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From: NY Transfer News <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 22:35:00 -0400 (EDT)
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [CubaNews] NY Transfer's RHC News Update-22 June 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 22 June 2001
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*DISTORTED PRESS COVERAGE OF MIAMI CONSPIRACY TRIAL
*ALPHA 66 ADMITS 3 TERRORISTS HELD IN CUBA ARE MEMBERS
*JAMAICA: PEREZ ROQUE ON COOPERATIVE CUBA-CARIBBEAN RELATIONS
*FIDEL CASTRO INAUGURATES NEW CAMPGROUND FOR VACATIONERS
*SANTIAGO'S 10th CARIBBEAN TRADE FAIR COMES TO A CLOSE
*HORTENSIA PICHARDO, CUBAN HISTORIAN, DIES IN HAVANA
*INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT MEETING WINDS UP ON FRIDAY
*CUBA CANCELS GUINEA BISSAU'S COMMERCIAL DEBT
*FRENCH JUDGE INSISTS ON QUESTIONING KISSINGER ABOUT CHILE
*ALGERIAN WOMAN SUES FRANCE FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
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*DISTORTED PRESS COVERAGE OF MIAMI CONSPIRACY TRIAL
Havana, June 22 (RHC)--Miami's mafia and the US media have distorted the
case of five Cubans convicted of spying against the United States, charged
participants in Thursday night's televised roundtable discussions. The TV
program transmitted fragments of an October, 1998 CNN interview with Cuban
President Fidel Castro, who asserted that Cuba has the right to defend
itself against terrorist attacks organized and financed in the United States
with the consent of U.S. authorities.
The Cuban leader said that those abroad who provide information to Cuba are
honorable persons, not mercenaries, who do not receive money for helping
Cuba to thwart the numerous terrorist operations against the island, which
originate mostly in Miami. President Castro insisted that this type of
information concerning the United States is all that interests Cuba.
Participants in the roundtable discussion also noted that five of the
original ten Cubans arrested were only friends or cooperated with the five
who were convicted. Two married couples and a fifth individual were
subjected to intense pressure and threats to reach an agreement with the
district attorney's office, which threatened them with long prison
sentences, permanent separation from their children and the bankruptcy of
their small business enterprises.
The fifth individual even testified against the five Cubans who, during the
entire process, maintained an attitude of dignity, rejecting the charges and
refusing legal assistance. Three of the five refused to reveal their
identities to the FBI until 27 months after their arrest, when the trial
began.
Thursday evening's roundtable was the second of a series of three on the
case of the Cubans arrested in Miami, who infiltrated terrorist and
ultra-right wing organizations which have not ceased in their plans to
destabilize Cuba by any means necessary.
*ALPHA 66 ADMITS 3 TERRORISTS HELD IN CUBA ARE MEMBERS
Miami, June 22 (RHC)--The Miami-based terrorist organization Alpha 66 has
admitted membership in that organization of Cuban-American terrorists
captured off the shores of Cuba. Alpha 66 secretary general Andres Nazario
Sargenz told local media in Miami that Ihosvanni Suris de la Torre and
Maximo Pradera Valdes are active members of the terrorist group, while the
third terrorist -- Santiago Padron Quintero -- used to be an active member.
Sargenz claimed that the three individuals traveled to Cuba with abundant
weapons "on their own initiative," although he hastened to add that his
organization supported their decision. Cuban authorities had announced
Wednesday evening that those arrested off the northern coast of the central
Villa Clara Province, after a chase and an exchange of gunfire, were members
of Alpha 66 -- a terrorist organization with some 5,000 members tolerated by
U.S. authorities.
The three terrorists had planned an attack against Havana's Tropicana
nightclub, a favorite attraction for tourists, and hoped to organize
counterrevolutionary groups in Cuba's central Escambray mountain range.
