> > Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > > Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 7 July 2000 11:00 am > > > *JUAN MIGUEL GONZALEZ AWARDED THE CARLOS MANUEL DE CESPEDES ORDER > *CUBA SETS CONDITIONS FOR RESUMING MIGRATION TALKS WITH U.S. > *CUBA AND CARICOM SIGN ECONOMIC AND TRADE AGREEMENT > *WORLD BAPTIST ALLIANCE HOLDS ITS GENERAL COUNCIL IN CUBA > *FLORAL WREATH PLACED AT NEW YORK CITY'S JOSE MARTI STATUE > *MEETINGS ON SOCIAL MEDICINE & HEALTH POLICIES OPEN IN HAVANA > *LATIN AMERICAN CONGRESS ON BANKING SECURITY CONCLUDES IN HAVANA > *PRESIDENT OF THE HIGH COUNCIL OF SPAIN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VISITS CUBA > *Viewpoint: "EASING THE BLOCKADE" - JUST ANOTHER ANTI-CUBA FARCE > > > *JUAN MIGUEL GONZALEZ AWARDED THE CARLOS MANUEL DE CESPEDES ORDER > > Havana, July 6 (RHC)-- Juan Miguel Gonzalez was awarded the Carlos Manuel de > Cespedes Order Wednesday evening here in the Cuban capital. The Order was > presented in recognition of his extraordinary conduct during the long battle > for the liberation of his son -- six-year-old Elian Gonzalez. > > The ceremony took place at the Karl Marx Theater with more than 2500 invited > guests, representing various sectors of Cuban society, who also participated > in the struggle to free Elian from the clutches of his kidnappers in the > United States. During cultural presentations by dancers and musical groups > -- including singer/songwriter Amaury Perez and the popular Groupo Moncada > -- the audience was treated to a spectacular display that lasted nearly two > hours and was broadcast live on Cuban radio and television. > > The President of the Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, read the declaration > of the Council of State, outlining the reasons why Juan Miguel Gonzalez is > receiving one of the highest civilian orders granted by the Cuban > government. Alarcon stated that the perseverance shown by Juan Miguel was > an inspiration to millions, not only in Cuba but internationally. > > Cuban President Fidel Castro pinned the special Order on the 31-year-old > Juan Miguel, calling him an example of dignity and courage. Following the > solemn ceremony, the Cuban leader gave an historical review of the > kidnapping of Elian Gonzalez. Fidel said that from the moment Elian was > taken by his mother, in a vain attempt last November to reach the shores of > Florida, Juan Miguel attempted to get his son back to Cuba. > > The leader of the Cuban Revolution stated that it was only after numerous > attempts to officially communicate with the U.S. government and secure > custody of Elian Gonzalez that Havana decided to wage an international > battle which would eventually end victoriously. At first, Washington > refused to respond to the diplomatic notes from the Cuban government - and > was only forced to respond to the pressure of U.S. and international public > opinion. > > Fidel Castro affirmed that Juan Miguel Gonzalez demonstrated enormous > courage in the face of attempts to bribe him -- literally trying to buy his > son and his entire family. He emphasized that Elian's father and > grandparents stood up to the reactionary Cuban-American mafia and their > allies in the U.S. Congress, refusing multi-million dollar offers to stay in > the United States if he would just sell-out the Revolution. > > But Juan Miguel Gonzalez - a humble Cuban father of small stature - has > become a moral giant and is a symbol of pride and dignity for 11 million > Cubans and millions more around the world. > > > *CUBA SETS CONDITIONS FOR RESUMING MIGRATION TALKS WITH U.S. > > Havana, July 6 (RHC) -- Cuba today confirmed its decision not to resume > migratory talks with the United States if the US s Cuban Adjustment Act is > not discussed. Havana considers the anti-Cuban law, enacted in 1966, an > obstacle to the talks since it encourages illegal migration into the > northern country by granting permanent residency and a job to Cubans who > manage to get to US coasts by any means. > > At a Havana press conference, the Cuban Foreign Ministry s alternate > spokeswoman, Aymee Hernandez, pointed out that the legislation, the human > contraband toward the United States, and the US based anti-Cuban radio > stations efforts to encourage illegal migration from the island are > obstacles in resuming negotiations scheduled for last month. "We ll again > discuss the issue whenconditions are set are established", said Hernandez, > adding that Havana remains committed to complying with the migration accords > signed by the two countries in September of 1994 and May of 1995. > > According to local authorities, the case of six year old Cuban Elian > Gonzalez, who lost his mother during an illegal attempt to leave the island, > was one of the most publicized victims of the Cuban Adjustment Act. Under > the migratory