>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 10 July 2000 23:00 > > >*CUBA PRESSES DIPLOMATIC CAMPAIGN AGAINST WASHINGTON >*THE U.S. BLOCKADE AND THE HELMS-BURTON LAW >*CITIES CHOSEN FOR 26 OF JULY CELEBRATIONS >*FIDEL CASTRO THANKS BAPTISTS FOR CONDEMNING BLOCKADE >*WORK COMMISSIONS OF CUBA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BEGIN DEBATES >*JOSE MARTI AND NORDIC BRIGADES ARRIVE IN CUBA >*Viewpoint: THE PALESTINIANS' RIGHT TO THEIR OWN STATE > > >*CUBA PRESSES DIPLOMATIC CAMPAIGN AGAINST WASHINGTON > >Havana, July 10 (RHC)-- The number one priority for Cuba's foreign service >is counteracting the aggressive policies of the United States. According to >Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, the island's diplomatic personnel >around the world have been, and will continue to be, engaged in the struggle >against the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba and other aspects of >Washington's hostile policies toward Havana. > >Speaking over the weekend at a meeting of the Foreign Relations Permanent >Commission of the Cuban Parliament, Perez Roque described the recent return >of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez as a "victorious battle" waged by the entire >Cuban people. The foreign minister outlined the upcoming battles: against >the Cuban Adjustment Act, which encourages illegal immigration and endangers >lives; against subversive activities implicit in Track Two of the Torricelli >Law; and the struggle against the genocidal U.S. blockade, waged in the >United Nations General Assembly and on the Internet. > >Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque also emphasized the importance of >working for the fulfillment of the accords signed during the Group of 77 >South Summit, held recently in Havana, as well as strengthening relations >with African and Caribbean countries. He noted that Cuba has diplomatic >relations with 171 countries, with 96 permanent diplomatic missions around >the world. The Cuban foreign minister added that there were plans to open >ten more diplomatic posts before the end of the year. > >The Foreign Relations Commission of the Cuban Parliament met over the >weekend along with the nine other permanent commissions to examine important >political, economic and social issues for the country. The meetings are >taking place prior to the Fifth Ordinary Sessions of the National Assembly >of People's Power (Parliament), slated to get underway on Wednesday at >Havana's International Convention Center. > > >*THE U.S. BLOCKADE AND THE HELMS-BURTON LAW > >Tonight's roundtable on Cuban TV continued to explore different aspects of >the U.S. blockade against Cuba. The panel, composed of Cuban journalists, >government officials, and legal experts, took a close look at the >Helms-Burton Law in both nature and content. > >Discussion began with some pertinent background on the Helms-Burton Law. It >was noted that the law was passed in the wake of the downing by Cuba of two >small aircraft that deliberately violated Cuban airspace in 1994. Panelists >contended that this incident provided the pretext to combine a hodgepodge of >anti-Cuban legislation designed to further internationalize and tighten the >blockade against the island. > >It was mentioned that the extraterritorial dimension of the Helms-Burton law >further internationalizes the blockade by applying sanctions to foreign >companies and individuals doing business with Cuba. In analyzing the text of >the law, panelists pointed out that businesses and individuals conducting >commerce with Cuba are both prohibited from doing business with, and >entering, the United States. Roundtable participants highlighted the fact >that any international product with even a single Cuban component is >considered contraband, and prohibited from penetrating the U.S. market, >while U.S. subsidiaries continue to be off limits with regard to Cuba. >Moreover, expressed the panel, the measure goes to the extent of applying >sanctions to foreigners who reside in, or conduct business from, property >nationalized by the revolution post January 1st, 1959. > >The second part of the roundtable discussion dealt with the internal focus >of the Helms-Berton Law. Cuban National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon >spoke on the domestic character of the Law as an extension of the infamous >Platt Amendment. In analyzing the text, he demonstrated that the Law >stipulates that a normalization of relations with Cuba can only transpire >under the auspices of a transitional government in Havana recognized by the >U.S. in which all expropriated properties, confiscated by the revolutionary >government during the 1960s, are returned to their previous owners or >compensated according to U.S. requirements. From the outset, Cuba offered >compensation to all those nations whose property was expropriated for the >benefit of the people. The US was the only nation that refused to negotiate >and froze Cuban assets in the United States in retaliation. He pointed to >the fact that the law allocates million dollar packages annually to >counterrevolutionary groups both inside and outside of Cuba, including >funding for espionage and terrorism, as a means of destabilizing the >Revolution and thus setting the stage for such a change to take place. > >The roundtable was broadcast live on Cuban television and radio Monday >night. > > >*CITIES CHOSEN FOR 26 OF JULY CELEBRATIONS > >Havana, July 10 (RHC)-The Political Bureau of the Cuban Communist Party has >selected the western provinces of Pinar del Rio and Havana City and the >central province of Villa Clara to host this year's celebrations to mark the >47th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes >Garrisons on July 26, 1953 marking the beginning of Cuba's struggle against >the Batista dictatorship. > >The decision was made after analyzing each of the 14 provinces results for >1999 in different economic and social sectors. > >Pinar del Rio, Havana City and Villa Clara provinces registered important >economic growth in the areas of the production of merchandise, agriculture >and a reduction in energy consumption. > >The