A few days before the
meeting between the Argentine minister of Foreign Affairs and U.S. Secretary of State
Colin Powell, an Associated Press story datelined January 30 in Buenos Aires reported that
the Argentine government would this year repeat "its vote to condemn the human rights
policies followed by Cuba." It added that "Foreign Minister Adalberto Rodríguez
Giavarini would advise the new U.S. secretary of state of Argentina’s position during
a meeting the two will have in Washington on February 5."
This information, which the Argentine government has not denied,
gave rise to a speech made 72 hours later by President Fidel Castro during his closing
speech of the 3rd International Encounter of Economists on February 2, in which he
denounced this crude maneuver.
The reply to Fidel’s condemnation, which various news
agencies reported in a succinct form, gave rise to an intense and gross campaign against
Cuba. It was instigated by statements made by Argentina’s minister of Foreign Affairs
who had already arrived in Washington. Taking isolated excerpts of Fidel’s speech and
distorting them, he launched a broadside of attacks, presenting Cuba’s position and
Fidel’s words as a grave offense against the Argentine people.
In response to this demagogic and hypocritical campaign, with
which the Argentine foreign minister tried to justify planned slanderous act of
supporting, for a second time, the cynical and aggressive policy of successive U.S.
administrations against Cuba Granma daily published the text of Fidel’s speech
on the critical situation in Argentina in its February 6 edition, containing the words to
which news agencies have referred.
Granma daily’s publication of those comments coincided
with the delivery of an insolent note from the Argentine Foreign Ministry to the Cuban
embassy in Buenos Aires at 11:00 a.m. on the morning of February 6. It referred to what
were described as "opinions and expressions that are offensive, unjust and
disrespectful towards the Republic of Argentina and its authorities," considering
this "a greater offense to the Argentine people" and threatening the
announcement of "a detailed analysis of bilateral relations, with the aim of
determining the course of action to be followed."
In reality, this note referred to new reprisals, since several
have already been adopted.
At around midday on February 7, our ambassador in Argentina
returned the threatening note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At 4:00 p.m. of that
same day, he called a press conference which was attended by the Buenos Aires press,
representatives of the country’s principal media sources and international
correspondents accredited in that capital city.
The following is the statement made by Comrade Alejandro González
Galiano, Cuban ambassador to Argentina, during the press conference held at the Cuban
embassy in Buenos Aires.
Firstly, I want to thank all our friends in the media for their
courtesy in attending this press conference.
Everyone here is aware of the matter that brings us together. We
have been observing the public statements made by the Argentine foreign minister in
Washington, along with the announced measures adopted affecting bilateral relations and
the threat of possible subsequent measures.
Yesterday, for the first time, I was summoned to the Foreign
Ministry and formally presented with a note of protest, whose contents were leaked to some
of today’s newspapers. I must say that up until now, with tranquility and composure,
this diplomatic mission has abstained from making any public comment on the incident.
However, under circumstances in which the positions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
particularly the foreign minister are being publicly aired in the media, we are freed of
all commitments concerning the proper discretion with which diplomats usually manage these
situations. Furthermore, the use being made of the media calls for some necessary
statements to be made.
I should begin by giving a little bit of the history.
- Cuba has previously endured unfriendly and offensive attitudes
on the part of certain Argentine administrations. We could recall, for example:
* The breaking of diplomatic relations at the beginning of the
1960s, an act through which the Argentine government of the time joined the United
States’ policy of aggression and isolation towards Cuba.
* The visceral hatred towards the Cuban Revolution resulting from
the famous "carnal relations" enjoyed with the United States on the part of a
recent previous administration of this country.
* And recently, the stabbing in the back of the Cuban people
signified by the Argentine government’s vote at the last UN Human Rights Commission
(HRC), supporting the U.S. policy of aggression against our country at a particularly
difficult and dramatic time, when our country’s people were fighting a mammoth battle
for the return of Cuban child Elián González who had been kidnapped in Miami.
Fortunately this last action—I am referring to the anti-Cuba
vote— incited widespread rejection, not only by the vast majority of the Argentine
people, but also in public disagreement expressed by numerous politicians, intellectuals,
professionals and honorable personalities in this country. With their independent
ideological spirit and political understanding, they understand the damage that can be
done to the Cuban people through this cynical, cruel and arbitrary exercise of accusing us
of human rights violations, which is the only excuse that remains available to the U.S.
government today in order to try to justify its discredited and universally rejected
policies of aggression and blockade against Cuba.
It has obviously been made evident to Mr. Giavarini that the new
vote against Cuba at the next HRC session could not avoid being scrutinized and publicly
debated by the Argentine people, various political forces and even his own coalition
government. Nor that a decision of such a nature could pass stealthily, without
consultation and as a fait accompli, as was the case last year.