accords, the United States pledges to grant a minimum of 20 > thousand visas annually to Cubans wanting to migrate legally and return > illegal immigrants intercepted at sea. > > Cuba has lately filed complaints that Washington is repatriating > increasingly less illegal Cuban immigrants in conjunction with an increase > in the trafficking of humans toward the coasts of Florida. > > > *CUBA AND CARICOM SIGN ECONOMIC AND TRADE AGREEMENT > > Havana, July 6 (RHC)-- Cuba and the Caribbean community organization, known > as CARICOM, advanced the process of regional integration on Wednesday with > the signing of an economic and commercial accord at the 21st Summit on > Community Integration. News sources highlighted the main objective of the > accord as a push towards greater trade relations among the regional economic > block, emphasizing air and maritime transportation and the tourism sector. > > The accord also includes a commission designed to evaluate development in > these areas along with the overall continuity of the integration process > among the Caribbean community. Cuban Government Minister Ricardo Cabrisas > described CARICOM's political process as one based on unity. Consistent > with front-page news all over Latin America, the Barbados Herald described > the Cuba-CARICOM accord as one of the most significant achievements of the > summit. CARICOM first became a regional organization at a summit in > Trinidad and Tobago in 1973; its Secretary General, Trinitarian Edwin > Carrington has occupied the executive seat since 1992. > > > *WORLD BAPTIST ALLIANCE HOLDS ITS GENERAL COUNCIL IN CUBA > > Havana, July 6 (RHC) - For the first time, the World Baptist Alliance is > holding its General Council in Cuba, with hundreds of participants from the > island and around the world gathered Wednesday evening at Havana's Capitol > building for the event's welcoming ceremony. > > Present at the ceremony were top Baptist authorities from the World > Religious Organization, representatives of other Christian denominations > from Cuba and other countries, and a group of Cuban government officials. > > Caridad Diego, Head of the Religious Affairs Department of the Communist > Party Central Committee welcomed participants on behalf of the Cuban > government and said he hoped they would be holding the most successful > Council ever. > > Topping the event's agenda was the official presentation of the new World > Baptist Alliance President, South Korean Dr. Billy Kim, who extended > greetings to all participants in the ceremony. > > "God Bless Cuba. We bring special greetings from 150 million Baptist > families around the world. We have been welcomed wonderfully. I have been > traveling around the world but have never seen such a beautiful congress > hall as this. May God Bless Baptists, May God Bless Cuba." The World > Baptist Alliance was founded in London in 1905 and it currently groups over > 100 million people in 115 countries. The religious organization's general > councils are held annually. The latest such gatherings took place in Canada, > South Africa and Germany. The ongoing event will include several activities > such as religious services, Christian music concerts and other meetings, and > will wind up next July 9th. > > > *FLORAL WREATH PLACED AT NEW YORK CITY'S JOSE MARTI STATUE > > New York, July 6 (RHC)-The President of Cuba's Office of the Marti Program > Armando Hart placed on Thursday a floral wreath before the monument of > Cuba's national hero Jose Marti this Thursday at New York's Central Park. > > Hart and representatives from the Cuban Mission to the United Nations paid > homage to Cuba's independence leader during a ceremony in the US city. > > During the ceremony, the Cuban official stressed the need to reaffirm the > commitment in promoting information on the reality of Cuba and Latin America > in compliance with one of the ideas of Jose Marti. > > Cuba's National Hero warned about the ignorance within the United States on > the realities of Latin America. > > We should contribute with information on the history and realities of our > region to the people in the United States, said Hart. > > > *MEETINGS ON SOCIAL MEDICINE & HEALTH POLICIES OPEN IN HAVANA > > Havana, July 6 (RHC)-The 8th Latin American Congress on Social Medicine and > the 11th Association of Health Policies kicked off on Thursday in Havana > with the presence of over 700 delegates and guests from some 34 countries. > > During today's sessions, delegates began discussing scientific work among > the 600 papers and talks presented. > > Delegates and guests came to the conclusion that the contemporary problems > of social medicine and health policies have been worsened due to > neoliberalism. > > > *LATIN AMERICAN CONGRESS ON BANKING SECURITY CONCLUDES IN HAVANA > > Havana, July 6 (RHC)-The President of Cuba's