> >from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >subject: Havana Radio news/views Aug 31. US blocks conf >Radio Havana Cuba-31 August 2000 23:00 > >Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 31 August 2000 23:00 > > >*CUBA DEMANDS THE U.S. FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITIES AS UN HOST > COUNTRY > >*ALARCON REFUSED U.S. VISA, MISSES MEETING OF INTERPARLIAMENTRY UNION > >*CHINA'S PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S WITHHOLDING VISAS > >*CUBA NOW HAS MODERN EQUIPMENT TO STUDY EARTHQUAKES ON THE ISLAND > >*18TH-CENTURY SUGAR MILL IS DISCOVERED IN EASTERN CAMAGUAY > >*CUBAN BOXERS PROMISE TO DELIVER A KNOCK-OUT AT THE OLYMPICS > >*RESPONSE TO U.S. CLAIM THAT CUBA "FORCES" PEOPLE TO MIGRATE > ILLEGALLY > >*U.S. BLOCKS CONFERENCE OF PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS > > >*CUBA DEMANDS THE U.S. FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITIES AS UN HOST >COUNTRY > >Havana, August 31 (RHC)-- Cuba has called on the United States to >live up to its responsibilities as host country of the United >Nations. > >Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, speaking at a news >conference in Havana on Thursday, called on Washington to grant the >visas requested by members of the Cuban delegation, which plan to >attend the Millenium Summit in New York next week. > >The Cuban foreign minister also stated that Cuba maintains >diplomatic relations with the Czech Republic, although political ties >between Havana and Prague are at the lowest level ever. He affirmed >that despite the services rendered by the Czech Republic to >Washington's policy of aggression against the island, the Cuban >government has not changed its relations with Prague. > >Cuba's top diplomat recalled that the Czech representatives presented >an anti-Cuba resolution before the Geneva-based United Nations Human >Rights Commission in April -- charging Cuba with violations of human >rights. Perez Roque said it was unfortunate and shameful that an >independent country such as the Czech Republic would bow down to the >dictates of the United States. > >During another part of the news conference, held Thursday at the >Foreign Ministry, Felipe Perez Roque said that three Swedish citizens >-- detained in Havana on Tuesday -- would be expelled from the >country. The Cuban foreign minister noted that the three entered the >country under the cover of tourists and were involved in subversive >activities against the Cuban government. > > *ALARCON REFUSED U.S. VISA, MISSES MEETING OF INTERPARLIAMENTRY >UNION > >Havana, August 31 (RHC)-Cuban legislators who were to participate in >the Inter-parliamentary Union meeting in New York, were unable to >attend because Washington has refused to issue them visas. > >The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that it would not issue >entry visas to Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon and his >personal assistant Miguel Alvarez, but that they would issue visas >for two Cuban legislators, Ramon Pez Ferro and Ada Martinez to attend >the meeting that got underway on Wednesday at UN headquarters. > >However, by late Thursday neither of the two Cuban parliamentarians >had received the promised entry permits. Meanwhile, the General >Secretary of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Anders Johnson, expressed >frustration over Washington's decision to refuse to issue a visa to >the President of the Cuban Parliament and recalled that the meeting >begins with the participation of the world's Parliament presidents. > >And in Uruguay, newspapers published Cuba's condemnation of the >US government's decision. > > *CHINA'S PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S WITHHOLDING >VISAS > >Beijing, August 31 (RHC)-The President of China's National Assembly, >Li Peng, said in New York that all the world's Parliament Presidents >have the right to participate in the Inter-Parliamentary Union >meeting currently underway at the United Nations. > >Asked about Washington's refusal to issue the president of Cuba's >Parliament a visa to participate in the UN meeting, the Chinese >official said that each of the leaders of the world's legislative >bodies has the right to attend all meetings and conferences. > > *CUBA NOW HAS MODERN EQUIPMENT TO STUDY EARTHQUAKES ON THE ISLAND > >Havana, August 31 (RHC)-Cuba's National Seismologic Station's seven >centers now boast the most modern equipment to study earthquakes that >shake the island. > >According to the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, >the 7 stations that make up the national network are capable of >recording earth movements on the island as well as earthquakes around >the world if they if they registrar five points or more on the >Richter scale. > >The state-of-the-art technology will allow the stations to guarantee >more rapid and reliable statistics. The National Center of >Seismologic Research is located in the eastern city of Santiago de >Cuba. The center's specialists are currently doing research on that >eastern city's geology and infrastructure in order to determine the >levels of danger and vulnerability of communities built in high risk >areas. > >The last strong earthquake felt in Cuba was reported on May 25th, >1992. Registering 6 on the Richter scale, the quake shook the eastern >province of Granma and was felt in another ten central and eastern >provinces. > > *18TH-CENTURY SUGAR MILL IS DISCOVERED IN EASTERN CAMAGUAY > >Havana, August 31 (RHC)-Ruins of a 18th century Cuban sugar mill >"Santa Rosa de Baino" have been discovered by a group of >speleologists