Statement on Lourdes
The Government
of the Republic of Cuba
Havana, October 17, 2001
Numerous international press agencies reported today that the President
of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, declared that as of January
2002, his country would close its military Electronic Radar Stations in
Cam Ranh, Vietnam and Lourdes, Cuba.
With regard to Cuba, he stated that "after lengthy negotiations with
our Cuban partners, it was recognized that withdrawing the Electronic
Radar Station from Cuba would be a positive move."
Also today, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces,
Army Commander Anatoly Kvashnin, declared that "Russia is withdrawing
its military bases from Cuba and Vietnam as a result of the change in
the military-political situation in the world, and in view of the savings
in financial resources for the army and navy. The annual lease on the
Electronic Radar Station is around 200 million dollars, without taking
into account the maintenance of staff. With this money we can buy and
launch 20 reconnaissance satellites, and purchase around 100 radars."
To avoid any errors or confusion, the Government of Cuba would like to
clarify that the two facilities should not have been lumped together in
the Russian declaration, because they differ greatly in their origins,
functions and importance.
Cam Ranh was a naval base built by the United States some 20 thousand
kilometers away from its territory and leased to the USSR in 1979, years
after the war had ended. It is of barely any use for a country like Russia,
which has had practically no surface vessel fleet since the demise of
the Soviet Union.
At this moment, Vietnam faces no danger of military aggression from the
United States since relations between the two countries are normal. For
Vietnam, the United States poses no risk whatsoever. There can be no doubt
that the decision was previously discussed and approved by both countries.
The Lourdes Electronic Radar Station was established in 1964, two years
after the Missile Crisis. The USSR did not pay a cent for the services
it received from Cuba, in view of the close cooperation between the two
countries at that time in both the economic and military fields.
In 1992, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the Russian Federation
fully assumed the rights and privileges of the former Union, Russia unilaterally
withdrew the military brigade that had remained in Cuba after the Missile
Crisis for a period of some 30 years, all this as a result of negotiations
and agreements with the United States. At the same time, however, Russia
expressed interest in maintaining the Lourdes Electronic Radar Station
as an important element for its strategic security, particularly as a
means of verifying strict compliance with the agreements on nuclear disarmament
and nuclear weapons reduction adopted by the United States and Russia.
Despite flagrant violations of agreements, economic losses and risks faced
by Cuba, our government allowed the facility to stay with no charge whatsoever
for the services that our country provided to Russia. This was the case
for a certain period of time only, given that there was no longer the
slightest political or ideological connection between Cuba and Russia.
The leaders of Russia had unilaterally destroyed all of the agreements
between the two countries. There was absolutely no reason left to provide
it with free services of any kind.
Russia's reiterated interest in maintaining, expanding and modernizing
the Lourdes Electronic Radar Station, for the reasons mentioned above,
led to an agreement which included payment to Cuba in Russian commodities
or hard currency in exchange for the services provided to the station.
That payment totaled 90 million dollars in 1992, 160 million from 1993
to 1995, and the 200 million mentioned by Army Commander Anatoly Kvashnin
from 1996 to 2000. This sum is not at all extraordinary when one considers
that it is barely 3% of the damage caused to our country's economy by
the disintegration of the socialist bloc and the USSR and the unilateral
annulment of all agreements. At the same time, Cuba benefited from some
of the information obtained related to our own country's security.
The United States has relentlessly pressured Russia over the existence
of this facility, despite the fact that the United States itself has maintained
a military base in our territory for over 100 years now, against our people's
will.
During President Vladimir Putin's visit to Cuba in December of 2000, the
heads of state of our two countries spent several hours at the station
on December 14. Not a word was said about its closure. On the contrary,
there was talk of further developing and modernizing it. President Putin
literally said that day; "Russia and Cuba are interested in continuing
to foster its activity. It has been fully functioning for some time, in
accordance with international standards and regulations. It has done so
successfully, and Russia and Cuba declare themselves as countries interested
in continuing to foster its activity."
At that time, only minor differences emerged between the Cuban and Russian
military authorities involved, since the Russians desired to reduce, by
a relatively small margin, the economic compensation paid to Cuba. This
had become customary every year during the reviews of the Russian side's
repeated failure to meet its obligations.
Months later, a curious change was observed in Russia's policy towards
the Lourdes Electronic Radar Station. This took the form of non-compliance
with its financial obligations, resulting in an accumulation of unfulfilled
payments, and unjustifiable and exaggerated demands for a reduction in
the amount paid for services rendered, despite the threefold increase
in the price of oil, one of Russia's main exports, and an obvious improvement
in the Russian economy, reflected by the growth of its reserves from some
12 billion dollars to over 30 billion, among other factors.
It was at this stage that the current international crisis broke out,
creating considerable tension throughout the world. There had been, at
all times, contacts and fluid, friendly relations between our two governments,
despite the fact that they have adopted rather different positions: Cuba
is opposed to terrorism and opposed to the war, while Russia has offered
broad support and cooperation for the war unleashed by the United States.
But, both fully agree on the fight against terrorism and the need for
the United Nations to play its role.
The negotiations we have been carrying out with regard to the Lourdes
Electronic Radar Station have yet to be concluded. Yesterday, October
16, at 2:00 p.m., we had not reached an agreement. A special envoy urgently
proposed the closing of the station. Our response was that this would
be a most untimely measure to adopt. At this very moment, the U.S. government's
stance is more aggressive and belligerent than ever, many countries are
threatened in light of the U.S. president's speech on September 20, and
military operations have already begun in Afghanistan. Under such circumstances,
the withdrawal of the station would be a message and a concession to the
government of the United States, which would constitute a grave threat
to Cuba's security, and therefore we were not in agreement with its closure.
Just last night, we addressed the issue once again, putting forward a
great many arguments with the Russian envoy, who had requested an urgent
meeting. This envoy had brought another message from the Russian president,
proposing something even worse: the advisability of publicly and immediately
declaring that the agreement on the Lourdes Electronic Radar Station was
cancelled. We responded that we were in absolute disagreement, and proposed
that they study other options. We noted that they have a reputation for
being good chess players, and were therefore aware that there were a hundred
other moves they could make, and not just the one they were proposing.
Russia's urgency, it was explained, stemmed from their wish for President
Putin to meet President Bush at the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Forum in
Shanghai bearing these two pieces of news. It is easy to understand how
much they would please their recipient: the one regarding Cam Ranh, although
unimportant in reality, is highly symbolic; the one concerning Cuba would
be a special gift.
Consequently, the agreement on the Lourdes Electronic Radar Station has
not been cancelled, since Cuba has not given its approval. Russia shall
continue negotiating with the Cuban government, given that there are still
important issues to resolve with regard to the matter.
Unfortunately, perhaps President Putin, because of the time difference,
did not have a chance to hear our well-founded arguments and suggestions
on the matter in time, before making his public announcement.
Still, Cuba holds him and the enormous State of Russia in great esteem
and deep respect.
For this reason, Cuba will refrain for the moment from making any judgments
or criticisms regarding what was announced today by the press agencies.
It will simply limit itself to offering absolutely factual information
to our people, and to hoping that this disagreement can be resolved in
a reasonable, fair and honorable manner.
There is something that should be clearly understood by everyone, and
on which no one should entertain false illusions: in Cuba there is not
and there never will be either panic or fear. This is the perfect atmosphere
for serenity, cool-headed wisdom, integrity, dignity, and unlimited courage.
The Government
of the Republic of Cuba
Havana, October 17, 2001
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