>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 28 June 2000 23:30 > > >*ELIAN GONZALEZ ARRIVES HOME IN CUBA >*CUBAN MEDIA BROADCAST A VERY SPECIAL ROUNDTABLE >*CUBA HOSTS LARGEST NUMBER OF FOREIGN STUDENTS IN HISTORY >*LATIN AMERICAN BANKING MEETING CONCLUDES IN HAVANA >*CONTINUED INCREASE IN FOREIGN INVESTMENTS PREDICTED >*THE LIFE AND WORK OF POET ELISEO DIEGO EXPLORED >*Viewpoint: "BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY" > > >*ELIAN GONZALEZ ARRIVES HOME IN CUBA > >Havana, June 28 (RHC)-- Elian Gonzalez is home. The six-year-old boy -- >accompanied by his father, Juan Miguel, his step-mother, baby brother and >classmates -- arrived at Jose Marti International Airport at 7:46 p.m. >(23:46 UTC) Wednesday evening. > >Complying with requests by the Cuban government, there was no official >reception or mass mobilization to greet the arrival of Elian Gonzalez. >Waiting on the tarmac were the young boy's grandparents, his >great-grandmother, an uncle and cousin, as well as the parents of the >classmates who accompanied Elian in Washington. Also on hand were students >from the school in Cardenas, where Elian is enrolled in the first grade. > >The return of Elian Gonzalez to Cuba came at the end of a day of waiting -- >and put an end to more than seven months of maneuvers to keep the >six-year-old in the United States. Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme >Court denied a petition by the attorneys of Elian's kidnappers in Miami to >review the decision of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals -- thereby refusing >to extend a prohibition to leave the country. > >At 4 p.m. in Washington, DC (20:00 UTC), the prohibition was lifted and the >entourage made its way to Dulles International Airport. Juan Miguel >Gonzalez made a brief statement to reporters, expressing his appreciation to >the people of the United States for their help and solidarity during these >long months of waiting. Elian's father stated: "We are very happy to be >able to return home." Just before boarding a small, private plane that would >take him and his son back home, Juan Miguel told reporters that despite the >suffering of the past seven months, he has had the opportunity to meet many >wonderful people in the United States. > >After their arrival in the Cuban capital, Elian and his family -- along with >those classmates who were with him in Washington -- were taken to a special >complex in the Havana neighborhood of Miramar. It is anticipated that the >group will spend two or three weeks in Havana before returning to their >hometown of Cardenas, Matanzas. > >The Cuban government issued an official statement, saying that the struggle >continues -- referring not only to the struggle against Washington's >blockade of the island but also against the Cuban Adjustment Act, which >produces tragic situations like those suffered by Elian Gonzalez and his >family. > > >*CUBAN MEDIA BROADCAST A VERY SPECIAL ROUNDTABLE > >Havana, June 28 (RHC) -- A very special roundtable discussion was broadcast >live on Cuban radio and television this Wednesday evening. The panel, >composed of Cuban journalists, celebrated the departure of Elian Gonzalez >from Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC -- destined for Havana, >Cuba. The panelists characterized the release of six-year-old Elian from >the United States -- seven months after his tragic shipwreck and subsequent >kidnapping by the Cuban-American mafia and their ultra-right wing supporters >in the U.S. Congress -- as "a victory for those armed only with the truth >and ideas." The roundtable began with televised images of a celebration at >Elian's school, in his hometown of Cardenas in Matanzas province, shortly >after 12 noon today. The grade school was alive with tears and laughter as >students, parents and teachers celebrated the announcement of the pending >return of their classmate to his homeland. These jubilant images were >juxtaposed by the desperation and hysteria of a typically small mob of right >wing Miami protesters, as the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court was >announced. Elian's great uncle and kidnapper, Lazaro Gonzalez, had to be >held back by his daughter and accomplice Marisleysis, as he tried to attack >a reporter. Televised interviews with well-known Cuban-American terrorists >in Miami -- Jose Basulto and Ramon Saul Sanchez -- expressed disbelief at >the decision to allow Elian to return to Cuba and reaffirmed their continued >support for the criminal U.S. economic blockade. In contrast, the latest >opinion poll demonstrates that over 90 percent of the American people >support the decision which finally allowed Elian to return home. > >Tonight's roundtable discussion was aired live on Cuban television and the >national radio network, as well as the international shortwave frequencies >of Radio Havana Cuba. > > >*CUBA HOSTS LARGEST NUMBER OF FOREIGN STUDENTS IN HISTORY > >Havana, June 28 (RHC)-- The largest number of foreign students in history >are studying at Cuban educational institutions. According to the 6th >National Workshop for the Attention of Foreign Students, a total of 8200 >students from other countries are studying here on the island. > >In addition, 1900 students are in their first year of medical studies at >Havana's Latin American School of Medicine. These students should begin >enrolling in schools and colleges throughout the island next