National Bank, Francisco > Soberon said on Thursday in Havana that neoliberal globalization has > increased social inequality, poverty and world crime. > > During the closing ceremony of the Latin American Congress on Banking > Security, the Cuban official said that in our region alone, there are close > to 220 million people living in extreme poverty, representing almost 50 per > cent of its population. > > Soberon pointed out that Cuba continues to closely look at the problems that > emerges from neoliberal globalization, like money laundering, corruption and > attempts to apply preventive policies destined to avoid illegal use of the > banking system. > > The three day event included the participation of representatives of 10 > European and Latin American countries, in addition to 200 specialists and > officials from financial institutions. > > > *PRESIDENT OF THE HIGH COUNCIL OF SPAIN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VISITS CUBA > > Havana, July 6 (RHC)-The President of the High Council of Spain's Chamber of > Commerce, Jose Manuel Norniella has arrived in Havana heading a delegation > to the 10th Cuba-Spain Business Committee Meeting. > > Their itinerary, which kicked off on Thursday in the Melia Habana Hotel has > the participation of 70 business executives aimed at improving economic > relations with the island. > > In statements to Prensa Latina news agency, Fernandez Norniella pointed out > that his delegation also includes a representative from Spain's sugar > industry and added that they are very interested in developing that industry > on the island. > > Spain and Cuba, said the Spanish official have very close commercial > relations and this will be an important opportunity to revise the current > ties and continue to broadening those relations. > > During his stay on the island, the Spanish official will meet with Cuba's > Vice President Carlor Lage, Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and other > government officials. > > > *Viewpoint: "EASING THE BLOCKADE" IS JUST ANOTHER ANTI-CUBA FARCE > > The draft amendment presented at the US House of representatives by > Republican legislator George Nethercutt, is aimed at easing Washington's > blockade against Cuba by authorizing the sale of food and medicine to the > island. The project has been openly opposed by the US ultra-right wing. > > Recently, Nethercutt was invited to a secret meeting outside the halls of > the US Congress. The gathering was supposedly aimed at modifying the > project's original version, but it turned out that it was a maneuver to > torpedo the waiver on food and medicine altogether. > > The economic blockade against Cuba has been justly censured at international > forums - such as the United Nations General Assembly - and has been > frequently described as a genocidal, inhumane policy. It has been years > since the General Assembly has been voting against the blockade, with a > growing number of votes in favor of Cuba's position. Likewise, several > renown personalities and institutions from all over the world have publicly > expressed their opposition to the blockade. > > In an attempt to clean up their international image and kowtow to public > opinion, Washington has promoted the idea of easing the blockade for > humanitarian reasons. Which is why the draft amendment relates to the sale > of food and medicines to Cuba. > > However, the project includes items and conditions that make sure trade will > not be easy. These include the prohibition of obtaining bank credits and > financing via US banks or banking institutions in the US, the prohibition of > Cuba exporting its products to the US, the immediate payment of all > purchases in cash, a well as maintaining the prohibition on transportation > that make it practically impossible to carry any merchandise to Cuban > territory. Such suffocating measures annul any merits the so-called easing > of the blockade had. Thus, the right wing in Miami is more or less satisfied > and the Clinton administration looks good to everyone else. > > So in spite of all the maneuvering, the US economic blockade against Cuba is > alive and well - however much it may be in contradiction with the interests > of US business sectors. > > (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 Enforcement Professionals: SAVE ON LONG DISTANCE TODAY!!! >http://click.egroups.com/1/6600/0/_/30563/_/963039464/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Cuba SI - Imperialism NO! >Information and discussion about Cuba. >Socialism or death! Patria o muerte! Venceremos! >http://www.egroups.com/group/cubasi > >Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Change Delivery Options: http://www.egroups.com/mygroups > > > > __________________________________ 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] ___________________________________
