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Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2001 01:12:43 -0400 (EDT)
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Subject: [CubaNews] NY Transfer's RHC Weekend-08 Sept 2001
Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit
Radio Havana Cuba - Weekend News Update - 08 September 2001
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*CUBAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES PRIME MINISTER OF NAMIBIA
*FORUM ON FOOD SECURITY: FIDEL SAYS A JUST WORLD WITHOUT HUNGER IS POSSIBLE
*CUBA AND VENEZUELA STRENGTHEN BILATERAL RELATIONS
*US-CUBA LABOR EXCHANGE TO PARTICIPATE IN REGIONAL MEETING AGAINST FTAA
*DURBAN: FINAL TEXT DECLARES SLAVERY A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
*PALESTINIAN OFFICIAL SPEAKS OF ISRAELI �POLICY OF TERROR�
*WASHINGTON OFFERS ANDEAN NATIONS TRADE PREFERENCES FOR DRUG-WAR COOPERATION
*AUSTRALIA DRIVES AWAY ANOTHER REFUGEE SHIP; HOWARD'S POLICY CONDEMNED
*UNESCO EDUCATION CONFERENCE SEEKS TO GLOBALIZE CULTURAL TOLERANCE
.
*CUBAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES PRIME MINISTER OF NAMIBIA
Havana� September 8 (RHC)--Cuban President Fidel Castro officially received
Namibian Prime Minister Hage G. Geingob Friday evening at the Palace of the
Revolution� where the two held official talks.
Also on hand were Namibian Deputy Foreign Minister� Gabriel Shihepo� the
country's Ambassador to Cuba� Richard Kapelwa� and on the Cuban side� Vice
President Carlos Lage� Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque� Health Minister
Carlos Dotres and the Acting Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic
Cooperation� Rodrigo Malmierca.
Earlier� the Namibian Prime Minister received the Friendship Award� granted
by the Cuban Council of Ministers during a ceremony held at the Cuban
Institute of Friendship with the Peoples� or ICAP. Considered a good friend
of Cuba� Prime Minister Geingob has always been very active in the
solidarity with Cuba movement.
Upon thanking ICAP for the award� the Namibian Prime Minister called Cuba's
participation �decisive� in his nation's independence process. The Cuban
people� he said� fought side by side with the Namibian people against the
South African apartheid regime� and the island also played a decisive role
in the negotiation process that led to independence.
*FORUM ON FOOD SECURITY: FIDEL SAYS A JUST WORLD WITHOUT HUNGER IS POSSIBLE
Havana� September 8 (RHC)--A more just world without hunger or starvation
is possible and will come to pass� said Cuban President Fidel Castro at the
closing session of the Forum on Food Security on Friday evening.
The event gathered together 400 delegates� representing campesinos� small
farmers and non-governmental organizations from 60 nations around the world.
The Cuban leader referred to a boycott of the big transnationals to prevent
their overwhelming local small farmers� who constitute the main food source
for many poor communities around the globe.
Participants in the World Forum on Food Security denounced the manipulation
of food access as a weapon against peoples and criticized neo-liberal
economic policies.
In the event's final declaration� the more than 600 delegates expressed
their will to promote an international movement against neo-liberal
globalization. The international food trade� reads the document� should not
respond to private� selfish interests� but to the ultimate goal of serving
humanity.
During the five-day meeting� participants debated current economic�
political and social problems� which condemn nearly 800 million people on
the planet to hunger and malnutrition. Delegates also reviewed the state of
compliance with a goal set by the 1996 World Food Summit to reduce by half
the number of starving people in the world by the year 2015. Last year� the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization� the FAO� extended the term
until the year 2030.
The Havana meeting took place two months before the next FAO summit� set for
November in Rome� where social and non-governmental organizations will
demand that governments take concrete� urgent action to reduce and
eventually eradicate hunger.
*CUBA AND VENEZUELA STRENGTHEN BILATERAL RELATIONS
Havana� September 8 (RHC)--Cuba and Venezuela have signed the final
document of the Second Bilateral Commission� which provides for strengthened
cooperation in fields such as health� sports� education� transportation�
construction and the sugar industry.
Cuban Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation� Marta Lomas�
and Venezuelan Production and Trade Minister� Luisa Romero penned the
document in Caracas� the Venezuelan capital.
Cuba will increase to 1�200 the number of sports trainers working in
Venezuela� as well as the supply of Cuban medicine and medical equipment.
Another agreement signed by Cuban Deputy Health Minister� Rene Ruiz� and the
Venezuelan Presidency Minister� Diosdado Cabello� reaffirms Cuba's
willingness to continue with a program to bring Venezuelan patients to
receive free medical treatment in medical institutions here on the island.
Under the agreement� Cuban experts will also assist in the construction of a
sugar complex in the Venezuelan state of Barinas.
