From mail.infocom.etecsa.cu!radiohc@mail.infocom.etecsa.cu Thu Apr 17 09:54:04 1997 Return-Path: mail.infocom.etecsa.cu!radiohc@mail.infocom.etecsa.cu Received: from dns2.infocom.etecsa.cu ([169.158.64.1]) by nyxfer.blythe.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id JAA30942 for ; Thu, 17 Apr 1997 09:53:47 -0400 Received: by dns2.infocom.etecsa.cu (Smail3.1.28.1 #3) id m0wHrce-00029pC; Thu, 17 Apr 97 09:53 EDT Received: from manati.in.etecsa.cu by dns2.infocom.etecsa.cu with SMTP id XXXXXXXX-Xa12826; Thu, 17 Apr 97 09:53 EDT Received: by manati.in.etecsa.cu (Smail3.1.28.1 #3) id m0wHrcd-0000AEC; Thu, 17 Apr 97 09:53 EDT Message-Id: Subject: RHC news stories, April 16th, 1997 To: reg.cuba@conf.igc.org Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 09:53:10 -0400 (EDT) From: "Lic. Jorge L. Ruiz" Cc: nyt@blythe.org, cubaseccion@igc.apc.org X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL13] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Length: 9728 Status: RO CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA Wednesday, April 16, 1997 The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Wednesday, April 16, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- U.S. UNSUCCESSFUL IN ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN MORE VOTES IN FAVOR OF RESOLUTION TO CONDEMN CUBA FOR ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 2.- EUROPEAN UNION AGREES TO COMPROMISE WITH WASHINGTON... WITH STIPULATIONS 3.- NUTRITIONAL SHORTAGES IN CUBA FUNDAMENTALLY CAUSED BY U.S. ECONOMIC BLOCKADE 4.- CUBA NEGOTIATES ITS FOREIGN DEBT WITHOUT COMPROMISING ITS FUTURE 5.- CUBAN WOMEN MAKE UP 60% OF THE ISLAND'S SCIENTIFIC RESERVE 6.- THE 2ND ALICIA ALONSO INTERNATIONAL BALLET CONTEST GETS UNDERWAY IN CUBA LATER THIS MONTH 7.- U.S. BAND "TWO TONS OF STEEL" PLAYS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CUBA 8.- CUBA AND SOUTH AFRICA SIGN BILATERAL AGREEMENT U.S. UNSUCCESSFUL IN ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN MORE VOTES IN FAVOR OF RESOLUTION TO CONDEMN CUBA FOR ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS Geneva, April 16(RHC)-- At the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, the United States tried to ram through its resolution on alleged human rights violations by Cuba. Despite pressures to obtain more votes in favor of its resolution -- an annual attempt to accuse Cuba of violating human rights -- twice as many countries voted against the resolution as did last year. While 19 countries went along with Washington, 10 countries voted against and 24 abstained. Diplomatic sources in Geneva pointed out that this year's debate was noticeably weaker and barely tolerated by the Human Rights Commission -- as more countries have become annoyed with the U.S. maneuver. A number of countries reportedly asked Washington not to use the forum in Geneva to express its differences with another country. And several delegates to the 53rd session of the U.N. commission commented that given the constant and vicious attacks against the island by the United States -- and the rights and guarantees provided to its citizens -- Cuba should be commended and not condemned. EUROPEAN UNION AGREES TO COMPROMISE WITH WASHINGTON... WITH STIPULATIONS Brussels, April 16(RHC)-- The European Union agreed Wednesday to a compromise with the United States over its anti-Cuba Helms-Burton Law. According to the agreement, the European Union will suspend its claim before the World Trade Organization for six months in exchange for Washington's assurances that it will modify the extraterritorial nature of the law. However, the EU voted to add a clause which allows the regional body to automatically re-open the case if Washington does not comply with its promises. Representatives of the 15 members of the European Union met in Brussels Wednesday morning and were unable to come up with a final agreement until late afternoon. According to reports from the EU meeting, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Portugal held out until the end -- insisting on stronger guarantees that the United States would indeed amend the Helms-Burton Law. Meanwhile, in Washington, a visiting delegation from the European Parliament pointed out that U.S. President Bill Clinton will likely come up against strong opposition from the Republican-dominated Congress if any attempts are made to modify the anti-Cuba legislation. NUTRITIONAL