Political Bureau of Cuba's Communist Party considered important to >mention that the central provinces of Matanzas and Cienfuegos have >maintained good results worth mentioning. > > >*FIDEL CASTRO THANKS BAPTISTS FOR CONDEMNING BLOCKADE > >Havana, July 10 (RHC)-Cuban President Fidel Castro thanked the World Baptist >Alliance for its resolution condemning Washington's blockade against the >island during the weekend in Havana. > >The Cuban President thanked the World Baptist Alliance for having selected >Cuba to host the event which unanimously condemned the US's almost 40 year >blockade. > >Delegates from 60 countries gathered in Havana last June 30th to participate >in the religious event. Participants expressed their satisfaction for having >come to Cuba and thanked the Cuban government for the generous welcome they >received. > >The World Baptist Alliance is made up of 196 Baptist Conventions and >associations from around the world. The Baptist institution was founded in >London in 1905 and currently represents over 43 million Baptists in 115 >countries. > >There are four Baptist denominations in Cuba, three of which belong to the >World Baptist Alliance. > > >*WORK COMMISSIONS OF CUBA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BEGIN DEBATES > >Havana, July 10 (RHC)-- Ten commissions of Cuba's National Assembly of the >People's Power met on Sunday in Havana to discuss issues related to the >country's economic and social development. > >Speaking before the Culture commission, Culture Minister Abel Prieto came >out for a more educated and free nation constantly guided by the ideas of >Cuba's National Hero Jose Marti and President Fidel Castro. > >The deputies of the Commission of Productive activities outlined the >advances made by the Fishing Industry Ministry with the introduction of >science and technology in fishing cultivation. Fishing Minister, Orlando >Rodriguez said that this year they are expected to capture 100 thousand tons >of fresh water fish to substitute imported caned fish. > >Meanwhile, in the children, youth and women's rights commission, the >President of the Federation of Cuban Women, Vilma Espin said that the Cuban >people should be proud and sure of the future of the Revolution, >highlighting the outstanding work carried out by Cuban children. > >Vilma added that the new generation of Cubans fought in the battle of ideas >for the return of six year old Cuban Elian Gonzalez. > > >*JOSE MARTI AND NORDIC BRIGADES ARRIVE IN CUBA > >Havana, July 10 (RHC)-The Jose Marti and Nordic Brigades are in Cuba at the >invitation of the Cuban Friendship Institute. > >The over 350 European solidarity activists will do volunteer agricultural >work on the island and visit places of interests in western Pinar del Rio >and Havana City. > > >*Viewpoint: THE PALESTINIANS' RIGHT TO THEIR OWN STATE > >The recognition of the right of Palestinians to have their own national >state is nothing but a fair demand, considering the plundering that Arab >people have historically been a victim of. > >The United States, which has traditionally been Israel's main protector and >supporter of its expansionist policy in the Middle East, at the cost of the >Arab people is now acting as the promoter of peace. > >Israeli authorities are finally relinquishing the West Bank territories, >that have been militarily occupied for so many years, in order for the >Palistian people to consolidate national statehood. > >In concert with "land for peace" initiatives with the Palestinian >leadership, one might anticipate an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan >Heights in Syrian territory -also occupied during the so called "6 day war" >in 1967. Unfortunately, the conditions imposed by Israel have created an >impasse in negotiations between the two countries. > >Israeli authorities have resisted peace proposals by Washington, geared >towards the possibility of exploiting vast oil deposits in the region, to >normalize relations between Israel and Syria. > >The Israelis have withdrawn their troops from some of the occupied >territories, tolerating the presence of the Palestinian National Authority >headed by Yasser Arafat. But withdrawal has been selective and limited thus >far. In light of Israeli withdrawal from both the West Bank and Southern >Lebanon, close to the border of the Gaza Strip Corridor, a number of human >rights abuses have been committed by Israeli troops. Thus, Arab sovereignty >continues to be a tightrope walk. > >The Palestinian decision to proclaim an independent state may very well >produce a breakdown in negotiations. According to Israeli Foreign Minister, >a Palestinian withdrawal from peace talks would constitute a renewal of >military conflict. > >President Clinton has announced that he will moderate the Camp David summit, >between Israeli and Palestinian authorities, to try to convince the >historical adversaries to give peace a chance. But the US leader himself >does not appear to be convinced of the potentially positive results >negotiations could yield. Not withstanding the powerful strategic and >economic incentives at play, Washington's hesitation in pressuring Israel >indicates a definitive lack of resolve. Any chance for real peace in the >Middle East depends on Washington's policy towards Israel. If the U.S. >remains soft on Israel, and continues to support imperialism against the >will of the Arab peoples, regional instability appears inevitable. Neither >disinformation campaigns nor political smoke screens can alter world opinion >and the march of history. > >(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] >================================================================= > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Special Offer-Earn 300 Points from MyPoints.com for trying @Backup >Get automatic protection and access to your important computer files. >Install today: >http://click.egroups.com/1/6347/0/_/30563/_/963308876/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Cuba SI - Imperialism NO! >Information and discussion about Cuba. >Socialism or death! Patria o muerte! 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