in the eastern province of Camaguey. The ancient sugar >mill was built in the 18th century near a town called Banao, which >was the region's principal settlement at the time. The mill was >destroyed during the first independence war against Spanish >colonialism in 1868. > >The researchers discovered the sugar mill ruins buried beneath a >forest after studying ancient documents and speaking with local >residents. The experts also found various types of ceramics in the >ruins prompting the theory that indigenous peoples had inhabited the >site before construction of the antique sugar mill. > > *CUBAN BOXERS PROMISE TO DELIVER A KNOCK-OUT AT THE OLYMPICS > >Havana, August 31 (RHC)-- Boxing has always harvested medals for Cuba >in international competitions and, according to the island's boxing >officials that should hold true in next month's Sydney Olympic Games. >Some 50% of Cuba's Olympic titles have been in boxing according to >the president of the Cuban Boxing Federation, Jose Barrientos. > >He added that Cuba would be pleased to see judo experts, cyclists >and wrestlers, along with track and field and other sports provide >medals for the island in the individual categories, but once again, >boxing promises to contribute at least half of the medals. >Barrientos recalled that out of the 40 gold medals won by the island >in Olympic games since the triumph of the Revolution in l959, 23 have >been won by boxers. > >He explained that of the silver medals awarded during summer games, >13 of them went to boxers, and Five bronze medals out of Cuba's 31 >were taken by boxers. > >The best performance ever of Cuban boxers was registered in >Barcelona in the 1992 games, with seven gold and two silver medals. > >Four years later, the island took 8th place in the overall medal >standings, in Atlanta with a count of 9-8-8, in which boxing was in >the four top places. Cuba will participate in Sydney with a complete >team. 91-kilo division Olympic and World Champion, Felix Savon. > >If Savon wins gold this time, it will be his third consecutive >Olympic title, matching legendary boxers Teofilo Stevenson of Cuba >and Laszlo Papp from Hungary. The Cuban Boxing Federation official >said Savon stands a good chance of winning the medal. Barrientos >also had words of praise for Maikro Romero in the 48-kilo division. > >Romero walked away with the gold in Atlanta. Cuban athletes, who are >not considered to be prospects for medals in these games, hope to >finish among the top ten nations in the world. The island is taking >its largest delegation ever to an Olympic Game with some 240 >athletes. > > *RESPONSE TO U.S. CLAIM THAT CUBA "FORCES" PEOPLE TO MIGRATE >ILLEGALLY > >Havana, August 31 (RHC) -- The Cuban Foreign Ministry received last >Monday, August 28th, two documents: one at its offices in Havana and >one at the Cuban Interests Section in Washington. Curiously, neither >was identical. > >The communiqu� from the US State Department - numbered 241/19 - was >one of two versions of the same document that were simultaneously >delivered to the press and to which this response is directed. The >same day, August 28th, the spokesperson of the State Dept, Philip >Reeker, made some statements that should also be addressed in this >response. > >These statements by Mr. Reeker were shameless publicity stunts >suspiciously coinciding with a visit to Miami of the presidential >candidates who both vie for the financial and political support of >the terrorist right wing Cuban-American groups there. > >The text of the State Department document lacks all sincerity in its >attempt to falsify irresponsible conduct carried out by its >government that openly and systematically violates the migratory >accords between Cuba and the United States. > >The only item of truth in the document is that the laughable >allegations it contains were indeed brought up by US representatives >during bilateral migratory talks. On each occasion the Cuban >delegation to these talks has provided appropriate responses and >demonstrated the superficial nature of the US allegations. > >Of this, the State Department document does not speak. In his >most picturesque declarations, State Department spokesperson Philip >Reeker made reference to the charges made by Cuba against the Cuban >Adjustment Act, making it sound as if our government has only just >begun to address the problem. > >Nothing could be further from the truth. This law and the politics >it espouses, as well as the necessity to put an end to the misery it >creates, has always been one of the central issues presented by Cuban >delegations attending the bilateral migratory talks that resulted in >the accords of 1984, 1994 and 1995. > >On the 19th April 1999, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization >Service Commissioner, Doris Meissner, circulated a memo among her >employees explaining that the 1996 immigration law did not apply to >Cuban immigrants, regardless of how they arrived in the U.S. Unlike >any other nationality, Cubans would be authorized to remain in the >U.S. in accordance with the Cuban Adjustment Act. > >One week later, the INS reiterated this decision in a communiqu� to >the press. Cuba strongly protested the decision through diplomatic >channels, calling it a grave violation of not only the letter, but >the very spirit of the migratory accords adopted in 1994 and 1995. > >On the 2nd June 1999 the issue of the Cuban Adjustment Act was one of >the main issues in bilateral talks that took place in New York City. >Our delegation specifically challenged their US counterparts to >explain the significance of Commissioner Meissner's