Direct from Cuba-13 April 2000 Thu, 13 Apr 2000 22:48:10 -0400 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Prensa Latina, Havana Cuba DIRECT FROM CUBA Thursday, April 13, 2000 -SOUTH PRESIDENTS REQUEST FOREIGN DEBT CANCELLATION -G-77 LEADERS DIALOG ON SUBSTANTIVE THEMES -THE SOUTH ALSO EXISTS -FIDEL DENOUNCES RESEARCH THAT SERVES THE RICH -FIDEL CASTRO ASKS FOR DIFFERENT OIL PRICES FOR RICH AND POOR -SOUTH SUMMIT PRESIDENTS ADVOCATE EQUAL GLOBALIZATION RIGHTS -A CALL FOR NEW ECONOMIC ORDER PREVAILS IN SOUTH SUMMIT -FIDEL CASTRO DENOUNCES IMPACT OF NEOLIBERALISM ON SOUTH -ARRANGEMENTS FOR CUBAN ELECTIONS TO BE REVIEWED SUNDAY -IMPORTANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES REPORTED IN CUBA -UNDP DISASTER PROGRAM FOR CARIBBEAN -MEASURES EASE DROUGHT'S EFFECTS ON CATTLE HERDS SOUTH PRESIDENTS REQUEST FOREIGN DEBT CANCELLATION HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) The call made to the industrialized world to cancel foreign debts of the poorest countries was a common point in the speeches by four leaders at Group of 77 (G-77) South Summit opening ceremony. Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria and G-77 president, stated that foreign debt's heavy burden constitutes an obstacle to social and economic development of the poorest nations. "This burden, said the president, also discourages new foreign investments, so South countries should be allowed to start looking for their socioeconomic progress over again." The rich countries must think on the possibility of immediately eliminating the burden that foreign debt represents for the poorest countries, taking into account the spirit of shared responsibility of the debt crisis. United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan called on developed nations to allow Third World products a greater access to their markets, cancel the debts and encouraged them to be more generous in helping development. We should prevent undeveloped nations continuing to face a great quantity of obstacles to their participation in the global economy, while they confront conflicts, corruption and epidemics, said Annan. South African and Nonaligned (NOAL) president, Thabo Mbeki, stated that "the growing economic efforts of our nations require a constructive and fruitful relation with the North, focused on alleviating the burden that affects the South." Mbeki said NOAL defends common positions for the developing world, in favor of permanently decreasing poverty and increasing population living standards. Imposed before us, he said, is the challenge of supporting democratization of international institutions, "including United Nations Organization and Bretton Woods," and the discussion of the less favored nations problems in the World Trade Organization (WTO). In the opening ceremony's final speech, President Fidel Castro said, "underdeveloped countries' foreign debt is astonishing for its huge sum and scandalous mechanism of exploitation and submission." The Cuban statesman pointed out "this debt already exceeds $2.5 trillion and has currently had an increase even more dangerous than in the '70s." Cuba's president said he "must repeat what we have been saying since 1985: the debt has already been paid, if we consider the terms under which it was conceived, the rapid growth of dollar interest rates and the decrease of prices in basic products. He considered the debt of poor people a political and not an economic problem, which demands a political solution. We cannot continue ignoring this problem should be mainly solved by those who have the power and the means: the rich nations. The Cuban leader reiterated that this phenomenon is one of the greatest obstacles for development and a bomb ready to explode under the world economy in any economic crisis. "As we has previously said, Third World foreign debt is unpayable and uncollectable," said Fidel Castro. The Havana Summit, joining heads of states and governments, from more than 60 nations, began its presidential conference Wednesday. AJS/CCS G-77 LEADERS DIALOG ON SUBSTANTIVE THEMES HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) Discussions by heads of states and governments around the main challenges faced by southern nations, was today's focus in the South Summit agenda. The event that ends tomorrow in this city includes national leaders from developing countries representing the 133 member states of Group of 77. Thursday's closed-door debates included important Summit topics, South-South cooperation, South-North cooperation, foreign debt, knowledge and technology. Activities included a lunch with the Cuban president, Fidel Castro, with attending heads of states and governments who renewed debates and leaders' declarations in the Summit plenary. The first speeches in Havana Conventions Center, Summit headquarter, reveal developing world's growing interest to design new mechanisms to face, in propitious conditions, the challenges of the new international economic atmosphere. The problems of globalization, demands to include the poorest people in the world economy, elimination of foreign debt and a new look at North-South relations were the most important