|
Yahoo! April 24, 2002.
Cuba Strains Pan-American Relations
By Vivian Sequera, Associated Press Writer Wed Apr 24,11:06
PM ET
HAVANA (AP) - Even with his long years navigating in turbulent political
waters, President Fidel Castro (news - web sites) on Wednesday encountered his
rockiest relationship ever with Mexico, along with a new break in relations with
Uruguay.
Both diplomatic crises are rooted in last week's vote at the U.N. Human
Rights Commission in Geneva, when those two countries joined a majority of Latin
American nations on the island in a vote targeting Cuba's rights record.
It was the first time Mexico joined the vote. A historical ally of Cuba,
Mexico in the past had always abstained.
Uruguay presented the proposal, inviting Cuba to improve civil and political
rights and allow a U.N. representative visit the island and help it comply with
the resolution — a suggestion Havana has roundly rejected.
Uruguay on Wednesday formally broke the diplomatic ties, after complaining
about a string of insults by Cuban authorities.
For the second night in a row, Castro on Tuesday spoke at length on state
television, criticizing Mexico's vote, calling Uruguay President Jorge Batlle a
"lackey" and assuring his listeners that Cuba was a "moral giant."
Salvadoran President Francisco Flores jumped into the diplomatic fracas on
Wednesday, criticizing Castro for publicly airing a recording of a private
conversation he had with Mexican President Vicente Fox (news - web sites).
Flores said El Salvador, which broke relations with Cuba shortly after the 1959
revolution, would not restore them as long as Castro remained in power.
Mexican Ambassador Ricardo Pascoe, based in Havana, said he did not think
Cuba-Mexico relations were on the brink of being severed. Plans are still on to
celebrate the 100th anniversary of relations between the two countries next
month, he said
Acknowledging that the relationship had been damaged, Pascoe said it was
necessary to "restore distinct channels of communication."
Castro on Monday aired the recording of his phone conversation with Fox,
saying it proved the Mexican president wanted to limit his time at a U.N.
poverty conference in the northern city of Monterrey last month to prevent him
from running into U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites).
Fox himself has avoided direct reference to the current flap, but his
Cabinet ministers have had plenty to say.
"President Fox has a lot of things to do. He cannot spend four hours
everyday talking, as Castro does," Foreign Secretary Jorge Castaneda told
the radio news program Monitor in an acid reference to the Cuban leader's
volubility.
Castaneda also made a barbed concession to Castro's greater experience.
Castro on Tuesday said that the former governor of Mexico's Guanajuato state was
a "decent" person, but lacked political experience.
"Fortunately for Mexico, we have elections here. We have alternating
power here and Mexicans here, I believe, do not want a president who remains in
power for 43 years. We have already had that — he was named Porfirio Diaz —
and because of that we kicked him out."
Interior Secretary Santiago Creel referred to Castro as a "dictator"
whose "word is no good.... who has no dignity" in an interview with TV
Azteca.
Co. Says Cuba Food Shipments Steady
By Anita Snow, Associated Press Writer Wed Apr 24, 7:13 PM
ET
HAVANA (AP) - Touring a Cuban plant where soybeans are transformed into
yogurt, the head of American agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland said
Wednesday his company now makes regular deliveries of U.S. food to this
communist country, forming a strong base for long-term trade.
"Our ships are coming to Cuba from America on a regular basis,"
said G. Allen Andreas, ADM chairman and chief executive. He said that as he
spoke, his company's cargo ships were unloading food at ports in Havana, the
central city of Cienfuegos and the eastern city of Santiago.
ADM, a Fortune 500 company, is the world's largest processor of soybeans,
corn, wheat and cocoa, and is among the biggest makers of ethanol, oil and corn
syrup. The Illinois-based company has 275 processing plants across the world.
Passage of a law last year, allows U.S. companies to sell agricultural
products directly to Cuba. But the transactions are complicated and each one
requires special U.S. approval because of regulations associated with trade
sanctions against the island.
