>from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Cuba press release 112,113 > FOR ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS >HAVANA, THURSDAY, JUNE 08, 2000 > >HAVANA.- The criminal nature of the Cuban Adjustment Act, adopted in >the U.S. since 1966, was the main theme of yesterday's informative >round table discussion, as part of the country's efforts to reclaim >Elian Gonzalez. Linked with the open tribunes which began in December >to protest at the unjust retention of the six year old boy in the >U.S., Cuban president Fidel Castro, as well as other Cuban officials, >was present at the discussions. A detailed analysis of the >legislation which encourages Cuban illegal immigration to the U.S. >was made a group of journalist and law experts who demonstrated the >responsibility the Act has for people that risk their lives in >Florida Straits. > >HAVANA.- Cautious but alert, Cubans are waiting for the latest news >on the illegal retention in the U.S. of Cuban child Elian Gonzalez, >facing the possibility that his return to Cuba may be delayed >indefinitely. As happens daily at 5pm (local time), a round table >discussion was transmitted direct by Cuban television yesterday. In >the discussions, experts and journalists analyzed the legal >entanglement in the boat boy's case. > >WASHINGTON.- U.S. federal authorities had no confidence in the >Miami, Florida police force when preparing the raid that rescued >Cuban child Elian Gonzalez from his distant relatives in Miami, said >The Miami Herald yesterday. According to the daily, the federal >agents that removed the six year old child described the police >department as a "assessed risk" which could have obstructed the >operation. An official document quoted by the newspaper says the >operation was considered so delicate that each participant was sworn >to secrecy. > >UNITED NATIONS.- Cuban Women Federation (FMC) president Vilma Espin >talked to representatives from the "December 12" movement, thanking >them for their support over efforts for the return of Elian Gonzalez >to Cuba. Details of Cuban people's efforts in favor of this cause and >actions carried out by these U.S. black community rights defenders >animated the assembly, informed sources close to the meeting. The >December 12 movement is a member of the U.S. National Committee for >Elian's return to Cuba, which has organized demonstrations and acts >in various cities. > >HAVANA.- From January to May, Cuba built more than 3,400 houses out >of the 8,000 expected for this year. Most of the houses were built >in the province of Havana City, followed by Las Tunas, in the >eastern part of the Island, and Sancti Spiritus, in the center. This >represents "42 percent of the plan. The annual plan of 8,000 is >expected to be achieved, thus surpassing 1999 figures." Although the >number of houses built is not sufficient, "it shows the recovery of >the Cuban Construction Ministry - one of the countries most strategic >sectors ". > >HAVANA.- The U.S. naval base located in Guantanamo, Cuba, is damaging >the southeastern part of the Island's ecology, according to >yesterday's Juventud Rebelde daily. The report states that the U.S. >military base, centered amongst large cactus and other valuable >plants, provokes a progressive loss of soil plus hundreds of >thousands flora and fauna specimens in the zone. Apart from numerous >naval buildings, the area - occupied by U.S. military forces since >the beginning of the 20th century - includes two airports, target >practice areas, military camps, tracking network, and a large >residential zone. Fish and other species die due to fumigation, >chemical and biological waste; swamp zones dry up and dyke building >increases the salt level in Guantanamo soil used for >agriculture, explained the source. > >HAVANA.- More than 4,000 health professionals from Cuban medical >science institutions and faculties will graduate this year, reported >yesterday's Granma daily. According to the Ministry of Health >National Statistics Office yearly report, out of the total figure of >those graduating in August, over 2,000 are studying medicine, more >than 2,000 will receive Nursing Degrees, plus 150 in dentistry. >Anther group will finish their Health Technology Degree studies, >which includes hygiene and epidemiology, laboratory, X-rays, >physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and ophthalmology. > > HAVANA.