Ever since being appointed ambassador, I have explained to this
country’s authorities the great sensitivity which that decision provoked in the Cuban
people and our incomprehension over Argentina’s position last year. The only thing we
ask is for Argentina to adopt a sovereign and independent position. We have only received
evasions, technicalities and subterfuge in response.
The decision on the vote would also have to be taken at a
particularly sensitive time for this country, when it desperately needs "financial
shielding" to be able to meet its commitments on payment of its debts.
Let’s look at what has been the scenario:
First: Foreign Minister Giavarini travels to Washington to
meet U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Sources close to the Argentine Foreign Ministry
confirm that the subject of Cuba will be on the agenda. That raises the first questions:
What was Cuba doing on the agenda of a meeting between Giavarini
and Powell? Were they going to talk about the blockade? Could it be that Foreign Minister
Giavarini would try to convince Mr. Powell to condemn the blockade? Did they talk about
the model of democracy we have in Cuba? Did they talk about human rights in Cuba?
It would not even occur to us, to Cuba, to discuss
Argentina’s internal situation with third parties, simply because of the profound
respect we have for Argentina’s people. It would not occur to us, for example, to go
to the capital of a third country to discuss Argentina’s unemployment problem,
unfortunately a grave problem confronting this country and one that signifies a real
limitation of human rights as basic as being able to live, work, earn one’s
sustenance, maintain a family and live decently. It wouldn’t occur to us to discuss
with third parties the opinions we have of this country’s penal system, to give just
a few examples.
Thus, it never occurred to us that Argentina’s foreign
minister would make Cuba a priority subject in his discussions with Washington.
Second: A dispatch by an Argentine news agency is rapidly
reprinted by other important international agencies, citing "sources close to the
foreign ministry" and confirming that Foreign Minister Giavarini will tell Mr. Powell
about the Argentine government’s decision to vote against Cuba once more at the next
HRC. That press dispatch was never denied with sufficient clarity.
Third: Foreign Minister Giavarini, who is offended by
"Castro’s words," calls his ambassador in Havana to analyze the situation
and determine the steps to be followed.
Fourth: Foreign Minister Giavarini, already in Washington,
considers that "Castro has shown a lack of respect to the Argentine people" and
demands an explanation.
Fifth: Foreign Minister Giavarini, still in Washington,
cancels the Argentine Foreign Ministry’s trade mission to Cuba which should have
traveled to Havana this month and announces that "other measures are still being
studied."
Cuba has absolutely no doubt that another betrayal is being
concocted, inspired particularly by Foreign Minister Giavarini. It is the Cuban
government’s duty to henceforth suitably condemn intentions seeking to draw the
alliance government towards a new action against the Cuban people. Foreign Minister
Giavarini’s statements and threats are sufficient to confirm what we already knew.
The president of Cuba condemned that very clearly and firmly. I
have here the exact transcription of his speech and copies will be distributed to
everyone.
We have revealed the new stab in the back aimed at the Cuban
people during the secret meeting in Washington, something that has clearly annoyed the
foreign minister.
With regard to Fidel’s comments, I would like to express the
following points:
- Cuba feels profound respect, admiration and affection for the
kindred Latin American people of San Martín and Comandante Che Guevara. It demonstrated
this before anyone else during the sad and painful days of the Malvinas War.
- The Cuban government would never take any action nor utter any
phrase that would harm or offend its sister people in Argentina.
- Cuba has the duty to explain to and denounce, to the public in
general and the Argentine people, the conspiracy to which it is once more to be subjected,
with the emphatic enthusiasm of this country’s foreign minister.
- I repeat that yesterday I was summoned to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs to be given a formal note of protest, that I have here (SHOWS IT), which
threatens the future of bilateral relations in tone and spirit.
- Today I returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to give back
the note and reject it as unacceptable, using the arguments that I shall now give (HE
READS THE LETTER REJECTING THE ARGENTINE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS’ PROTEST NOTE).
The foreign minister must understand that Cuba has a long history
of dignity. We are a humble and united people that enjoys its liberty. We have resisted
and survived all the pressure, attacks, blockades and dirty wars initiated by the
world’s most powerful empire. We have struggled like no other in order to preserve
our freedom and sovereignty and in defense of the peoples of the Third World. Threats and
blackmail are unacceptable to us. We could ask ourselves how far Foreign Minister
Giavarini wants to go and what secret motives inspire him.
Cuba cannot be sacrificed on the altar of U.S. charity.
We are sure that the sister Argentine people will not allow that
to happen.
That is all that I wished to say to you for the moment.
Thank you very much.