topics in the presidential speeches. In his speech, Fidel Castro strongly criticized the present international financial system, stock market speculations and the promotion of neo liberal economic policies throughout the planet. The Cuban leader referred to the dismantling of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its substitution "by an international financial regulating body, which corresponds to the world's actual situation." Exhortations for more cooperation and warnings about the effects of neo liberal globalization were also included in the initial discussions, together with calls by president of Nigeria and G-77, Olusegun Obasanjo, for a process of "prosperity for all and marginalization for none." At the same time, UN General Secretary Kofi Annan urged northern states to give more aid for Third World development, debt elimination and more access to industrialized countries' markets. President of South Africa and NonAligned Countries Movement, Thabo Mbeki, declared the support of NOAL for southern nations' objectives to fight poverty and for sustainable economic growth. JCT/CCS THE SOUTH ALSO EXISTS BY ULISES CANALES HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) South countries, aware of their great capacity, are hoping international financial institutions help them create a economically prosperous future, to stop being on the world's periphery. Such awareness was evident yesterday in the speeches of leaders like Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo and UN General Secretary Kofi Annan at the first G-77 Summit in Havana. The speakers prudently agreed on the need to change the present international economic and political order, welcome the inevitable globalization, but "with equal benefits," and encouraged the South to play a more dynamic role in world forums. The Nigerian president categorically urged developing countries to debate reform of international financial institutions and to turn South-South cooperation into "a more dynamic aspect for international cooperative development." The South should fully and efficiently participate in designing and managing a new international financing structure, requested Obasanjo, G-77 president, whose participation was a reference point for others in the opening session. Analysts agree with the African leader that only if they are active participants in world processes will the planet's poor be able to guarantee that the weight of foreign debt and lack of financing will not fall on them with fury and that their interests will be taken into account "adequately and appropriately. Foreign debt and its unsustainable obligations substantially hinder Third World economic and social development asserted some speakers, General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan Chief executive, among them. These heavy debts prevent our countries from making positive adjustments, while fighting poverty, and for human security and stable democratic management, outlined President Obasanjo. From the South view, it is unacceptable that the debt continues obstructing its capacity to publicly invest in physical and social infrastructures for human resource development. Among the effects of this, southern countries called attention to decrease of new foreign investments and in consequence, they must "start over again to try socioeconomic development." Industrialized countries were asked to rapidly and efficiently forgive the debt, and the onerous and extended conditions on the debtors. In the spirit of shared responsibility for the debt crisis, developed countries also must think of a moratorium of the debt to immediately eliminate the weight on developing countries," Obasanjo added. Reviving support for development is also urgent for G-77 nations, since industrialized countries tend to execute multiple programs and do not fulfill their promises to grant resources. "What concerns us is that UN funds and programs' chief resources, programs that have traditionally improved our people's lives, have been decreasing astonishingly," the Nigerian chief executive said. Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, declared it necessary that the international community take urgent measures to increase official assistance to development. It is known worldwide that the present rhythm of limited help and globalization make it difficult for poor countries to mobilize and attract foreign investments for development. South Summit sent a message to the West to take measures to stop what is called the "illegal runaway capital phenomenon and repatriation of public wealth, illegally invested abroad by corrupted politicians and collaborators." He highlighted the need to adopt international measures to reduce financial instability related to short-term speculative capital, affecting developing countries socially and economically. The South considers it important to start serious North-South talks for international ties, based on common interests, principles and benefits, shared responsibilities and true association. "Developing countries' increased participation in world economic decision-making is vital for world stability," Nigerian leader