*JAMAICA: PEREZ ROQUE ON COOPERATIVE CUBA-CARIBBEAN RELATIONS
Kingston, June 22 (RHC)--In Jamaica, visiting Cuban Foreign Minister
Felipe Perez Roque has asserted that Cuba will always cooperate and never
compete with the Caribbean. Speaking with members of the Jamaica-Cuba
Friendship Association, Perez Roque pointed to the immense potential of
Cuba's tourism sector -- which, he added, would be much greater without the
existence of Washington's blockade against the island.
But Cuba also seeks to join efforts with the rest of the Caribbean tourist
sector, he said, pointing out that Cuba is a natural extension of the
Caribbean, just as it shares the African blood that flows through the veins
of the entire region.
Referring to Cuba's cooperation with other Third World peoples, Perez Roque
said that the integrity, valor and honesty with which Cuba has provided
internationalist aid to Africa has increased the island's prestige within
the international community.
Referring to the continued intensification of Washington's blockade, the
Cuban Foreign Minister said that while the U.S. government demands a
multi-party system in Cuba, it has diplomatic and trade relations with two
countries -- China and Vietnam -- that like Cuba have only one ruling party.
And, he added, there are situations even more complex, pointing out that
Washington sells weapons to Saudi Arabia and buys its oil, even though this
Arab nation has no constitution, and that it is a nation where women aren't
even allowed to drive automobiles. The Cuban foreign minister concluded that
Washington can hardly claim to be the judge of democracy.
*FIDEL CASTRO INAUGURATES NEW CAMPGROUND FOR VACATIONERS
Havana, June 22 (RHC)--Thanks to the efforts of the government and the
enthusiastic support of Cuba's young people, tens of thousands of Cubans
will spend their summer vacations at the beach or in mountain resorts. Cuban
president Fidel Castro on Thursday officially opened the new 116 cabin "Las
Caletas" camping complex on beautiful Jibacoa Beach east of Havana.
The Cuban leader emphasized the excellent work done by the country's young
people, whom he said "saved this year's camping plan with few resources".
Accompanied by Communist Party and Young Communist League officials,
President Castro stressed that the "Campismo" program is not designed to
make money, but rather to give youth and families the opportunity to relax
and enjoy recreation in some of the island's most beautiful spots. He noted
that more than half of those taking advantage of the popular plan are under
30 years of age.
What's more, the Cuban leader explained that the chain of modest Cuban tour
resorts is a source of income for 4,500 local workers. A good number of
foreign tourists also prefer the rustic cabins in natural settings to more
formal and expensive hotels. Most of the low-cost installations boast
swimming pools, dancing areas and shops; many are adding video rooms as
well. Transportation to the vacation resorts is provided as part of the
price.
Currently Cuba has 88 such installations with a capacity for 20,000 people,
which will serve more than 900,000 Cubans.
*SANTIAGO'S 10th CARIBBEAN TRADE FAIR COMES TO A CLOSE
Havana, June 22 (RHC)--The 10th Caribbean Trade Fair, EXPOCARIBE 2001,
wound up on Friday in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. Eight hundred
companies from 34 nations were represented in the event.
EXPOCARIBE 2001, the island's second largest trade fair after the one held
in Havana in November, took place at Santiago's Heredia Convention Center.
For five days, participants attended conferences and roundtables, the
presentation of new services and products and took the opportunity to make
contacts with business representatives from around the world.
The executive director of the Caribbean Association of Industry and Trade,
Felipe Noguera, talked about the need to strengthen the role of the State in
achieving the recovery of the region's economies and increasing
competitiveness in goods and services. Speaking to business executives and
organizers of the trade fair, he stressed the importance for the Caribbean
of improving sea and air transportation and communications, which are
currently in the hands of U.S. companies.
Noguera explained that Cuba, with extremely limited economic resources, has
managed an economic recovery and reorientation of its trade, and he
predicted that if the region's airlines can improve cooperation in carrying
cargo and passengers, they could increase their annual revenues by
$60 million.
*HORTENSIA PICHARDO, CUBAN HISTORIAN, DIES IN HAVANA
Havana, June 22 (RHC)--Renowned Cuban historian Hortensia Pichardo died in
Havana on Thursday at age 97.
During her long life, the outstanding intellectual wrote many important
books on various aspect of history. She was perhaps best known as one of the
great Cuban teachers who instructed several generations of Cuban historians.
