Monday, Jul 28, 2003
Castro spits fire on E.U.
SANTIAGO (Cuba) JULY 27. Standing before the military barracks where he launched his revolutionary battle a half-century ago, the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, reopened a war of words with the European Union, accusing it of being America's "Trojan horse" and saying its economic aid is no longer needed.
"Cuba does not need the help of the European Union to survive," Mr. Castro said at a gathering of about 10,000 invited guests, mostly Cuban officials and party leaders for the anniversary celebrations.
He mocked the Europe's political leaders, saying they were unable to deal independently with the Communist state without taking American policies into consideration.
As well as being `the superpower's Trojan horse,' Europe had a past it should be ashamed of, Mr. Castro said, calling the E.U. "a group of old colonial powers historically responsible for slave trafficking, looting and even the extermination of entire peoples."
The Cuban leader was enraged in early June when the 15-member E.U. bloc announced it was reviewing its policies toward Cuba because of human rights concerns. He also was troubled by Britain's support of U.S. military action in Iraq.
The E.U. opened an office in Havana earlier this year to administer the up to 15 million euros ($16.4 millions) it gives Cuba in aid each year. The E.U. is Cuba's largest trade, aid and investment partner.
As a 26-year-old lawyer, Mr. Castro launched 50 years ago what many considered to be a suicidal attack on Moncada military barracks in this eastern provincial capital. Now 44 years in power and the world's longest ruling head of Government, Mr. Castro — who turns 77 next month — celebrated the anniversary of that audacious armed attack by proving that he still puts his political principles above all else.
Despite more than four decades of American trade sanctions, and especially acrimonious U.S.-Cuba relations in recent months, the socialist system that Mr. Castro created two years after taking power in 1959 has survived so far.
— AP
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