Cuba News Round-up

Cuba News Round-up
April/May 1999

FORMER REAGANITES BACK CHANGE IN US POLICY
Washington, April 29 – A number of former Reagan and Bush Administration officials set the record straight regarding the continued food and medicine embargo on Cuba after the Clinton Administration omitted the island from measures freeing such sales to other so-called ‘pariah’ nations including Iran. General John J. Sheehan, retired, former Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic(NATO) said: "Now that the Administration is allowing sales to terrorist states, it does not seem consistent to deny US farmers the freedom to sell much needed food to Cuba."

SEVEN BILLS IN US CONGRESS TO LIFT BAN ON FOOD AND MEDICINE SALES TO CUBA
Washington, April 29 - The Cuba Food and Medicine Security Act of 1999, was introduced by sponsoring senators Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and John Warner(R-VA) and representatives James Leach (R-Iowa) and Jose Serrano (D-NY), it joins at least seven other bills currently gaining support in both houses that would act to allow sales of US-produced food and/or medicine to Cuba. "Moving Cuba toward a market economy serves US interests. The Cuba Food and Medicine Security Act, if passed, would help do that by forcing Cuba to deal normally on the open market to procure basic goods for its people. If we end the food and medicine embargo and these basic items are still scarce, the Cuban people will know where to put the blame," said Carla Anderson Hills, Hills & Company and former US Trade Representative under President Bush.

HIGH-RANKING BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL VISITS THE ISLAND
Havana, April 27— The head of the Latin American and Caribbean Department and Commonwealth Office of Britain’s Foreign Ministry, Henry Hogger, visited Cuba. Following a meeting with Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Isabel Allende, the British official said that his visit was aimed at increasing bilateral understanding. He toured the Carlos J. Finlay Institute, where he got a first-hand look at the island’s scientific advances in the field of medicine and its Meningitis B vaccine production line. He also visited the Varadero Beach Resort in Matanzas province

PRESIDENT OF CUBAN PARLIAMENT VISITS BRITAIN
Havana, April 27(RHC)— The President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon made a five-day visit to London and took part in the first Seminar on British and Cuban Democracy at the House of Lords. Alarcon, who headed an eight-strong Cuban parliamentary delegation, talked about democracy and the electoral system in Cuba, among other issues. The delegation came at the invitation of the British Parliament and Foreign Ministry on a trip organised by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the Cuba Initiative headed up by the Tory peer Baroness Young. They met Betty Boothroyd, the Speaker of the House, and had discussions with Baroness Symons at the Foreign Office They travelled to Scotland to observe campaigning for the first parliamentary elections.

CUBA BEATS U.S. PROFESSIONAL TEAM AT BASEBALL
Baltimore, May 5—The Cuban amateur national baseball team beat the professional Baltimore Orioles 12-6 in the second of their two exposition games in Baltimore. In the first, held in Havana in late April, Cuba lost3-2. The Baltimore match was marred by right-wing exile demonstrators who invaded the pitch on various occasions and who had tried to top the match taking place. The match was the first fruit of a list of measures President Clinton made in January modifying the US embargo policy which have raised concerns among the right-wing exiles that the US policy on Cuba is slipping beyond their grasp.

INFANT MORTALITY RATE DROPS BELOW SIX
Havana, May 5 — New figures released by the Cuban Health Ministry point to another drop in the infant mortality rate to below 6 per thousand live births in some areas of the country. If these local drops are reflected in a downturn overall it will mean that the Cuban infant mortality rate has been dropping steadily for over five years and will remain lower than the US average.

CUBA CLAIMS MORAL VICTORY IN GENEVA
Geneva April 28—The Cuban government claimed a moral victory over the United States at the UN Human rights Commission in Geneva when a motion criticising the island’s record on civil and political rights tabled by the Us only managed to pass by one vote: 21-20 with 11 abstentions. This means that a majority of the countries represented refused to support the US motion. Britain was among those who voted with the US.

FIRST OF MAY SEES NEARLY TWO MILLION MARCH IN HAVANA
Havana May 1—Almost two million Cubans marched through revolution Square on May 1^st in the biggest May Day celebration in the capital for many years. In addition marches throughout the island meant that more than half the entire population took part in rallies.

Former Reaganites Back Change In US Policy

Seven Bills In US Congress To Lift Ban On Food And Medicine Sales To Cuba

High-Ranking British Foreign Ministry Official Visits The Island

President of Cuban Parliament Visits Britain

Cuba Beats U.S. Professional Team At Baseball

Infant Mortality Rate Drops

Cuba Claims Moral Victory In Geneva

May 1st Sees Nearly Two Million March In Havana

Cuba News Round-up April/May 1999

Cuba News Round-up
April/May 1999