said. DIG/CCS FIDEL CASTRO DENOUNCES RESEARCH THAT SERVES THE RICH HAVANA Apr.13 (PL) Cuban president, Fidel Castro, denounced private research as only serving rich consumers, while the best technologies can only be afforded by Northern countries. In his participation Wednesday in the opening ceremony of G-77 Summit, gathering some 60 developing countries heads of state and governments in this capital, the Cuban top executive affirmed the technological gap between North and South is deepened by privatization of scientific results. Efficient technologies like vaccines are put aside in scientific research for medicines generating greater profits, he argued. He asserted developed countries, with 15 per cent of the world's inhabitants, have 88 per cent of Internet users and in the US alone, there are more computers than in the rest of the world. While many South countries have no access to copyrights, the developed world controls 97 per cent of world patents and receives more than 90 per cent from international copyrights, he explained. The head of state emphasized luxury is considered before necessity in private research and intellectual copyrights deprive developing countries of knowledge. Present patent laws do not recognize traditional property systems or knowledge, "which are so important for the South," he said. Technological marvels making the world smaller in terms of communication and distance coexist with the gap between wealth and poverty, Fidel Castro stated in the closing speech of the Summit opening ceremony. Developing countries should not give up and enter the new century as the poor, exploited, delayed rearguard, victims of racism and xenophobia and deprived of access to knowledge. To give examples of the social situation created by the unequal economic order, mainly in the South, he reminded that over 790 million people of the 820 million suffering from malnutrition live in the Third World. Other examples of what he called the neo liberal race to catastrophe are the 507 million Third World inhabitants who would not live much longer than 40 years, and the 30 thousand children who die everyday and could be saved. Fidel Castro, last of the four speakers at the Summit opening session, analyzed the present economic world order, in which South countries are deprived of development. The 60 presidents from developing nations attending the meeting should approve the Final Declaration and the Action Plan this Friday elaborated previously by specialists and officials from G-77. The intercontinental meeting, initiated yesterday at the presidential level, analyzes topics such as globalization, North-South relations, South-South cooperation and the access to knowledge and technologies. DIG/CCS FIDEL CASTRO ASKS FOR DIFFERENT OIL PRICES FOR RICH AND POOR HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) At the opening of Group of 77 first Summit, Cuba's President Fidel Castro requested different oil prices for rich and poor countries as an alternative to favor development of the poorest nations. In world trade, different treatment would be a fair and essential principle for nations in unequal stages of development, affirmed the Cuban leader before 122 presidents from the "Third World" nations. It is absolutely unfair, said the statesman, that Mozambique, a poor nation with $ 84 GNP (Gross National Product) per capita, must pay the same oil price as Switzerland, with $43,400 per capita, 516 times more than Mozambique. Digressing from his prepared speech, Fidel Castro explained that he did not want to affect the petroleum-exporting nations' interests and even less to divide them with this idea. He invited the delegates to think about the topic. Fidel Castro said he spoke about this theme with the presidents of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, among others. I am not now thinking of Cuba (in promoting this initiative), a country that has suffered over 40 years of blockade, I am not defending our interests, our society is not an automobile society clarified Fidel Castro. The president explained in detail the international fuel price situation and recalled the Third World supplies over 80 per cent of the oil sold in the world, and from this quantity, a similar percentage is designated for developed nations. Rich nations can pay any price for the energy they waste to sustain their luxurious consumption and destroy the ecological balance, he stated. When prices abruptly increase from 12 to 30 dollars, or even more, the effect on Third World nations is devastating, apart from the negative impact of foreign debt, low prices of basic products, the financial crisis and the unequal exchange, all of which affect them, he said. The high prices benefit exporters and are easily bearable by the rich nations, but destructive and hopeless, in turn, for a great part of the Third World's national economy. After promoting different oil prices for each of these groups, the Cuban leader said if the richest countries consume 80 per cent, a lower price for the remaining 20 rest would still remain advantageously compensated. The leader considered the San Jose Treaty, agreed between Mexico and Venezuela 20 