About 70 percent of the equipment used by Cuba in its oil industry comes from Azerbaijan, and Havana is eager to obtain more of it, said Cuba's ambassador to that country.
In an interview published Monday in the Azeri newspaper Trend, Marcelo Caballero Torres said Cuba is also interested in food and agricultural products and in expanding trade in communications and medicine.
Havana and Baku established diplomatic relations in April 1992, but no ambassadors were named until 2007. Since then, a joint commission on cooperation has met twice and the two countries have signed agreements on energy, health, communications, agriculture, tourism, and sports.
A third meeting is scheduled for early March in Havana.
Still, "the exchange of trade between our countries is small, so more needs to be done in that direction," Caballero told Trend, without providing any figures.
"The most promising areas in our economic relations are tourism, oil and gas, communications, pharmacology, health care, education, sports and other areas," the ambassador said.
"In 2008, two Cuban medical delegations visited Baku to study the market and consider offering [Cuban] biotechnology services and products" to Azerbaijan, he said. "Previously, there had been an intensive exchange of information on health systems. Were there any specific results? Unfortunately, none to this date." Caballero restated his government's support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and said that Cuba "calls for the immediate return of territories occupied by Armenia, and a speedy, peaceful resolution of the Karabakh problem."
Thousands of people died in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that erupted after the mountainous region in the southern Caucasus declared independence in 1991. The region has been under Armenian control since a Russian-brokered ceasefire in 1994, but Azerbaijan has never ruled out military action to regain the land. (ILLUSTRATION SHOWS the Azeri flag.)
–Renato Pérez Pizarro.
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Fake autobiography of Fidel is on target, writes reviewer, herself a Castro scholar
Cuban intellectual Norberto Fuentes has written a "deliciously wicked construct" about – rather, by – Fidel Castro, a book that is in fact a "faux autobiography," a "brew of history and satire" that "purports to channel the wily Cuban strongman," says reviewer/journalist Ann Louise Bardach in The San Francisco Chronicle.
The Autobiography of Fidel Castro (W. W. Norton) is, in Bardach's opinion, "a masterful act of ventriloquism, offering a Castro who is prideful, intuitively Machiavellian and relentlessly cynical."
"Fuentes' Maximum Leader holds forth on all matters, great and small, just as Castro, now Cuba's convalescent-in-chief, does in his 'Reflections,'" Bardach writes. "What is most remarkable are the many similarities between Castro's version [of history] and that of Fuentes."
"In scant evidence are positive or human qualities," the reviewer writes. "Above all, this monumentally proud and narcissistic Castro trusts no one. And this is certainly true." For the entire review, click here.
Ann Louise Bardach, as The Chronicle reminds us, is the author of Without Fidel: A Death Foretold in Miami, Havana and Washington, and Cuba Confidential: Love and Vengeance in Miami and Havana. She will be in Florida soon, to talk about her own Fidel-related book, at • The Tangerine Theater, Jupiter Island, Jan. 23
at 5 p.m.
• Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m.
• The Blake Library of Martin County, 2351 S.E. Monterey Road, Stuart, Jan. 22-23 at 8:30 a.m.
• University of Miami Law School, Feb. 19-20. (SHOWN HERE: Fuentes, between Raúl and Fidel, in an undated photo.)
[UPDATE: A review of the book, published Jan. 1 in The Washington Post, says that "by Page 100, I felt I was no longer reading Norberto Fuentes but Fidel Castro himself. [...] You never know if that's Fuentes, or Fuentes channeling Castro. [...] Fidel couldn't have written it better." The reviewer is Tom Miller, the author of Trading With the Enemy: A Yankee Travels Through Castro's Cuba.]
–Renato Pérez Pizarro.
Russian envoy sees stronger links in 2010
Addressing Russian residents of Cuba at the Russian embassy in Havana, Kamynin said that 2010 "should be a special year in the history of contemporary Cuba and its relations with Russia," relations that began 50 years ago.
Many events will occur that "will confirm that Russia was – and is – by Cuba's side," the diplomat said, according to RIA-Novosti. Those relations "are not a result of current necessity but are the relations between partners and friends and are projected to the future."
Russians in Cuba "have become a more cohesive group, which has actively helped Russia to promote its culture and language [in Cuba], and disseminate information about our country," Kamynin said.
Kamynin's words to his fellow Russian were very similar to those he delivered on Dec. 17 to representatives of the Cuban Foreign Ministry and Communist Party Central Committee during a year-end reception at the embassy.
At the time, Kamynin said that relations between the two countries have already "reached the level of strategic cooperation," as shown by the visits to Cuba of many high-ranking Russian officials and the signing of business contracts between the two governments.
–Renato Pérez Pizarro.
