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CNN Live Today

Cuban Press Reaction to Carter Speech Muted

Aired May 15, 2002 - 11:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, reaction is coming in this morning to former President Carter's unprecedented address to the Cuban people last night. Our John Zarrella is in Havana to take us inside Castro's Cuba. We check in with him now -- hello, John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Leon.

We're actually now in what is considered central Havana. I wanted to give you a quick look at this building behind me. This fabulous architecture built in the 1830s, obviously the Spanish influence there. This is now the home of Cuba's National Ballet Company, a world famous ballet company. People were buying tickets here a little while ago to get in to a performance.

And here to my left, another quick look. This is the Hotel Inglaterra, and this hotel was built in 1875. It is a national monument here. In fact, Jose Marti delivered a speech from this hotel -- the famous Cuban leader Jose Marti.

Now perhaps the speech just that will go down in history here as nearly as famous as the speech delivered by Jose Marti here, was a speech by former president Jimmy Carter last night at the Cuban National University here in Havana. During his speech, the former president called for a bridging of the gap between the two nations. And he also said that many things had to be done to resolve the differences between the two nations.

He wanted to see a lifting of the U.S. trade embargo; he wanted to see Americans and Cubans to be able to travel freely between the two nations. But he said the U.S. needed to take the lead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY CARTER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For 42 years, our two nations have been trapped in a harmful state of belligerence. Time has come, though, in which we must change our relations and the form in which we talk and think about one -- about the other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: Interesting twist in this morning's "Granma," the communist newspaper on the speech. The headline reading: "I've come in search of an answer for a positive relationship between the United States and Cuba." But when you get to the inside, there's no verbatim text of former President Carter's speech. In fact, it's pretty much a one-sided perspective. All of the things that former President Carter said were wrong with the United States are in here, but most of the things that he said needed to be changed in Cuba are conveniently left out.

Now, if he said anything that upset President Castro at the University of Havana last night, you wouldn't know it. The two men went to a baseball game, the East-West all-star game was played at the Latin American stadium last night. And former President Carter threw out not one, but five pitches. He was coached by Fidel Castro before he threw those pitches.

You may recall, Fidel Castro tried out for the old Washington Senators back in the 50s as a pitcher. He didn't make it. Had he made it, a lot of people wonder if history would have been different.

But then, of course, Fidel Castro, he got in the act. He threw a pitch that was batted foul, appropriately so. It probably wouldn't be a good thing to get a hit off of President Castro.

This is John Zarrella reporting live from Havana -- Leon.

HARRIS: John, quickly, I'm going to have to ask you this, because what popped in my mind after we spoke last hour was whether or not any of the people that -- who are dissidents, who are speaking openly right now because of President Carter's visit, if they really believe they will be able to -- once President Carter is gone, do they believe that this openness is going to last there?

ZARRELLA: We just spoke with a few dissidents as few minutes ago, and they told us flat out that they believe the only reason they are able to come out here and talk with us openly and freely as they did was because Jimmy Carter was here. That if Jimmy Carter was not here, this freedom that they are getting this week would not exist. And they, although they believe change, positive change will come, they're somewhat skeptical as to whether the freedoms they are afforded this week will continue on after the former president leaves -- Leon.

HARRIS: Very interesting. John Zarrella in Havana -- thanks, John. We'll check with you later.

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