years ago, as a good precedent of what can and should be done to sell this fuel under favorable conditions to small Caribbean and Central America importing nations. Oil prices occupied the major part of Fidel Castro's discourse at the Summit opening ceremony, at which 42 heads of states and governments, 13 vice presidents or vice first ministers, 67 foreign affairs ministers and other ministers and officials participated. After giving data on poverty, misery and the underdevelopment tragedy suffered by developing nations, Fidel Castro closed with the exhortation, we must unite and closely cooperate or we can expect to die. AJS/CCS SOUTH SUMMIT PRESIDENTS ADVOCATE EQUAL GLOBALIZATION RIGHTS HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) Five Heads of States and Governments attending Group of 77 Summit advocates for the same rights with regard to globalization. In the first Summit working day, speakers from Algeria, Malaysia, Barbados, Pakistan and Palestine criticized the negative effects of globalization on economies, commerce, access to technology and social development of those countries. Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflik, stated that this inequality is manifest by nonparticipation in decision-making in international trade and financial relations. Organization of African Unity (OAU) president said further that an example of marginality is the amount of foreign investments considered derisive, especially in African nations, due to the asphyxiating debt, a vicious circle which must be broken, he said. He also observed the unequal exchange in markets, where raw materials are constantly devalued in those countries. Malasia's Prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, stated globalization should contribute to a fairer and equitable world economic order and not, what it is today, a synonym for inequality. "Globalization threatens to become a religion that doesn't permit heresy," said the high level official, emphasizing the need to find common solutions in this Summit. Pakistan encouraged the member countries of G-77 to support the call (made by this Asian country) to an international conference on the theme. General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistani Chief Executive, maintained resources used to buy weapons and confront regional struggles should be dedicated to health and education program in those countries. The president emphasized South countries should cooperate and integrate in this unequal world. He spoke about experiences in his country with other countries' professional training in financial, banking, communications and agriculture. Barbados's Prime minister, Owen Arthur, representing the Caribbean, emphasized the need for more participation in international financial decision-making by South countries. He also warned about the authoritarian approach of industrialized countries when they listen to developing countries' opinions, and he exhorted South countries to demand a more important place at the decision-making tables. Yaser Arafat, Palestine National Authority, explained the historic antecedents of his country's division from the century are beginning as a consequence of globalization effects that do not recognize national independence. The presidents agreed globalization is a powerful and dynamic force to empower cooperation and acceleration of development that presents opportunities and dangers and problems. Group-77 Summit will conclude Friday 14 with the approval of a Final Declaration, a document calling for member countries to change from passive witnesses to protagonists in a future world order that reflects their needs. IFF/CCS A CALL FOR NEW ECONOMIC ORDER PREVAILS IN SOUTH SUMMIT HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) Attending presidents' first speeches at G-77 South Summit, 66 Heads of States and Governments from G-77 member countries, centered on the need for a new world economic order to give equal rights to all countries. The intercontinental presidential meeting that began yesterday emphasized changing the unfair international economic order that increases the distance between rich and poor and pressured to democratize the financial system. Presidents Abdelaziz Bouteflik, Algeria, Matathir Mohamad, Malasia, General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan, Owen Arthur, Barbados and Yasser Arafat, Palestine spoke yesterday morning, and their speeches agreed on the urgency to create a new world economic order. Malaysian Matathir Mohamad emphasized that capital constitutes the cannons in the real world. Islamic Republic of Pakistan's president asserted that developed countries, with resources and technology are the main beneficiaries of globalization. He explained developing countries that have experienced a significant increase in the last ten years, will find their economies vulnerable to arbitrary market forces. A unanimous demand, mentioned repeatedly by each of the orators, was the necessary introduction of measures to protect developing world economies from negative globalization consequences. Barbados's Prime minister warned that capital instability has damaged national