"Cuban officials would like to see American companies like ADM help
them develop their food infrastructure here," said Tony DeLio, corporate
vice president of marketing. "And we of course want the opportunity for the
American farmer to compete on an equal footing" in Cuba, he added.
The four-decade-old embargo against Cuba bars most all other trade between
the two nations.
Group members dined with President Fidel Castro on Tuesday, and he assured
them that Cuba is anxious to buy more American food.
Also on Tuesday, ADM signed another new contract with Cuba's food import
agency, Alimport, to sell 5,000 metric tons of corn, Andreas said. He did not
put a price tag on the sale.
Alimport President Pedro Alvarez Borrego said Cuba imports an estimated $1
billion in food annually and expects that amount to grow to $1.5 billion in
several years.
"There is an important market for American growers and they can recover
the market," Alvarez said. Cuba now imports much of its food from nations
as far away as France and China, requiring Cuba to pay transportation costs.
American companies have sold or contracted to sell at least $73 million
worth of agricultural products to Cuba since last year's passage of a law
allowing the transactions.
The estimated 453,100 metric tons of food includes corn, rice, wheat, soy,
poultry, vegetable, oil, apples, peas, eggs and pork lard and comes from at
least 25 different states. Deliveries now are scheduled through June.
While American firms such as ADM and some U.S. lawmakers are pushing to make
sales of food and other products to Cuba much easier, the administration of
President Bush has promised to resist pressure for closer ties with the island.
Head of U.S. agribusiness giant says American food arriving in Cuba now
on regular basis
By Anita Snow, Associated Press Writer Wed Apr 24, 6:53 PM
ET
HAVANA - Touring a Cuban plant where soybeans are transformed into yogurt,
the head of American agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland said Wednesday
his company now makes regular deliveries of U.S. food to this communist country,
forming a strong base for long-term commerce.
"Our ships are coming to Cuba from America on a regular basis,"
said G. Allen Andreas, ADM chairman and chief executive. He said that as he
spoke, his company's cargo ships were unloading food at ports in Havana, the
central city of Cienfuegos and the eastern city of Santiago.
ADM, a Fortune 500 company, is the world's largest processor of soybeans,
corn, wheat and cocoa, and is among the biggest makers of ethanol, oil and corn
syrup. The Illinois-based company has 275 processing plants across the world.
Passage of a law last year allows U.S. companies to sell agricultural
products directly to Cuba. But the transactions are complicated and each one
requires special U.S. approval because of regulations associated with trade
sanctions against the island.
"Cuban officials would like to see American companies like ADM help
them develop their food infrastructure here," said Tony DeLio, corporate
vice president of marketing. "And we of course want the opportunity for the
American farmer to compete on an equal footing" in Cuba, he added.
The four-decade-old embargo against Cuba bars most all other trade between
the two nations.
Group members dined with President Fidel Castro on Tuesday, and he assured
them that Cuba is anxious to buy more American food.
Also on Tuesday, ADM signed another new contract with Cuba's food import
agency, Alimport, to sell 5,000 metric tons (5,500 short tons) of corn, Andreas
said. He did not put a price tag on the sale.
Alimport President Pedro Alvarez Borrego said Cuba imports an estimated dlrs
1 billion in food annually and expects that amount to grow to dlrs 1.5 billion
in several years.
"There is an important market for American growers and they can recover
the market," Alvarez said. Cuba now imports much of its food from nations
as far away as France and China, requiring Cuba to pay transportation costs.
American companies have sold or contracted to sell at least dlrs 73 million
worth of agricultural products to Cuba since last year's passage of a law
allowing the transactions.
The estimated 453,100 metric tons (498,410 short tons) of food includes
corn, rice, wheat, soy, poultry, vegetable, oil, apples, peas, eggs and pork
lard and comes from at least 25 different states. Deliveries now are scheduled
through June.
While American firms such as ADM and some U.S. lawmakers are pushing to make
sales of food and other products to Cuba much easier, the administration of
President Bush has promised to resist pressure for closer ties with the island.
