>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 6 June 2000 23:30 > > >*THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES FOR ELIAN'S RETURN TO CUBA >*DELEGATION FROM U.S. WHEAT ASSOCIATES ARRIVES IN HAVANA >*BRITISH INVESTORS HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE CUBAN MARKET >*TURKEY-CUBA JOINT COMMISSION BEGINS MEETING IN HAVANA >*DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD ORGANIZATION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY VISITS CUBA >*12th INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF TECHNOLOGY AND TOURISM PRODUCTS > BEGINS IN HAVANA >*CUBA PARTICIPATES IN UNITED NATIONS MEETING ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS >*GENERAL DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE PROHIBITION > OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS VISITS CUBA >*Viewpoint: U.S. MEDIA LOSING PATIENCE WITH KIDNAPPERS IN MIAMI > >*THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES FOR ELIAN'S RETURN TO CUBA > >Havana, June 6 (RHC)-- A roundtable discussion was broadcast live on Cuban >radio and television Tuesday evening, with the latest information on the >case of Elian Gonzalez. Journalists and experts in international law >analyzed the current status of the case, with special attention on >repercussions in the U.S. media. One of the issues discussed this evening >included reports in the U.S. press that Elian's kidnappers in Miami have >requested a meeting with Juan Miguel Gonzalez. It was pointed out that the >six-year-old's great-uncle, Lazaro Gonzalez -- who defiantly refused to turn >Elian over to his father -- is the same person who now says he wants a >"family reunion." > >Among those interviewed by phone were the Reverend Joan Brown Campbell, the >former secretary general of the National Council of Churches. Rev. Campbell >has been a key figure in working for Elian's return home to Cuba. She stated >that both Elian and his father are doing well and are being accompanied by >family and friends in Washington, DC. > >During another telephone interview, the head of the Cuban Interests Section >in the U.S. capital, Fernando Remirez de Estenoz, stated that a recent >opinion poll shows that more than 85 percent of the U.S. public agrees that >Elian and his father should be allowed to return home as soon as possible. > >The roundtable discussion was aired on Cuban television, the national radio >network and the international shortwave frequencies of Radio Havana Cuba. > > >*DELEGATION FROM U.S. WHEAT ASSOCIATES ARRIVES IN HAVANA > >Havana, June 6 (RHC)-- Forming part of a steady flow of U.S. legislative and >business delegations visiting Cuba, a group from the U.S. Wheat Associates >has arrived on the island. Representatives from the organization began a >series of meetings on Monday with officials from Cuban ministries linked to >trade and food production. The organization's vice president of operations, >Paul Dickerson, told reporters that Cuba could reduce its transportation >costs by half if it could import wheat from the United States through the >Gulf of Mexico, instead of from Europe across the Atlantic Ocean. Dickerson >said that while Cuba has to pay such a high price for many products, >American business groups are denied access to the Cuban market due to >Washington's blockade of the island. > >A Washington, DC-based organization, the U.S. Wheat Associates, Inc. is an >export/market development organization representing U.S. wheat producers. >The delegation -- the organization's fifth to visit Cuba during the last two >years -- will visit port facilities, processing mills and present a >marketing seminar. This new visit -- following those of legislators and rice >growers from Arkansas and members of the Congressional Black Caucus -- comes >as other American firms gear up to participate in the 4th U.S.-Cuba Business >Summit to begin Wednesday in Cancun, Mexico. Representatives from some 65 >U.S. firms are expected to participate, including Pepsi Cola, United >Airlines and Caterpillar. > >They will gather with Cuban officials and business representatives in Cancun >on Wednesday and Thursday, and then travel to Havana for further meetings on >Friday and Saturday. Previous events were organized by the American firm >Alamar Associates, until the 3rd Summit was blocked by the U.S. Treasury >Department in 1999. As a result, the Italian firm Cristobal has taken charge >of organizing the Summits, while the expenditures of the American business >representatives will be covered by the joint Italian-Cuban firm Desoft -- in >that way overstepping Washington's restrictions. > >*BRITISH INVESTORS HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE CUBAN MARKET > >Havana, June 6 (RHC)-- The director of the Caribbean Trade Advisory Group, >Trevor Johns, said on Tuesday in Havana that his institution has expressed >an interest in permanently establishing itself on the island rather than >working under short-term contracts. He said that decision is a good example >of the Group's confidence in Cuba's market, economic development and current >commercial and investment policies. The British business executive added >that he has seen a rapid rate of integration in the Caribbean and that Cuba >is taking a leading role in this effort. > >The British group announced that it will soon wind up negotiations on >opening new lines of credit for exports to the island. The news was >characterized by the first secretary of the British embassy in Havana, Nick >Suteliffe, as a sign of confidence in the future of relations between the >two countries and of London's support for business representatives currently >operating in Cuba. > >Executives from 17 British companies make up a trade delegation to the >island organized by the Cuba Initiative of the Caribbean Trade Advisory >Group. > >The Cuba Initiative of the Caribbean Trade Advisory Group was created five >years ago to expand commercial relations and investment between Cuba and >Great Britain. > >*TURKEY-CUBA JOINT COMMISSION BEGINS MEETING IN HAVANA > >Havana, June 6 (RHC)-- The 3rd Turkey-Cuba Joint Commission began sessions >Tuesday in Havana to explore ways to expand and strengthen bilateral >economic and commercial relations between the two countries. Turkey's trade >delegation is presided over by Turkish State Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen, >who arrived in Havana on June 3rd leading an official delegation made up of >members of his country's government and parliament. > >In his welcoming statements, the Minister of Cuba's Light Industry, Jesus >Perez Othon, gave the visitors a detailed explanation of the state of the >Cuban