*US-CUBA LABOR EXCHANGE TO PARTICIPATE IN REGIONAL MEETING AGAINST FTAA
Havana� September 8 (RHC)--The organization US-Cuba Labor Exchange has
confirmed its participation with a large delegation in the Hemispheric
Encounter against the Free Trade Area of the Americas� the FTAA� set for
November 13-16 here in the Cuban capital.
The announcement was made during a dialogue held between Pedro Ross Leal�
President of the Confederation of Cuban Workers and representatives from
U.S. unions and social and student organizations here in Havana.
Founded in 1991� the US-Cuba Labor Exchange promotes exchange between US and
Cuban workers. The organization promotes visits of US workers and union
activists to the island in open defiance of travel restrictions under the US
law. The US-Cuba Labor Exchange is very active in the solidarity with Cuba
movement inside the United States.
*DURBAN: FINAL TEXT DECLARES SLAVERY A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
Durban� September 8 (RHC)--In Durban� South Africa� the plenary session of
the World Conference Against Racism� which was extended into the weekend due
to lengthy discussions surrounding controversial issues� has closed with a
final declaration condemning slavery as a crime against humanity. The text
includes the basis for a plan of action to ensure future reparations and
compensation for acts of slavery.
In an ongoing condemnation of Israel's treatment of Palestinians� Syria
presented a petition on Saturday which called for wording in the document to
include reference to the fact that colonization and occupation are paths
that cause or lead to racism. Although the state of Israel was not
mentioned� the reference clearly referred to what most countries at the
conference have described as Tel Aviv's policy of apartheid against the
Palestinian people. After a number of hours of debate� the petition was
defeated in a preliminary vote.
>From the beginning of the final plenary session� it was evident that a
number of countries had serious reservations about the wording of the final
declaration� and the South African foreign minister� Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma�
had to call on all participating countries not to torpedo the conference in
its final stages. She said that she was concerned that the work of last week
would be undone by lack of consensus at the last minute. Evidently relieved
that agreement had finally been reached� Dlamini-Zuma closed the debate by
asking if there were any objections to transmitting the conference findings
to the UN General Assembly. With none forthcoming� she adopted the final
declaration.
The extension into the weekend essentially resulted from a need to further
discuss the situation in the Middle East relating to Israel's treatment of
Palestinians� as well as discussion of slavery and its heritage for the
former colonial nations. Reparations for those nations of the Third World
that suffered from slavery had been much criticised and resisted by the
United States and Europe� in spite of the fact that their nations got rich
on the backs of mostly African slaves� say those in favor of some type of
recompense. Suggestions in the final declaration include forgiving Third
World debt� improving access for Third World nations to the world market�
the eradication of poverty through direct investment and the return and
relocation in Africa of the descendents of slaves.
Although individual compensation was debated� the declaration does not even
attempt to touch on this very politically sensitive issue -- especially in
relation to the United States.
*PALESTINIAN OFFICIAL SPEAKS OF ISRAELI �POLICY OF TERROR�
Moscow� September 8 (RHC)--The deputy of Palestinian National Authority
President Yasser Arafat� Saturday spoke with Russian foreign minister� Igor
Ivanov� about the situation in the Middle East and a proposed visit by
Arafat to Russia.
Mahmud Abbas� who is in Moscow following the departure of Israeli prime
minister� Ariel Sharon� told the press that he had informed Ivanov of what
he called a �policy of terror� being deliberately carried out by Israel
against his people. The Palestinian official added that the slaughter� the
assassinations of Palestinian leaders� the destruction of people's houses
and the economic blockade imposed on Palestinian territories was all part of
a concerted effort at fomenting terror. He said that Tel Aviv had still not
lived up to its international commitments and seeks to continue to expel
Palestinians from their lands one way or another. Abbas declared that Sharon
clearly has no intention of living up to his part of the bargain in the
peace talks because he will not allow United Nations observers into
Palestinian areas controlled by Israel.
Addressing the Israeli prime minister's call to Russian Jews to emigrate to
Israel� Mahmud Abbas said that the call violated international human rights
and agreements� in that it sought to expel one population to replace it with
another. More than a million Russians of Jewish descent now live in Israel�
constituting a sixth of the population.
The Palestinian leader thanked Moscow for its support of Palestinian
self-determination and the creation of an independent Palestinian state. He
commented that as the US Administration of George W Bush has now practically
withdrawn from the peace process� Russia's role has become even more
important.
Abbas said that Yasser Arafat would likely visit Russia toward the end of
the year.
Meanwhile� Israeli helicopters once again bombarded the West Bank Ramallah
offices of the Palestinian Al Fatah party. It was unknown if there were any
dead in the resulting wreckage� but a number of Palestinian civilians were
injured. The attack was seen as another attempt on the lives of Palestinian
leaders in the Israeli prime minister's policy of selective assassinations.