Uruguay calls in Cuba's ambassador to formally break diplomatic ties
By Raul Garces, Associated Press Writer. Wed Apr 24, 5:47
PM ET
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay - Uruguayan officials formally notified Cuba's
ambassador Wednesday that the country was breaking diplomatic ties with Cuba
after a feud over Uruguayan sponsorship of a U.N. human rights vote targeting
Havana.
Guillermo Valles, an undersecretary in Uruguay's foreign ministry, told a
news conference that the Cuban ambassador was called in and advised he should
prepare to leave.
Cuban Ambassador Jose Alvarez Portela told reporters afterward he considered
the Uruguayan decision a "drastic step" and he insisted the government
must assure his personal safety meanwhile.
Alvarez did not cite any threat, but said simply: "I have asked for
guarantees for my security and that of my colleagues, as well as for the embassy
property." He said Valles "suggested that my government should take
the necessary steps for my departure from Uruguay."
Leftist Uruguayan groups who consider President Jorge Batlle's decision
extreme promised to rally late Wednesday to oppose the break.
Cuban President Fidel Castro didn't seem too worried about the diplomatic
row.
Speaking live on government television when Batlle made his announcement
Tuesday, Castro calmly characterized the Uruguayan president as a "lackey."
Uruguay sponsored a resolution the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva
that passed Friday by a tight 23-21 vote with nine abstentions. Cuba has charged
Uruguay acted at the behest of the United States.
The resolution invited the communist-run country to provide its people with
greater civil and political rights. It also exhorted Cuba to allow a U.N.
representative to visit the island — an idea Havana rejected.
Almost all Latin American nations on the 53-member commission approved the
human rights measure, prompting Cuba to term them all "Judases."
Leading up to the U.N. vote in Geneva, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez
Roque accused Uruguay of "genuflecting" and of "being servile"
to the United States by sponsoring the resolution.
At his news conference, Valles said Uruguay had advised its ambassador,
Enrique Estrazulas, that he should "definitively cease functions" in
the communist island nation. That was a formality since Uruguay had already
recalled Estrazulas in early April to express displeasure with Castro's
government.
"Uruguay will not tolerate insults and defamation by a country like
Cuba where there is no freedom," Valles said.
Valles had said Tuesday that the Cuban ambassador would have 72 hours to
leave Uruguay, but he later announced the diplomat would have a "reasonable
time frame" to settle his affairs.
Mexican foreign minister says arranging U.S. visits is 'a nightmare'
Wed Apr 24, 5:41 PM ET
MEXICO CITY - Despite a growing crisis in his country's relations with Cuba,
Mexico's Foreign Secretary agreed with Cuban President Fidel Castro on one thing
Wednesday: dealing with the United States can be "a nightmare."
Accusing Mexican President Vicente Fox 's government of bowing to U.S.
demands, Castro recently released a tape recording in which Fox pressured the
Cuban leader to cut short a visit to a March summit in Mexico and to avoid
criticizing the United States.
In radio interviews on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Jorge Castaneda argued
that similar discussions are common ahead of major events, and said some of the
toughest dealings involve the United States.
"The program of President Bush , like that of President Castro,
involved eternal negotiations with the Americans, very heavy negotiations,
frankly disagreeable negotiations," Castaneda told the radio program Imagen
Informativo.
"They put a lot of conditions about the hour they arrive and the hour
they leave, and how many hours for this thing and that thing. That is always
very difficult with the Americans," Castaneda said, noting that Bush
travels with an enormous crew of aides.
"It is a nightmare to organize this kind of thing from the logistical
point of view," Castaneda said, though he said talks with the United States
occurred weeks before the summit while Castro announced his arrival 24 hours
ahead of time.
Castaneda denied that the United States had imposed conditions on the Bush
visit, but said summit hosts commonly urge those visiting to avoid raising local
disputes and try to avoid seating arrangements that might cause conflicts. | 