Cardinal heartened by visits by expatriates
"It is true that those who departed forever to meet the Lord will be absent at the celebration of Christmas; so will other members of the family, perhaps the youngest, who have left the country," he said. "Families rejoice this year at being able to welcome relatives from the United States who wished to come visit them and couldn't. For this, we thank God."
Elsewhere in his speech, Ortega says:
"Although the economic situation is worrisome and affects me and my people, although disease, difficulties in coexistence or other [difficulties] limit us, although our just desires for well-being and equity are not fulfilled, faith continues to shine like a light in our minds and hearts. [...] Therefore, do not make room in your hearts for discouragement and hopelessness."
To read the entire address, in Spanish, click here.
Senate confirms envoy to Brazil after State gives LeMieux assurances on Cuba policy
Thomas A. Shannon Jr., former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, on Thursday was confirmed by the Senate as U.S. Ambassador to Brazil after Senator George LeMieux (R-Fla.) lifted a "hold" on his nomination in exchange for State Department assurances on U.S. policy toward Cuba and Honduras. For background, read our Dec. 17 blog item "Senator gets assurances..."
So what did LeMieux get – in terms of Cuba – for releasing his "hold" on Shannon? An undated letter to the senator from Shannon's successor at State, Arturo Valenzuela, describes the concessions.
1. "The State Department will continue to encourage all Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to apply for [fiscal year] 2009 projects. Every NGO will receive equal and fair treatment in the screening process. [...] we will keep you and your staff fully apprised [...] and consult closely with you on the nature and objectives of U.S. democracy programs in Cuba."
2. The U.S. Interests Section in Havana (USINT) "will continue to include members of the dissident community in its major events. A broad cross-section of human rights defenders, dissidents, former political prisoners, independent librarians, independent writers and artists, and civil rights activists [...] will continue to be invited to events hosted by the USINT [...] and will continue to be standard guests for such occasions. [...]
"Whenever a senior U.S. government official travels to Havana, USINT [...] will continue to do its utmost to ensure that members of the dissident community have an opportunity to interact meaningfully with that official."
3. "With respect to Title IV sanctions, we also affirm that the Department continues to enforce these sanctions." [Title IV of the Helms-Burton Act bars entry into the United States to senior officials or major stock holders, and their families, of companies that do business in Cuba on property expropriated from American citizens.]
[UPDATE: For an article by LeMieux, published Dec. 27 on The Herald's op-ed page, click here.]
–Renato Pérez Pizarro, with thanks to Lesley Clark.
U.S. musicians receive award from official who decried noxious effect of U.S. music
The American musicians performed a free, open-air concert in Havana on Sunday.
Oddly enough, one day earlier, Prieto had stood before the National Assembly to decry "the hegemonic penetration and contaminating industry of consumerism" and to promote Cuban music "to confront the enemy, particularly on the field of ideas."
In Cuba today, "there is an evident influence of [...] commercial music from hegemonic circuits," he said.
Presumably, "the enemy" is the United States and its "hegemonic penetration" includes popular music. "Consumerism" usually is a synonym for "capitalism."
The promotion of native Cuban music "will be the best antidote for consumerism and will foster cultural emancipation," Prieto told the Assembly.
So why did Prieto agree to honor a U.S. musical group that represents consumerism and hegemonic penetration? I don't know, but I'm glad he did. Music is a powerful means of communication between cultures.
–Renato Pérez Pizarro.
McCaffrey turns down 3-day visit to Cuba, citing 'vitriolic' comments by a top official
Addressing the United Nations summit on global climate changes
In another statement in Havana on Dec. 21, Rodríguez said, according to Radio Habana, that Obama is "imperial, arrogant, doesn't listen, imposes conditions and even threatens the developing countries."
Gen. McCaffrey, who on Nov. 19 told a House panel that Americans should be allowed to travel to Cuba without restrictions, took offense at Rodríguez's words.
In a message Tuesday to Wayne Smith, director of the Cuba Program at the Washington-based Center for International Policy, McCaffrey said that he had read reports that Rodríguez had "denounced President Obama at the Copenhagen Conference as an 'imperial and arrogant liar' in the most vile and personal terms imaginable."
"The [Associated Press] wires also note Raúl Castro mentioned Cuba's recent 'war games' to prepare for U.S. invasion," the general continued. "What a laughable assertion of an external U.S. military threat."
"This type of shallow and vitriolic 1960s public diplomacy also makes Cuban leadership appear to be non-serious, polemical amateurs. President Obama is the most thoughtful and non-ideological U.S. Chief Executive that the Cubans have seen in 50 years. This Foreign Minister Rodríguez speech probably slammed the window shut on U.S. Congressional and Administration leaders being willing to support bringing Cuba back into the community of nations."
"This situation makes me very sad for the Cuban people. I see little reason to visit Cuba and deal with leadership of this appalling lack of good judgment. Please withdraw my name for the proposed visit to Cuba in January."
Castro referred to the defense-preparedness exercise Bastion 2009 in an address to the National Assembly on Dec. 20.
