CubaNews articles from January 2002

CubaNews archives from January 2002

Bush snubs Congress and appoints Reich to head Cuba policy.
January 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Ignoring the advice of several State Department officials, President Bush gave Cuban-American lobbyist Otto Reich a recess appointment that bypassed normal congressional procedure. Reich, 56, was quickly sworn as Assistant...

Little progress in US-Cuba relations seen in 2002.
January 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- The New Year is unlikely to bring about any major breakthroughs in relations between Washington and Havana. A majority in Congress is likely to continue to press for greater opportunities for trade with Cuba, but the Bush...

Congress demands controversial nominee make promise on Cuba claims.(Mauricio Tamargo)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the candidacy of Mauricio Tamargo, an aide to Cuban-American Rep. Ros Lehtinen, (R-FL) to head the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. But not before the nominee vowed that a new claims...

Souza Cruz says Cuban cigarette venture is thriving.
January 1, 2002... RIO DE JANEIRO -- Souza Cruz, Brazil's largest cigarette manufacturer and one of the world's largest tobacco-leaf exporters, may double production at its Havana cigarette factory to meet increasing demand for Cuban cigarettes. Flavio de...

WTO panel rules on EU appeal to Cuban rum decision.
January 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- An appellate panel of the World Trade Organization ruled a US law that prohibited a Cuban-French rum joint venture from protecting its US trademark must be amended. But the Jan. 2 ruling on an appeal of an earlier decision by...

After attacks, Castro tones down rhetoric toward Washington.
January 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- After nearly a year of sharply hostile rhetoric to the United States, Cuba made several surprising overtures to Washington--which have almost all been rebuffed. The change in tone was adopted by the Cuban government after the...

Special report on the Cuban economy in 2001.
January 1, 2002... Cuba's leaders claim that the economic growth for 2001 of 3.0 percent, below the original 5 percent target, attained in spite of the slowdown of the world economy and soft prices for the island main export commodities and the blow to the...

Commodity export markets.
January 1, 2002... Even as Cuba's government claimed 3% economic growth--the eighth year in a row it has announced an expansion--the result was clearly a setback from the expected 5% target and to some extent it seems to be based on increased spending by the...