New Zealand Supports East Timor, Supports Cuba
New Zealand taxpayers need to confront the reality that the money and troops we have committed to East Timor are propping up a pro-Cuban, socialist regime.
From Cuba's Granma
"AT this very difficult time, I bring friendship and solidarity for the Cuban people, who have always supported our struggle for independence and self-determination," affirmed José Ramos Horta, president of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste.
President Ramos Horta was received at the airport by Public Health Minister José R. Balaguer.
On his arrival yesterday afternoon in Havana, the president said that although his country is very poor, it is going to help Cuba in its recovery after the onslaught of Hurricane Gustav.
Ramos Horta, whose visit responds to an official invitation from President Raúl Castro, received a cordial welcome from Health Minister José Ramón Balaguer Cabrera.
The visiting president said Cuba’s doctors are the real missionaries of peace in his country and, in this context, also highlighted the island’s notable cooperation in the education sphere and predicted that this cooperation could be extended to the fields of alternative energy sources and sports.
During his stay in Cuba until next Tuesday, Ramos Horta will hold official talks with Raúl Castro and other leaders, and tour places of economic, historical and cultural interest.
From Cuba's Granma
"AT this very difficult time, I bring friendship and solidarity for the Cuban people, who have always supported our struggle for independence and self-determination," affirmed José Ramos Horta, president of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste.
President Ramos Horta was received at the airport by Public Health Minister José R. Balaguer.
On his arrival yesterday afternoon in Havana, the president said that although his country is very poor, it is going to help Cuba in its recovery after the onslaught of Hurricane Gustav.
Ramos Horta, whose visit responds to an official invitation from President Raúl Castro, received a cordial welcome from Health Minister José Ramón Balaguer Cabrera.
The visiting president said Cuba’s doctors are the real missionaries of peace in his country and, in this context, also highlighted the island’s notable cooperation in the education sphere and predicted that this cooperation could be extended to the fields of alternative energy sources and sports.
During his stay in Cuba until next Tuesday, Ramos Horta will hold official talks with Raúl Castro and other leaders, and tour places of economic, historical and cultural interest.
posted by Trevor Loudon at
9/09/2008 12:55:00 PM
3 Comments:
East Timor is one of the poorest countries on earth - thanks in large part to 25 years of brutal occupation, genocide, and rampaging militias destroying the infrastructure. And guess which countries supported that ;)
And now Australia has strong-armed most of the Timor Gap oil off them, and the post-1999 aid is starting to run out. They'll take help from wherever they can get it, and if Cuba's being generous, they'll happily say yes. And as you note, Cuba opposed the murderous occupation.
New Zealand troops are there providing order in a small, young, fragile state. The alternative is not helping them at all, and handing over influence to countries that you don't like.
George-the East Timorese government didn't have to be pushed towards Cuba-they were that way inclined from the beginning.
If that that poor, how can they afford to send aid to Cuba.
We give money to East timor because they're so poor. East Timor then helps Cuba out.
How does that work?
Trevor, it's a token of appreciation. The benefit is more aid from the Cubans, and lessons on how to pull one of the poorest countries in a region up to one with one of the highest levels of life expectancy and education.
Although, like you, I hope the Cubans don't give any lessons on how to crush political dissidents!
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