DATE=2/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245165
TITLE=U-S / CUBA BROADCASTING (L ONLY)
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  U-S GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT BROADCAST RADIO AND 
TELEVISION PROGRAMS TO CUBA HAVE OFFICIALLY OPENED A NEW STUDIO 
COMPLEX IN MIAMI.  SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT WAS ONE 
OF MANY DIGNITARIES AT FRIDAY'S INAUGURAL CEREMONY FOR THE 
FACILITY, [THE OFFICE OF CUBA BROADCASTING,] WHICH HOUSES RADIO 
AND T-V MARTI.  V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS, THE REBIRTH OF 
THE MARTI ORGANIZATIONS COMES AMID PERSISTENT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF U-S - BASED BROADCASTING TO CUBA. 

TEXT:  SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT SAYS RADIO AND T-V MARTI 
CONTINUE TO FULFIL AN IMPORTANT MISSION:  PROVIDING THE CUBAN 
PEOPLE WITH UNBIASED, ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY 
AND THE WORLD.  FLANKED BY THE OVERSEERS OF U-S INTERNATIONAL 
BROADCASTING -- INCLUDING V-O-A DIRECTOR EVELYN LIEBERMAN -- MS. 
ALBRIGHT SAID DICTATORS SUCH AS CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SEEK
TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF INFORMATION IN ORDER TO STAY IN POWER.  

                   /// FIRST ALBRIGHT ACT ///

         THEY WANT TO KEEP A STRANGLE HOLD ON THE FLOW OF 
         INFORMATION SO THAT THEIR MYTHS ARE BELIEVED, THEIR 
         BLUNDERS CONCEALED AND THEIR PEOPLE KEPT IN DARKNESS.  
         RADIO AND T-V MARTI EXIST TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF CUBA 
         WHAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS DESERVED BUT LONG BEEN DENIED: 
         BROADCASTING THAT IS FAIR AND INDEPENDENT, BROADCASTING 
         THAT CONVEYS  NOT  LIES, BUT FACTS. 

                         /// END ACT ///

RADIO MARTI WAS BORN DURING FORMER PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN'S 
ADMINISTRATION, IN THE 1980'S.  T-V MARTI WAS ADDED YEARS LATER, 
WHEN FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH WAS IN OFFICE.  BOTH HAD BEEN 
HEADQUARTERED IN WASHINGTON, BUT RELOCATED TO MIAMI TO BE CLOSER 
TO THEIR TARGET AUDIENCE. 

FROM THE BEGINNING, THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT HAS STRONGLY OBJECTED TO
BOTH RADIO AND T-V MARTI, ARGUING THE BROADCASTS ARE AN INVASION 
OF NATIONAL AIRWAVES AND A VIOLATION OF CUBAN SOVEREIGNTY.  SINCE
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF T-V MARTI, CUBA HAS STEPPED UP ITS JAMMING 
OF ALL PROGRAMS ORIGINATING FROM THE OFFICE OF CUBA BROADCASTING.
INTERNATIONAL REPORTERS VISITING CUBA -- AS WELL AS "RAFTERS" WHO
HAVE FLED THE ISLAND -- SAY IT IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO SEE OR
HEAR MARTI PROGRAMS IN MANY PARTS OF CUBA.

DESPITE THE JAMMING, CONGRESSWOMAN ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN [PRON: 
ROSS-'LEH-TIH-NEN], A CUBAN-AMERICAN WHOSE DISTRICT ENCOMPASSES 
PART OF MIAMI, SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR RADIO AND T-V MARTI TO 
CONTINUE BROADCASTING TO CUBA.

                    /// ROS-LEHTINEN ACT ///

         IT'S PRECISELY BECAUSE THERE IS JAMMING THAT MAKES IT 
         ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE BROADCASTING TO 
         CUBA, BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE LEVEL OF RESISTANCE THE 
         DICTATOR [CASTRO] HAS TO FREE THOUGHT, TO EXPRESSIONS OF
         LIBERTY AND DEMOCRACY. 

                         /// END ACT ///

LAST YEAR, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION APPROVED DIRECT, 
HUMANITARIAN-AID FLIGHTS TO CUBA FROM THE UNITED STATES, AS WELL 
AS MEASURES TO ALLOW CUBAN-AMERICANS TO SEND MONEY TO THEIR 
RELATIVES STILL LIVING ON THE ISLAND.  CURRENTLY, THE CLINTON 
ADMINISTRATION IS CONSIDERING INCREASED CULTURAL EXCHANGES WITH 
CUBA, INCLUDING A POSSIBLE TRIP BY A U-S MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 
TEAM TO PLAY IN HAVANA.

SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT SAYS THE GOAL IS TO HELP THE CUBAN 
PEOPLE,  NOT  THE GOVERNMENT OF FIDEL CASTRO.

                        /// REST OPT /// 

                   /// SECOND ALBRIGHT ACT ///

         WE HAVE TAKEN MEASURES DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF 
         THE CUBAN PEOPLE WITHOUT STRENGTHENING THE REPRESSIVE 
         AND BACKWARD-LOOKING REGIME IN HAVANA.  WE HAVE SOUGHT 
         TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CUBANS TO BE IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY 
         AND FRIENDS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND EASIER FOR 
         THE CUBAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO HELP THOSE WHO STAYED 
         BEHIND.

                          // END ACT //

THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S ATTEMPT TO PROMOTE PEOPLE-TO- PEOPLE
CONTACT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA HAS DRAWN OBJECTIONS 
FROM SOME ELEMENTS OF MIAMI'S CUBAN EXILE COMMUNITY.  MIGUEL 
SAAVEDRA [PRON: SAH-'VAY-DRAH], LEADER OF AN EXILE GROUP CALLED 
"VIGILIA MAMBISA" [PRON: VEE-'JEE-LEE-AH MAHM-'BEE-SAH] LED A 
PROTEST FRIDAY OUTSIDE THE GATES OF THE NEW RADIO AND T-V MARTI 
STUDIOS. 

 /// SAAVEDRA ACT IN SPANISH - ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT ///

MR. SAAVEDRA SAYS HE CAME TO TELL SECRETARY ALBRIGHT, AS WELL AS 
THE DIRECTORS OF RADIO MARTI AND T-V MARTI, THAT HE REJECTS THEM.
HE SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS ATTEMPTING TO INITIATE A DIALOGUE 
WITH FIDEL CASTRO, A MAN HE DESCRIBES AS AN ENEMY OF THE UNITED 
STATES AND THE CUBAN PEOPLE. 

THE DIRECTOR OF RADIO AND T-V MARTI, HERMINIO SAN ROMAN, SAYS 
PROTESTS DO  NOT  BOTHER HIM.

                      /// SAN ROMAN ACT ///

         THIS IS AMERICA.  AND THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US 
         AND A REPRESSIVE SYSTEM LIKE THAT OF FIDEL CASTRO.  I'LL
         BE THE FIRST ONE TO DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST.

                         /// END ACT ///

MR. SAN ROMAN SAYS, REGARDLESS OF HOW U-S POLICY TOWARD CUBA 
EVOLVES IN THE FUTURE, RADIO AND T-V MARTI WILL CONTINUE BEAMING 
NEWS AND INFORMATION TO THE ISLAND.  HE SAYS HE HOPES NEW RELAY 
STATIONS WILL BE SET UP IN LOCATIONS AROUND THE CARIBBEAN, TO 
BOOST SIGNALS AND COUNTERACT THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPTS AT 
JAMMING.   (SIGNED)

NEB/MCB/WTW

05-Feb-99 4:24 PM EST (2124 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.