Pichardo was referred to as the "cornerstone of Cuban History" by the
internationally acclaimed historian of the city of Havana, Eusebio Leal
Spengler.
Pichardo was awarded the National History Prize in 1997 for her extensive
research throughout her lifetime.
*INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT MEETING WINDS UP ON FRIDAY
Havana, June 22nd (RHC)--Delegates from 25 countries attending Havana's
third International Convention on the Environment and Development have
concluded their meeting devoted to to the care and protection of the
environment.
During the 5-day event, participants stressed the importance of
environmental education, economy, law, biological diversity and protected
areas.
Delegates discussed the environmental problems currently affecting humanity
which have not yet been resolved, 10 years after the Rio de Janeiro Earth
Summit.
*CUBA CANCELS GUINEA BISSAU'S COMMERCIAL DEBT
Havana, June 22nd (RHC)--Guinea Bissau's minister of Foreign business and
International Cooperation, Antonieta Rosa Gomez, thanked the Cuban
government on Friday for its decision to forgive the African nation's
commercial debt to Cuba.
After the signing of a Protocol in the 11th Joint Commission between the two
nations, Gomez held a press conference about her meeting with Cuban
president Fidel Castro, whom she described as a man with a great humanist
sense in favor of the poor.
The Guinea Bissau delegation, presided over by the Minister of Foreign
Business and International Cooperation, discussed with Cuban officials
bilateral cooperation in the fields of health, education, agriculture, the
environment, the sugar industry and construction.
The Protocol of cooperation signed between the two countries in the Cuban
capital sets out a bilateral exchange program through the year 2003. It
includes contains an agreement of technical support for the implementation
of a literacy program by radio in the African nation.
*FRENCH JUDGE INSISTS ON QUESTIONING KISSINGER ABOUT CHILE
Paris, June 22 (RHC)--A judge in France has insisted on questioning
former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger concerning human rights
abuses during Chile's Augusto Pinochet dictatorship. Judge Roger Le Loire
has requested permission from the U.S. government to travel to Washington to
obtain testimony from Kissinger pertinent to the case he's opened on five
French citizens forcibly disappeared by the Pinochet regime.
Earlier this month, Le Loire called on Kissinger to testify while the former
Secretary of State was visiting France, but Kissinger refused. With his
refusal, the U.S. embassy in France called on Le Loire to send his petition
through the appropriate U.S. government channels.
Shortly afterwards, the U.S. State Department said that it would cooperate
with the investigation, since Kissinger is a former government official. The
French judge reportedly has in his possession several recently declassified
documents on repression during the Chilean dictatorship that bear
Kissinger's signature.
Some of those documents refer to Operation Condor, the multinational
repressive network set up by several South American military regimes to
eliminate opposition at home and abroad -- including in Europe. The
documents reportedly reveal that Kissinger was well aware of Operation
Condor from its inception.
Operation Condor was responsible for the forced disappearance of at least
one of the five French victims. Declassification of CIA and State Department
documents on Chile has led numerous human rights leaders and organizations
to clamor for an international trial against Kissinger.
*ALGERIAN WOMAN SUES FRANCE FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
Paris, June 22 (RHC)--An Algerian woman has become the first person to
file charges against France for crimes against humanity committed during
Algeria's independence war. In 1957, when she was 21 years old, Louisette
Ighilahriz was wounded, captured and tortured by French soldiers. Today, 44
years later, she still uses crutches to walk.
Ighilahriz's attorney, Pierre Mairat, explained that the lawsuit calls for
an investigation of the responsibility of French military and political
leaders during the war. The lawsuit also described the summary executions
that Ighilahriz witnessed while she was imprisoned.
Ighilahriz said that her legal action was prompted by what she called the
arrogance of retired French General Paul Aussaresses, who recently published
his memoirs admitting, without any remorse, to having participated in the
torture and assassinations of Algerian independence fighters. Aussaresses
has been called to appear before a court in Paris on July 6 to respond to
charges of apology for war crimes.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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