February. > >Between 1961 and 1999, 30,760 foreign students from 20 countries have >graduated in Cuba. > > >*LATIN AMERICAN BANKING MEETING CONCLUDES IN HAVANA > >Havana, June 28 (RHC)-- The 5th Meeting of Latin American Clients of the >Society for World Wide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) has >concluded in Havana. Participants analyzed challenges and perspectives of >the banking sector on both sides of the Atlantic. > >SWIFT, which is based in Belgium, is the world's leader in high technology >applied to banking operations. During the meeting in Havana, participants >discussed the consequences of a global economy and issues like money >laundering. > >Representatives from 200 banks in 21 countries were able to find out about >Cuba's banking system and were assured that the island is prepared to >confront any possible financial irregularities. > > >*CONTINUED INCREASE IN FOREIGN INVESTMENTS PREDICTED > >Havana, June 28 (RHC)-- Foreign investments in Cuba are increasing -- with a >total of 374 active firms from 46 countries. These foreign companies have >investments in 36 sectors of the Cuban economy. > >According to the Ministry of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation, >the main sectors which attract foreign investment are tourism, oil and the >steel industry. > >Judging from the plans and letters of intent signed between Cuba and other >countries during the 5th Meeting of Latin American Clients of SWIFT, foreign >investment on the island will continue to increase. > > >*THE LIFE AND WORK OF POET ELISEO DIEGO EXPLORED > >Havana, June 28 (RHC)-- The First National Colloquium on the Life and Work >of Cuban Poet Eliseo Diego is currently underway at the Institute of >Linguistics and Literature in Havana. > >The event is being sponsored by the Cuban Union of Artists and Writers >(UNEAC), the Ministry of Culture, the Mexican embassy in Havana and Cuba's >Book Institute. > >The opening speech was delivered by the Cultural Attachi of the Mexican >Embassy, Hector Ramirez, who briefly referred to the Juan Rulfo >International Award granted by Mexico to Eliseo Diego for his life's work. > >Wednesday evening, the Escambray Theater Group presented a one-man show >entitled "Como Cana al Viento" or "Like Cane to the Wind" -- performed by >actor Carlos Perez Pena. > > >*Viewpoint: >THE CUBAN PEOPLE WILL DEFEND THEIR REVOLUTION BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY > >According to information received from Washington, a group of congressional >representatives met late Monday night behind closed doors. Their goal: to >reach an agreement on a series of conditions placed on an amendment by >Representative George Nethercutt -- lifting restrictions on the sale of food >and medicine to Cuba. > >The conditions include prohibitions on the U.S. government and private >banking institutions to give credit to the island. This involves the sale >of other U.S. products to Cuba, even if they are related to the acquisition >of food and medicine. The conditions also require the obligatory use of >cash and immediate payment, in financial transactions that do not violate >the provisions of the Torricelli and Helms-Burton Laws. > >Should these conditions finally be included in the amendment introduced by >Representative Nethercutt, they would render the measure meaningless and >further tighten the blockade against the island. That being the case, the >so-called "humanitarian alleviation" of the economic blockade translates >into a bad joke and an insult to the Cuban people. > >These back-door maneuvers -- which serve to block open debate on the floor >of the House -- run contrary to both parliamentary regulations and true >democratic procedures on Capitol Hill. > >Those who are trying to block the Nethercutt Amendment know that they no >longer have the necessary congressional majority to defeat it. That is why >they are now trying to stifle open debate on the blockade and conspire >behind closed doors to impose their anti-Cuba policy and obstruct an >eventual improvement of relations between Cuba and the United States. > >However, these maneuvers have not taken anyone by surprise -- particularly >the Cuban people, who have heroically resisted the criminal economic >blockade for almost four decades. > >Cuba will never negotiate -- under any conditions -- its independence and >national sovereignty. The Cuban people are loyal to their ideals and are >prepared to defend their Revolution by any means necessary. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. > >================================================================= > NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems > Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us > 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 > http://www.blythe.org e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >================================================================= > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Law.com is the preeminent online destination for legal professionals. >Visit Law.com for exclusive content from American Lawyer Media, online >CLE Seminars, Practice Centers and Career Listings. >http://click.egroups.com/1/5803/0/_/30563/_/962258374/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Cuba SI - Imperialism NO! >Information and discussion about Cuba. >Socialism or death! Patria o muerte! 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