- Foreign investments in Cuba are increasing and focus on >the country's needs for new technologies, markets and capital, >confirmed Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Marta >Lomas yesterday. She pointed out that currently, there are more than >350 active businesses and nearly one hundred more in development, >mainly in tourism and other prioritized sectors. Quality is more >important to us than quantity; we are seeking business that suits the >country and complements our efforts to develop the economy, >underlined the leader. There is also more Cuban technology and >business abroad, mainly in the construction, medical, pharmaceutical >and biotechnological products sectors, added the Minister. > >HAVANA.- The Sports Medicine Institute of Cuba (IMDC) yesterday >accused the International Weight Lifting Federation (IWF) of >obstructing the proper defense of the three Cuban weight lifters >accused of alleged use of nandrolone during the 1999 Pan American >Games. "Granma" daily published an article on Wednesday written by >IMDC Director Dr. Mario Granda Fraga accusing IWF Secretary Tamas >Ajan of violating established norms, because the weight lifters were >not allowed a defense before the Committee of Appeals. The Cuban >doctor specified that Ajan took the case to an Anti-doping >Commission instead of an appeals panel, as established by the IWF. He >also accuses him of having sanctioned a Cuban athlete and >his Federation before opening Sample B."DPTO.INFORMACION/ MINREX" JC > > ************* > >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: cuba press release 113 > FOR ALL DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS HAVANA, > FRIDAY, JUNE 09, 2000 NSA > >HAVANA.- Yesterday, President Fidel Castro attended a TV round >table discussion about the case of the Cuban child Elian Gonzalez, >who has been kidnapped in the U.S. for almost five months by some >Miami relatives. The Cuban has usually attended the forum, which is >part of the national battle demanding the minor's return to his home >in Cardenas, Matanzas. > >HAVANA.- Yesterday, psychologist Aurora Garcia Morey and teacher Elsa >Nunez agreed that Cuban child Elian Gonzalez is psychologically >well, "faster than what we expected". Both experts, the first one >professor of the University of Havana and the second one, Education >Ministry official, participated yesterday in the round table >discussion to give details about Elian's mood based on the analysis >of drawings made by the minor. The drawings were made on May 2-5 by >the boy, who has been living with his school mates in the Rosedale >neighborhood, Washington, four weeks after leaving Wye Plantation in >the same state. > >HAVANA.- Yesterday, the U.S. lawyer Dean Hubbard said that Elian >Gonzalez and his father are hostages of the U.S. government, but he >said to trust that the case will be finally solved with the return of >both of them to Cuba. Hubbard was interviewed in New York by Cuban >press during a TV round table discussion about the case of the child >who was kidnapped by his great uncles for five months in Miami and >cannot return yet to his home, due to a legal hitch that limits his >freedom to leave the country. > >HAVANA.- The Miami Mafia continues its sick manipulations to obtain >the money they say they used for services and propaganda costs to >retain the child Elian Gonzalez, and to appeal to the feelings of >incautious people. Participants in the round table discussion >dedicated their analysis to the activities that anti-Cuban groups and >the child's relatives carry out for these purposes. The 60 day plan >of billboards in 20 U.S. cities to demonstrate the alleged brutality >of federal agents in Elian's rescue on April 22 is valued at $228,000 >-a price that American taxpayers will pay. > >WASHINGTON.- Yesterday, Senate Judicial Committee requested the U.S. >Justice Department for the complete documentation on the operation >that ended with Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez's five-months kidnapping in >Miami. Republican Senators, opposed to the rescue mission, are >waiting for the hand over of the report on the raid to call for >hearings on this case, legislative sources said. Although with no >official statements regarding some lawyers' insistence to analyze >the boy's hand-over to his father on April 22, the Senate gives >possibilities for hearings on the alleged use of force by federal >agents. > > HAVANA.