economy and stressed the 47 years of diplomatic and friendly relations >between Turkey and Cuba. The Cuban official expressed his confidence that >this third round of talks will bring about fruitful results for both >countries. > >The Turkish state minister said Cuba and Turkey should expand trade >relations by increasing their offers of products from different economic >sectors. Kazim Yucelen also said his people were grateful to Cuba for >medical assistance offered after recent earthquakes struck his country. > >*DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD ORGANIZATION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY VISITS CUBA > >Havana, June 6 (RHC)-- The director of the World Organization of >Intellectual Property, Kamil Indris, has begun a three-day official visit to >Cuba aimed at expanding and strengthening cooperation between his >institution and Cuba. > >Indris is scheduled to meet with the Minister of Science, Technology and the >Environment, Rosa Elena Simeon, and Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto, as >well as with Foreign Ministry and other government officials. The director >of the World Organization of Intellectual Property said in Havana that the >Cuban office of Intellectual Property is well organized and is one of the >best in the world in terms of its practical programs aimed at promoting >inventions, technology, information, and patents. > > >*12th INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF TECHNOLOGY AND TOURISM PRODUCTS > BEGINS IN HAVANA > >Havana, June 6 (RHC)-- The 12th International Meeting of Technology and >Tourism Products was inaugurated in Havana with the participation of 200 >companies, among them 80 foreign firms from 14 countries. > >During the opening session of Tecnotur 2000, Cuban representative Marta Maiz >said that the purchase of domestic products by the island's tourism >enterprises has increased from 18 to 54 percent over the past ten years. > >Maiz added that despite Washington's blockade against the island, the number >of vacationers in Cuba continues to increase and there is the potential for >some five to seven million tourists to visit the island by the year 2010. > >*CUBA PARTICIPATES IN UNITED NATIONS MEETING ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS > >New York, June 6 (RHC)-- Cuba presented its advances in promoting the rights >of women during the second day of sessions at the United Nations. Delegates >are analyzing work in favor of women over the last five years. The President >of the Federation of Cuban Women, Vilma Espin, spoke during the special UN >meeting on Tuesday. Cuban women make up 49.9 percent of the population, in a >country in which international institutions have recognized achievements in >education and health. > >In addition to Cuba, other women representatives scheduled to speak today on >behalf of their countries were Colombia, Grenada, Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad >and Tobago, Jamaica and Surinam. The speeches will be debated during this >year's General Assembly sessions entitled, "Women in the Year 2000: >Equality, Development and Peace in the 21st Century." > >The UN meeting was opened on Monday by UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan and >the President of the General Assembly, Theo Ben Gurirab, who explained the >importance of complying with the commitments made during the 1995 Beijing >Women's Conference. > >According to UN statistics, women make up 70 percent of the world's >impoverished, while of the 110 million children that do not attend school, >two-thirds are girls. > >*GENERAL DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE PROHIBITION > OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS VISITS CUBA > >Havana, June 6 (RHC)-- The General Director of the International >Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Jose Bustani, is in >Havana to participate in a regional workshop on the issue. Bustani was >invited to the island by the Cuban Minister of Science, Technology and the >Environment, Rosa Elena Simeon. > >During his visit, the general director of the International Organization for >the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is scheduled to meet with Cuban Foreign >Minister Felipe Perez Roque and other government officials. > > >*Viewpoint: U.S. MEDIA LOSING PATIENCE WITH KIDNAPPERS IN MIAMI > >In recent days, the mainstream U.S. media has begun to show impatience >toward the excessive judicial delays in the case of six-year-old Elian >Gonzalez. The young boy is still in Washington with his father, awaiting a >decision by the courts before they can go home. > >The case has already been examined in three different U.S. courts and the >verdict has always been basically the same -- that the father has the >authority to speak for his son. However, the Cuban-American right wing >forces in Miami have appealed the decisions of state and federal judges, >announcing that they will go all the way to the Supreme Court. Their actions >are designed to delay the inevitable: the return of Elian Gonzalez to Cuba. > >It has become completely evident that these people cannot legally succeed in >their attempts to keep Elian in the United States. On Monday, several of the >country's most important newspapers published editorials on this subject and >agreed that the process should now come to an end with the return of Elian >and his family and friends to Cuba. > >For several months, public opinion in the U.S. -- as well as around the >world -- has strongly supported the rights of Elian's father, Juan Miguel >Gonzalez. The vast majority of those in the United States have opposed >attempts by the kidnappers in Miami to keep him there. > >Meanwhile in Cuba, people continue to demand the boy's return to the island. >Everyday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. roundtable discussions take place with the >participation of journalists and specialists who keep the TV and radio >audience up-to-date on the case. These roundtable discussions, along with >open tribunes, both of which are broadcast live on radio and television, >will continue to take place -- demanding not only the return of Elian but >also the end of anti-Cuba laws such as the Cuban Adjustment Act, which >grants Cubans who reach dry land automatic U.S. residency. This law only >encourages illegal immigration to the United States and works hand-in-glove >with the economic blockade imposed on the island nearly 40 years ago. The >struggle will not stop until Washington ends its hostile policies toward >Cuba. > > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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