STATEMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
On 3rd September last, at 4:45 P.M., the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Thomas Shannon, delivered to the Head of the Interest Section of Cuba in Washington, Note Nº 646, which states “its deepest regret for the destruction caused by hurricane Gustav” and affirms that the United States would be prepared to “offer immediate and initial humanitarian assistance of relief supplies to the Cuban people through an appropriate international relief organization”.
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In said Note, the U.S. Government also requests the Cuban Government to “allow a United States humanitarian assessment team to visit Cuba to inspect the affected areas to properly assess damage”.
On Saturday 6 September, at 8:55 A.M., the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered to the State Department, through the Interests Section of Cuba in Washington, and simultaneously to the United States Interests Section in Havana, its Note Nº 1866 conveying its appreciation for the expressions of regret by the Government of the United States due to the destruction caused in our country by hurricane Gustav.
The Note also states that Cuba does not require the assistance of a humanitarian assessment team to assess the damage and needs, as it has a sufficient number of specialists, which practically have concluded that task.
The Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expresses that if the Government of the United States is really willing to cooperate with the Cuban people in face of the tragedy of the hurricane, it is requested to allow the sale to Cuba of those materials considered indispensable and to suspend the restrictions that prevent U.S. companies from offering private commercial credits to our country for the purchase of food in the United States.
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During the afternoon of 4 September, the Democratic Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama, requested the suspension, for no less than 90 days, of restrictions to travel, remittances and assistance by Cuban residents in the United States to their families in Cuba.
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If these rights were to be returned to the Cubans as a result of humanitarian reasons, there would be no way to explain that said prohibition, equally unjust and discriminatory, would be retained for U.S. citizens.
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Now, when the Eastern part of the country is already in hurricane watch as a result of the threat posed by hurricane Ike, as powerful as Gustav, Cuba reaffirms that, in all truth, the only correct and ethical action, in correspondence with International Law and the practically unanimous will of the U.N. General Assembly, would be to eliminate totally and permanently the ruthless and cruel economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed against our Motherland for almost half a century. It includes the persecution of Cuban commercial and financial operations in third countries and which, according to conservative calculations, causes yearly damages higher than those caused by hurricane Gustav.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba
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http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={AA35D994-E1E1-4F00-8821-B439490F4778})&language=EN
September 6 2008
Eastern Cuba Braces for Hurricane Ike:
... A hurricane warning is in effect for the provinces of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguin, Las Tunas and Camaguey, while a hurricane watch is in effect for Ciego de Avila, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus, Cienfuegos and Matanzas.
The threat posed bu Ike comes barely a week after Hurricane Gustav devastated Western Cuba, particularly the Isle of Youth and Pinar del Rio province, causing millions of dollars in damage, but no casualties
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http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={8A6E43DC-1DBA-46CD-BD0C-AE7810542883})&language=EN
... MOVING TO HIGHER GROUND
Thousands of tourists staying at Cuba's prime resorts along the northern coast from Guardalavaca in eastern Holguin to Varadero in the west were being taken inland or to safe locations at resorts as hotels were boarded up.
Ranchers herded cattle in the prime grazing areas of eastern Las Tunas and Camaguey to higher ground, while port workers struggled to move cargo inland.
"We are at a disadvantage because there are no hills and mountains to break the wind," farm worker Artemio Madonadoemos said from the flatlands of Las Tunas.
"If the storm comes through here the damage will be enormous," he said before closing up his humble dwelling and heading for his brother's home in the city of Las Tunas.
Ike was set to come ashore in Holguin, home of the nickel industry, Cuba's most important export, then move westward over the heart of the sugar industry. Holguin's mines and three processing plants in the mountains were shut down.
Ike was forecast to batter the islands in its path with flooding up to 18 feet above normal tides and to rain new misery on Haiti, where hundreds of people died in floods and mudslides caused by three storms in the past month.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN036933920080907?sp=true
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