policy and how it >undermined and ignored the accords. > >This was so obvious that the U.S. delegation was unable to >respond officially and instead said that this would be done at a >later date via diplomatic channels. Over the next six months, in >spite of our insistence, the U.S. either couldn't or wouldn't attempt >to give us an explanation. > >It was thus that we then met on the 13th December in talks that >essentially duplicated those of June. Cuba condemns the Cuban >Adjustment Act and the behavior of the U.S. government that applies >an irresponsible and incoherent policy ignoring the migratory accords >that have been previously signed by both nations. > >Another important issue - also brought up in both the June and >December talks - was trafficking in human beings. On both occasions, >we decried Washington's inaction bordering on tolerance of this >growing and abject traffic that places human lives at grave risk for >the financial benefit of bands of delinquents organized in the U.S. >These people reside and operate out of US territory using U.S. means >and resources. We have insisted that the United States has an >obligation to pursue and prosecute these criminals and to this >purpose in June we provided U.S. authorities with details pertaining >to 26 traffickers under arrest here in Cuba. > >No further action was taken by the U.S. We followed up with the same >demand during the December talks when we had a total of 56 detainees >for the same crime. Today the number has climbed to 68. > >When we met in Havana last year we were in a relatively early stage >of the kidnapping of the Cuban child Elian Gonzalez. This case was, >without doubt, an example of just where this policy by the US can >lead. > >On precisely the day our delegations met, the 13th December, two >US bureaucrats were interviewing the boy's father, Juan Miguel >Gonzalez, at his home in Cuba and received ample proof of his >paternal capabilities. > >If Washington cared for the very minimum of international norms. If >the US government had shown the least concern for migratory >legalities and brought its own laws to bear in the case, or listened >to the feelings of its own people, the affair would have been over at >that time. > >For more than 40 years the United States has cynically manipulated >issues of migration as part of its arsenal to destroy the Cuban >Revolution. It's conduct has never been guided by humanitarian >concerns. > >Quite the contrary. It has instead pursued a cruel policy that has >caused untold suffering and death. The Cuban Adjustment Act is a >synthesis of a systematic lack of concern for human life and dignity >and should be immediately and permanently repealed. > >What should be adjusted is the status of millions of Latin Americans >who live in the U.S. in an interminable legal limbo, and an abyss of >poverty, discrimination, persecution and violation of human rights. >These are people marginalized in a society that excludes them from >its social and political life - in spite of the fact that they work >the hardest. > >In statements made by the U.S. State Department and in declarations >made by its officials, they have made reference to the next round of >migratory talks. If the United States is seriously disposed to >discussing these issues then they may state a date that best suits >them and a Cuban delegation will be there. > > Viewpoint: > >*U.S. BLOCKS CONFERENCE OF PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS > >The United States has done everything in its power to thwart a >Conference of National Parliament Presidents that began this past >Wednesday in New York. It was expected that the host nation would >take steps to facilitate the important meeting in compliance with >international norms. However, Washington's denial of entry visas to >the President of the Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, and other >members of the Cuban delegation to attend the New York meeting is >clear evidence of Washington's contempt for the World Inter- >Parliamentary Union. > >The U.S. State Department also denied an entry visa to the President >of the Yugoslavian Parliament, Srdja Bozovic, in an attempt to >further intensify the international boycott against the Balkan >nation. Yet, further evidence of Washington's disrespect for the >World Interparliamentary Union, the Congress of the world's only >superpower has repeatedly refused to pay its debt to the >international legislative organization, amounting to over 900,000 >dollars. Furthermore, the lawmakers on Washington's Capitol >Hill, did not even bother to respond to the invitation extended by >the World Inter-Parliamentary Union to attend the New York meeting. > >In an attempt to justify this latest political maneuver, Washington >claimed that the New York meeting was not under the auspices of the >United Nations, though nothing could be further from the truth. It is >a well-known fact that the meeting is part of preparations for the >Millennium Summit, set for September 6th through the 8th at UN >headquarters. > >With this attempt to obstruct the international conference of >parliamentary leaders, the White House reaffirms that the only UN >body that it is truly interested in is the Security Council, which >Washington has used over the years as a powerful tool to impose its >unipolar doctrines on the rest of world. > >It is now up to the World Inter-Parliamentary Union to decide whether >it will remain impassive in the face of the contemptuous actions on >the part of a member nation. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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