From: Steve Wagner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- Castro Says Palestinians Suffer 'Genocide,' Hits US http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010901/wl/race_castro_dc_1.html Saturday September 1 8:16 AM ET DURBAN, South Africa (Reuters) - Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Friday branded Israeli actions against Palestinians as genocide and blasted the United States for seeking to hobble debate at a U.N. conference against racism. ``(Nobody) has the right to set preconditions to the conference or urge it to avoid the discussion...(of) the way we decide to rate the dreadful genocide perpetrated, at this very moment, against our Palestinian brothers,'' Castro said. At least 548 Palestinians and 157 Israelis have been killed since protests against Israeli occupation erupted in September last year after peace talks froze. On Saturday the Palestinians accused Israel of assassinating a senior security official in a car blast in Gaza. Israeli security officials denied Israel was responsible. Middle East bloodshed has dominated the 153-nation World Conference Against Racism that opened in the South African city of Durban on Friday. The United States has cut its representation to a junior level in protest at what it sees as an anti-Israeli bias and has warned it may withdraw altogether unless the language in draft texts is revised. Middle East tension and demands by some African states that rich countries pay reparations for the past ills of slavery are threatening to torpedo the conference which organizers intended as a landmark in the struggle against racism. The veteran Cuban leader backed the call for reparations, saying that countries that had grown rich on ill-gotten gains from human trafficking had the resources to pay. ``This is an unavoidable moral duty,'' Castro said in his formal address to the conference which is being attended by some 6,000 delegates from 153 countries. The conference, which runs until September 7, is due to draw up a declaration of principles along with a detailed plan of action to fight racism worldwide. But Washington and European powers are wary of issuing any formal apology for slavery for fear it could give grounds for legal action against them and they reject any talk of reparations. ``(The) rich and squandering world is in possession of the technical and financial resources necessary to pay what is due to mankind,'' Castro said. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