- Felipe Perez Roque, Cuban Minister for Foreign Relations >travelled yesterday to Belize for a three day visit as invited by >this country's government. During his stay in this country, Perez >Roque will have official meetings with Belizean First Minister, Said >Musa, who is also Minister for Foreign Relations and Finance. In this >first visit of a Cuban Foreign Minister to Belize, bilateral >relations will be strengthened with the signing of a cooperation >agreement between both countries' Foreign Ministries to establish a >permanent mechanism of mutual counselling. > >HAVANA.- Yesterday, Cuban Foreign Affairs Office denied that both >Cuban doctors who deserted in Zimbabwe will be politically persecuted >or are in danger if they decide to return to the Island. Aymee >Hernandez, Foreign Affairs Office's spokeswoman, told press that >doctors Leonel Cordova Rodriguez and Noris Pena Martinez, dentist, >decided to abandon the medical brigade, and stated that Cuban >diplomats would not carry out any action to force them to return to >Cuba. "Doctor Cordova and dentist Pena, were selected for this >mission after maintaining an apparent disposition fulfilling >the solidary and human service of helping a brother country which >needs medical collaboration, and they voluntarily joined this brigade >in March, 2000", states the report. > >HAVANA.- Cuban Foreign Affairs Ministry criticized again the Cuban >Adjustment Act, considered a continued encouragement to illegal >emigration. In her habitual weekly meeting with the press, Aymee >Hernandez, Foreign Affairs Office's substitute spokeswoman commented >on the topic of the new group of Cuban people that were returned to >the Island yesterday, in agreement with current migratory agreements. >According to Cuban Adjustment Act, those citizens who, although >illegally, reach U.S. territory are allowed to stay in the country. >Cuba has repeatedly denounced the fatal consequences this legislation >represents for the life of many people, Hernandez said. > >MEXICO.- Executives from 65 important U.S. companies are attending >the 4th Cuba-U.S business meeting held in Cancun to guarantee higher >trade relations. The objectives of the business people are to explore >Cuban market and investment possibilities. The U.S. business people >will receive detailed information about Cuba's economic situation and >investment process. According to the agenda, Marta Lomas, Cuban >Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Collaboration, and >Nicola Cecchi, president of the Cristobal Italian firm -the meeting's >organizer - will be present on Tuesday next. > >HAVANA.- Yesterday, the refusal of a Mexico based U.S. company to >sell vital medicine to save the life of Cuban children, was denounced >as a example of the falseness about the softening of the blockade on >Cuba in this field. "Trabajadores" weekly reporter Renato Recio based >his analysis in a release from the Public Health Ministry, during a >TV round table discussion to complement Cuban people's efforts to >reclaim child Elian Gonzalez' return after being illegally retained >in the U.S. According to this report, the U.S. Abbott laboratories >branch in Mexico rejected the order, made by the Cuban Commercial >adviser to Mexico, to buy only 40 'bulbs' of a suspension >urgently required to save children's lives. > >MEXICO.- Yesterday, Cuban Health Vice Minister Luis Cordova Vargas >stated in Mexico that the birth rate in Cuba in 1999 was 6.4 of 1,000 >born alive, while people's life expectancy continues to 75 years old. >Professor Cordova pointed out that nowadays, in his country, the >children are vaccinated against 13 diseases and that physicians and >nurses cover the 98 % of the Cuban people. Heading the Cuban >delegation to the 5th Health Care Promotion World Conference -that is >gathering representatives from some 100 countries since monday- the >Vice Minister presented a report about the importance of basic >health care. > >HAVANA.- Cuban Olympic Committee (COC) president Jose Ramon >Fernandez requested a new rule to prevent the change of nationality >that seek athletes to compete in international events for other >nations. The COC official told "Granma" daily that Cuba will protest >against some cases of Cuban athletes to compete in the Sydney 2000 >Olympic Games under other country's flag transgressing olympic rules >and spirit. Fernandez warned that the tendency of athletes' changes >of nationality which has appeared in the last few years, may >considerably increase." DPTO/ INFORMACION/ MINREX " JC > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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