers Association (ANAP). >We are ready to reach 10,000 tons, a figure higher than in 1999, in >spite of areas very much affected by drought, stated ANAP president >Orlando Lugo Fonte, who is touring the central province. In the >eastern Pinar del Rio province - Cuba's main tobacco producer - there >has been an almost historic harvest, favored by irrigation and >excellent terrain, he added. > >HAVANA.- Results of vaccines developed by Cuban biotechnology are >being analyzed at the "Science and Technology for Health (CITESA >Havana 2000) meeting. The accomplishments achieved by Cuba in the use >of Heverbiovac HB - anti Hepatitis B; Vaxspiral - anti leptospira; >anti-meningococcus vaccine Vamengonc BC, together with the national >immunization program, called the main attention of experts during the >event. > >HAVANA.- The bacterium Haemophilus Influenzae (HI), which causes >meningitis, pneumonia, otitis and other diseases, could be eliminated >in Cuba within the next three years, announced National Immunization >Program director Miguel Galindo. Another factor that could help to >eliminate the bacteria in the Island would be national production of >a vaccine to fight it. "The anti-HI Cuban vaccine is being researched >and will be soon tested," he remarked. > >HAVANA.- Canary Islands' government president Roman Rodriguez praised >the efficient Cuban public health system and described Cuban medics >as excellent, after handing over a medical donation worth US$ 5,235 >to a local hospital. "The efficiency of Cuba's public health system >is very important. In the Canary Islands, we might have more to spend >than the entire budget of Cuba, which has ten times more people. >However, Cuba has public health standards similar to those of highly >developed nations," said Rodriguez, who is also a doctor. In the >politician's opinion, the low infant mortality rate (6.4 per 1,000 >live births) in 1999, and other positive rates reveal levels of >efficiency and political priority given to the service in >Cuba. 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] ___________________________________