investments constructed by some underdeveloped countries over decades. He considered North appears stimulated by an authoritarian spirit in the economic field, as in others. The last morning session speaker, Palestinian leader Arafat pronounced for new strategies among developing states to ride the waves of world change. South Summit, gathering 122 countries from G-77, predicts a Final Declaration characterized by criticisms of an economic panorama that keeps Third World nations oppressed. Friday, the final working day, the group will also adopt an Action Program including common South strategies to fight for its right to development. IFF/CCS CASTRO DENOUNCES IMPACT OF NEOLIBERALISM ON SOUTH HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) Cuba's President Fidel Castro blamed neo liberal globalization for the Third World's worsening social situation, such as high poverty, insecure food supply and unsanitary conditions. An addition to his speech in the inaugural session of the South Summit yesterday in this city includes data from United Nations Program for Development (UNPD) and Latin America Economic Commission (LAEC) reports, supporting the Cuban president's declarations. "Income deterioration is the main characteristic of the present socioeconomic model," he declared and used as an example that the patrimony of the world's three richest people is more than the combined GNP of the 49 most undeveloped countries. In Latin America -he added-, the richest 20 per cent of the population receive US$ 17,380 yearly, while the poorest 20 per cent have access to only US$ 933. He emphasized that there are 1 billion 300 million poor people in the Third World. In Africa, poverty affects at least half the inhabitants while in Latin America 204 million people live in poverty and 90 per cent of those live in extreme poverty. The Cuban president said more than one-fourth of the 4.5 billion of people living in undeveloped countries do not have the most basic living conditions: survival after 40 years of age, access to knowledge and minimum social services. He referred to environmental degradation as a product of obligatory subsistence, uncontrollable demographic growth and people's exodus to cities seeking better options, with the consequent growth of slums, unsanitary conditions and insecure food sources, among other problems. "The undeveloped world's food situation is reflected in that more than 800 million people suffer extreme hunger and do not have access to health services, that is why 507 million people in the Third World do not survive until 40 years old," he declared. The statesman added that more than one-fourth of the hungry lives in countries with high malnutrition (35 per cent or more). The problem is more serious in central, eastern and southern Africa, where 44 per cent of the people suffer malnutrition. Speaking of the hemisphere's children, he pointed out that two of every five children suffer delayed growth, one of three are underweight for age and one in ten are underweight for height due to lack of food. "Malnutrition is one of the factors contributing to more than half the deaths of children under five years old in undeveloped countries" he denounced. Cuba's president spoke about poor access to knowledge in the Third World, where the number of illiterate adults surpasses 840 million and more than 130 million children (60 per cent girls) of school age grow up without receiving basic education. He emphasized the difference in proportion of doctors and nurses in industrialized and undeveloped countries. There are 253 doctors for 100 thousand people in developed countries, while in the Third World countries there are only 76, 14 in the poorest states, he stressed. Fidel Castro spoke of the devastating consequences of HIV and AIDS in the south, the most infected part of the world. Low life expectancy, the President also discussed unemployment, working children and insufficient systems of assistance and social security. Fidel Castro's speech closed the opening ceremony of the South Summit, which until tomorrow is analyzing impacts of neo liberal globalization on undeveloped economies, North-South relations, Third World cooperation and access to knowledge and technology. JCT/CCS ARRANGEMENTS FOR CUBAN ELECTIONS TO BE REVIEWED SUNDAY HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) Thousand of Cubans will conduct a "dynamic test" on Sunday to verify arrangements for the partial elections April 23, stated Granma daily today. Granma explained this will be a chance to correct mistakes in the elections' general preparation and cautioned the population who are participating not to consider it a competition or to hide deficiencies which would be a problem later. From early morning, everyone must be at their posts to review the general state of the election places, knowledge of the election laws, those supervising ballot boxes and election returns and the communications system for transmitting the reports, it adds. Any mistake could hinder election result reports April 23 or 30 (should a second round be necessary - if in the first no candidate obtains more than half the valid votes). Cuba's Electoral