Tel Aviv announced that the attack was in retaliation for the previous
week's attacks by Palestinian militia against Jewish settlements and
soldiers.
*WASHINGTON OFFERS ANDEAN NATIONS TRADE PREFERENCES FOR DRUG-WAR COOPERATION
Lima� September 8 (RHC)--The Community of Andean Nations will meet on
Monday with US Secretary of State Colin Powell to discuss the Andean Trade
Preferential Agreement as a tool for fighting regional drug trafficking� it
was reported today.
The foreign ministers of Colombia� Peru� Ecuador� Bolivia and Venezuela will
meet with Powell in Lima to discuss the creation and execution of what is
being called the Andean Cooperation Plan� which will specifically address
narcotics related crime. The Plan was approved in the last meeting of the
Andean group in Venezuela in June.
Washington is offering to have trade tariffs removed on the import of Andean
Community goods under a renewed trade preferential agreement. The lifting of
such trade barriers would increase employment in the fragile economies of
the five South American nations� which in return would lend support to the
US drug interdiction program in the region.
Critics are already calling the proposal another effort by Washington to
further control the economies of Latin America in preparation for its own
Free Trade Area of the Americas� which is seen by many as an economic
invasion of the region. The US already has in place its controversial
Colombia Plan in which it has furnished $1.3 billion to fund Bogot�'s war on
traffickers. The Plan has been criticized for promoting a regional arms race
by providing Colombia with too much military equipment� and has been called
a thinly veiled attempt to corner the entire Latin American market for
Washington and the benefit of US corporations.
In related news� the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia� or FARC� have
rejected outright the scheduled visit of Colin Powell to the country next
week. In a statement to the press the FARC said that this was a clear
message of US interference in the affairs of Colombia. Powell is expected to
question President Andres Pastrana's handling of peace talks with the
guerillas. Critics say that a rupture of the talks would smooth the way for
the Bush administration to become more bellicose about providing war
equipment and supplies to the South American nation.
*AUSTRALIA DRIVES AWAY ANOTHER REFUGEE SHIP; HOWARD'S POLICY CONDEMNED
Canberra� September 8 (RHC)--Australia has once again refused to land
refugees on its shores for the second time in its history.
Following the incident of the Norwegian ship Tampa� which picked up 433
shipwrecked refugees two weeks ago� Canberra has been wary in its response
to this new group. Australian prime minister John Howard refused to allow
the �Tampa� passengers to touch Australian soil� even though there were 43
children among them and two pregnant women. The Tampa's captain also said
that a number of the refugees were suffering from dehydration. As a result
of both domestic and international criticism� Howard eventually allowed the
refugees to board the more comfortable Australian warship� Maroona� for a
trip to New Zealand and Nauru� which have agreed to accept them.
In this new case� an Australian warship intercepted the boat full of
refugees before it reached Australian waters� thus -- in the words of John
Howard -- �denying them the right to solicit asylum in Australia.� The
refugees said from Indonesia; it was not certain what nationality they were.
Howard was harshly criticized by the European Union for his handling of the
Tampa affair. It was clear that the immigrants had every right to request
asylum from Australia because they were in Australian waters when they were
intercepted. Canberra has now presented new legislation in the hope of
avoiding future problems of this nature. The legislation would modify the
immigration status of Christmas and Ashmore Islands� making it more
difficult for immigrants who land on these Australian islands to be granted
the same rights as someone who disembarks on the mainland.
The representative for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in
Sydney� Ellen Hansen� said that the new legislation was illegal and contrary
to international rights. She said that the conflict was one between
Australian law and that of the international community and should therefore
be resolved before an international tribunal. John Howard is soon expected
to meet with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to review the subject of
immigration.
*UNESCO EDUCATION CONFERENCE SEEKS TO GLOBALIZE CULTURAL TOLERANCE
Geneva� September 8 (RHC)--In Geneva� UNESCO today proposed that school
curricula reflect the economic and social changes that globalization is
having on the world� mostly evidenced by population migration and cultural
diversity. This would help young people to learn about and live with other
races and cultures.
At the close of an International Conference on Education� UNESCO -- which is
made up of 127 member nations -- said that the education of the planet's
young should also include recent scientific and technological advances.
The final document of the conference speaks about the importance of teaching
children communication skills whereby they can express themselves and learn
how to listen and dialogue with others. Learning foreign languages at an
early age is also recommended. Social cohesion� the fight against
inequality� respect for others and their beliefs and cultures� and access to
computer technology all were included as essential components in the
universal education envisaged by the document. Thus children can be taught
to become what the text calls �citizens open to the world.�
On an international level� the conference participants recommended creating
regional networks to assist in the exchange of information� and setting up
projects which could ultimately lead to improved political relations between
nations.
(c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved.
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