From: David Sangurima <sangu@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Date: 11 Nov 92 21:23 PST
Subject: IPS:SELA and Toricelli
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1473800385:000:3584
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!sangu    Nov 11 21:23:00 1992


From: David Sangurima <sangu>
Subject: IPS:SELA and Toricelli

/* Written  8:03 pm  Nov  9, 1992 by jbinder@igc.apc.org in igc:reg.samerica */
/* ---------- "IPS:SELA and Toricelli" ---------- */
From: James Binder <jbinder>
Subject: IPS:SELA and Toricelli

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Africa, southern
Title: LATIN AMERICA: SELA to help nations in trouble due to U.S. law


caracas, nov 3 (ips/estrella gutierrez) -- the latin american
economic system (sela), which provides a forum for latin american
countries, says it is ready to help any member-state which may
run into trouble with the united states due to a new law calling
for tougher economic measures against cuba.

the torricelli law, officially known as the 'law for democracy
in cuba', ''has created a crack in international law'' since it
demands that third-party countries participate in the washington-
imposed economic embargo against havana, said sela secretary-
general salvador arriola.

arriola said the sela, which is based in venezuela, has
established mechanisms of collective response to coercive
economic measures imposed by industrialised countries.

on friday, cuban foreign minister ricardo alarcon will meet
sela officials and experts say the effects of the torricelli law
on latin america will be most likely discussed. cuba has
participated actively in sela since its creation in 1975.

sela, an organisation which rejects foreign pressure and
promotes joint actions in the region, provides cuba with the
means to integrate with the other 26 countries of latin america
and the caribbean.

arriola, who is of mexican origin, said the torricelli law is
proof of washington's ''growing tendency to ignore the basic
principles of international law''.

to justify his statement, he said washington's announcement
two months ago of the subsidised sale of almost 30 million tonnes
of wheat in the world market ''seriously distorts international
trade and the general agreement on tariffs and trade (gatt)''.

the sale seriously affected wheat-producing countries in the
south, including argentina.

as another example of washington's unilateral moves which run
contrary to international law, arriola cited the u.s. embargo on
tuna imports ''under the pretext of ecological protection'',
which has had negative effects on mexico and venezuela.

arriola said it was still too early to evaluate the torricelli
law's possible effects on the economic ties between cuba and the
rest of latin america, and between latin america and the united
states.

but he said the law ''goes beyond bilateral ties and imposes
sanctions on countries and private firms which refuse to stop
trading with the island''. cuba has been the object of a u.s.
economic embargo for the past 30 years. (more/ips)

latin america: sela (2)

though he refused to comment on the eventual analysis or
joint action of sela member-states, he said the organisation
adheres to a doctrine of regional economic security. any sela
member-state which feels pressured by a coercive economic measure
can call for a special council or a unified action.

the law, proposed by u.s. democrat congressman robert
torricelli and signed by president george bush last month, would
also raise problems for developing countries which are counting
on u.s. aid and hoping to be included in debt-reduction schemes.

the torricelli law has been rejected by most countries in
asia, europe and latin america. (end/ips/trd/sp/ip/eg/cs/cir/92)