Law states that polling places must open at 07:00 AM and close at 18:00 PM (local time). In those cases where all registered voters vote before 18:00 PM, the polling place may close earlier, when checked by the correspondent Electoral Commission. Granma states the National Electoral Commission wishes to counteract the tendency to ask citizens to vote early, that will be up to the individual. At this time as part of the electoral process, electoral lists are being updated and neighborhood meetings are being held where candidates are introduced and their biographies read. Elected candidates will represent the population in the 169 Cuban municipalities for two and a half years. Over 7 million 800 thousand Cubans more than 16 years old are eligible to vote in the elections. According to the law, the only ones not permitted to vote are the mentally incapacitated, those serving sentences in prison or subsidiary sentences of deprivation of liberty. LPL/CCS IMPORTANT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES REPORTED IN CUBA HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) Cuban archaeologists discovered various extraordinarily beautiful stone-made objects while digging in the municipality of Jovellanos, western Matanzas province. In an article published by Granma newspaper today, the discovery confirms the existence of an aboriginal settlement called La Candelaria. Adrian Alvarez, president of Matanzas' Manuel Santos Parga Spelunker-Archaeological group, said that more than 70 cone-shaped pounders were found in this site, "making it one of the chief remnants of this culture in Cuba and the Antilles." Parga said at 80 cm deep, two adult interments were found, both painted red and surrounded with seashell vessels (Strombus gigas and Casis madadascariensis. In addition, remains of an almique insect were found. This is the second time it has been discovered in Matanzas, the expert asserted. GM/CCS UNDP DISASTER PROGRAM FOR CARIBBEAN HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) A US$ 10 million program over three years to reduce natural disaster risks in the Caribbean bowl was made known today here by the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP). Mark Malloch Brown, UNDP Administrator, announced it at a press conference yesterday, and explained the Caribbean vulnerability to natural disasters. He stated an objective of the program is to strengthen coordination of actions on risk-control, to empower national capacities and to protect vulnerable social groups. The UNDP and Italian government administrate the program, which includes creating a mechanism to facilitate moving resources to their objectives. Malloch Brown recalled the important role of that organization in assistance against disasters in the Caribbean and other zones, and added in the development plans, UNDP will increase its capacity to work with the governments and regional organizations to prevent disasters and in the recuperation stages. The UNDP promise to the South nations as the chief UN program for development, was confirmed by Brown, who is participating in the Group of 77 Summit as principal assistant to UN General Secretary Kofi Annan heading the UN delegation to the important meeting. LPL/CCS CUBA: MEASURES EASE DROUGHT'S EFFECTS ON CATTLE HERDS HAVANA, Apr 13 (PL) Cuban cattle producers are taking special measures to counter the effects of a drought seriously affecting cattle herds in several provinces. This phenomenon has hit the provinces of Camaguey, Granma, Matanzas and Havana, which produce 60 per cent of the country's milk and a great amount of meat, Agriculture Vice-Minister Onelio Borroto told press. Using sugarcane by-products (cane stalks, honey, and straw), and citrus to feed animals are some of the measures taken, he said. "We will also take some 200,000 heads of cattle to pasture in rice plantations out of season to take advantage of fodder in these humid lands. At the same time, as many windmills as possible must operate," he stated. "In addition, we will use equipment to pump water and build small dams to impound water, according to each territory's resources and characteristics." The Vice-Minister highlighted efforts made by cattle-raising companies' staff to guarantee the provision of food for their respective herds, although it is still insufficient. In his opinion, this will be the definite solution to avoid the damages caused yearly to cattle fodder due to drought. In 1998, Cuba suffered a serious drought from May to mid-September. According to experts, this was one of the driest periods in the last 27 years. At that time rainfall was sparse and temperature generally was around 35 grades Celsius. Because of this situation, the UN made a call to the international community in December 1998 to assist the Cuban people. The government adopted an emergency food assistance plan for those living in the areas most affected by the drought. GM/CCS (c) 2000 Prensa Latina, La Habana, Cuba ================================================================= 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: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcari-04.13.00-22:48:02-30843