–Renato Pérez Pizarro, with thanks to Lesley Clark.
Fiscal czar tells of hard-currency woes
Cuba-watchers who are interested in the state of Cuba's economy would do well to read the entire speech delivered Sunday to the National Assembly by the Minister of the Economy and Planning, Marino Murillo Jorge. It is available, in Spanish, in the Foreign Ministry website.
(For background, read our Dec. 20 blog item "Economic growth only 1.4%...") One of Murillo's first observations deals with the "marked deceleration" noted since late in 2008 "in the flow of hard-currency revenues we expected to count on." As a result, "difficulties arose in meeting the commitments made in terms of foreign payments. This situation created difficulties in our access to sources of financing."
"The most immediate problem" in 2009 was "the tense financial situation regarding hard currency," Murillo says, and "the outlook is for external conditions to remain very difficult."
Cuba's economic "Plan for 2010 has been drafted starting from the following guidelines:
• "Not to incur in hard-currency outlays in sums greater than the revenues;
• "to consider inventories as a source for the Plan;
• "to limit the new investments basically to those that generate short-term income in hard currency and replace imports;
• "to give priority to productions that generate income through exportation;
• "to reduce expenditures in the social sector, because the economy cannot withstand their large amounts."
"The existing financial commitments determine that the situation is very tense," Murillo continues, "therefore, negotiations have begun to reprogram our debts with other countries and suppliers" under "more favorable conditions," so Cuba may "meet [its] obligations under conditions that are realistic and match the possibilities of the economy."
The news agency Reuters this week checked for reaction to Murillo's statements about the foreign debt and reported that "creditors who are owned an estimated $2 billion do not expect to be paid in full any time soon."
"I see nothing in Sunday's report that indicates significant amounts of money will be generated or put aside to pay fresh debt racked up to suppliers and banks this year," a foreign businessman who requested anonymity told Reuters on Monday.
"Further, I see nothing indicating fresh money flows from current or new exports," he said. There have been estimates that as much as $1 billion has been locked up in the frozen accounts, Reuters said.
Again, Murillo's report is recommended reading for Spanish-speaking Cuba-watchers.
–Renato Pérez Pizarro.
Castro has some harsh words for U.S.
Excerpts from speech by Raúl Castro to the National Assembly in Havana on Sunday, as translated by The Miami Herald:
The current U.S. administration ignores the complaints of the international community and ever-growing sectors in its country that advocate a change in the United States' policy toward Cuba.
Despite a huge propaganda campaign staged to confuse the world about an apparent willingness to make a turn in the bilateral differences, alleging the repeal of the restrictions on the trips of Cuban émigrés and remittances to their relatives, the truth is that the instruments for the policy of aggression to Cuba remain intact and that the U.S. government does not renounce its efforts to destroy the Revolution and generate a change in our economic and social regime.
In recent weeks, we have been witness to the multiplication of the efforts of the new administration for that purpose. The encouragement to both an open and a covert subversion against Cuba grows.
The enemy is as active as ever. Proof of that is the detention in recent days of an American citizen, euphemistically described by State Department spokesmen as a government "contractor," who engaged in the illegal distribution of sophisticated means of communications via satellite to groups in the so-called "civilian society" that aspire to join ranks against our people.
[...] Also in recent months, there has been a concerted anti-Cuban campaign orchestrated by the American establishment with the aid of the major communications media for the purpose of showing that repression increases in this country. To this end, they organize and incite their antipatriotic hired hands to increase their provocative activities in our streets, and they even arrange for the international press and diplomatic officials to accompany them [...] in an open challenge to international conventions [...]. I counsel the former and the latter to cease all provocations of any type.
I will repeat to them [APPLAUSE], stated very softly just so they won't say that we're threatening anyone – I only want to repeat my advice, to the former and the latter, to cease all provocations of any type.
[...] I take this opportunity, because we have stated it on several occasions right here, to restate Cuba's sincere willingness to definitively settle its differences with the United States, starting from a respectful dialogue, between equals, on any issue, without detriment to our independence, sovereignty and self-determination. If the U.S. government really wishes to move forward in its relations with Cuba, I recommend that it abandon the conditions of a domestic nature that it attempts to impose upon us, issues that only us Cubans are entitled to decide.
May these statements serve as a reply to the recent declarations made by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about Cuba.
Valdés promoted to VP of Council of State; so is Bejerano,Cuba's Comptroller General
Valdés, 77, is a vice president of the Council of Ministers; so is Bejerano.
Marino Murillo Jorge, Minister of the Economy and Planning, and Liudmila Álamo Dueñas, First Secretary of the Union of Communist Youths, were elected members of the Council of State.
Deputies Isis Diez Duarte, Kirenia Díaz Burque and Sergio Rodríguez Morales were also named members of the Council of State.