SHORTAGES IN CUBA FUNDAMENTALLY CAUSED BY U.S. ECONOMIC BLOCKADE Santiago de Chile, April 16(RHC)-- Nutritional problems in Cuba are fundamentally caused by the U.S. economic blockade. According to the Regional Deputy Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Severino de Melo Araujo, the U.S. blockade has made it impossible for Cuba to import supplemental vitamins and proteins needed by the island's population. The regional deputy director of the U.N. organization spoke at a news conference in Santiago de Chile, where he condemned industrialized nations for not doing enough to alleviate world hunger. Araujo said that the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization was given assurances that with the end of the Cold War, wealthy nations would direct more resources to development -- but that the opposite has actually taken place. The U.N. official said that some countries, such as the United States, are even using food as a weapon -- pointing to Washington's blockade of Cuba. CUBA NEGOTIATES ITS FOREIGN DEBT WITHOUT COMPROMISING ITS FUTURE Havana, April 16(RHC)-- Cuba has taken the initiative to re-negotiate its foreign debt without compromising its future according to the President of the Cuban National Bank, Francisco Soberon. Soberon was speaking to a delegation of 30 French businesspeople touring the island since Saturday. The President of Cuba's National Bank told the French entrepreneurs that Cuba is in the process of negotiatiing multilateral contacts with governments belonging to the Paris Club. "In all those contacts," stated Soberon, "Cuba has expressed its willingness to find true solutions rather than quick fixes similar to the refinancing methods used by some Latin American nations." The Cuban banking official explained that Cuba will have a smaller economic growth this year in order to ease its foreign deficit and curb the tendency to increase the imbalance of the past few years. Soberon told the French business representatives that local prices registered a 4 percent decrease last year and that unemployment stands at 6.8 per cent. The president of the Cuban National Bank revealed that global foreign trade will reach a value of up to 9 billion dollars, which represents a substancial growth of the availability of hard currency. CUBAN WOMEN MAKE UP 60% OF THE ISLAND'S SCIENTIFIC RESERVE Havana, April 16(RHC)-- Cuban women's involvement in the sciences is increasing -- they now make up 60% of the country's scientific reserve, while 42 per cent of Cuban researchers are women. Cuba's Science, Technology and the Enviroment Minister, Dr. Rosa Elena Simeon, presented the figures on Tuesday at the opening of the 2nd International Encounter of Women Inventors. Dr. Rosa Elena noted that Cuban women were responsible for one-third of the island's most important scientific discoveries last year. In the event's first day of sessions, the Head of the National Association of Innovators and Inventors, Jaime Salgado, said that there has been an increase of women's presence in the Association, noting that over 90,000 women are ranked as innovators and inventors. Also in attendance was Elisabeth Joosten, representative of the United Nations Women's Development Fund. She congratulated the event's organizers for providing the opportunity to get acquinted with women's achievements in Cuba. THE 2ND ALICIA ALONSO INTERNATIONAL BALLET CONTEST GETS UNDERWAY IN CUBA LATER THIS MONTH Havana, April 16(RHC)-- The second edition of the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Contest will lift its curtains later this month in Havana. Dancers from 18 nations including Argentina, Cuba, Costa Rica, Mexico, the United States, Israel, Canada and Brazil will compete for the Grand Prix Alicia Alonso. Gold, silver and bronze medals will also be awarded to winners in the categories of classic, neoclassic and contemporary ballet. The contest is being organized by the Cuban Pro Danza Center and sponsored by the International Ballet Association for the Americas, the Cuban Ministry of Culture and the Cuban National Ballet. Ballet lovers will have the chance to enjoy performances by the winners in the contest's closing gala. U.S. BAND "TWO TONS OF STEEL" PLAYS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CUBA Havana, April 16(RHC)-- Cuba's National Theater will present a unique concert by the U.S. band "Two Tons of Steel." The band will share the stage with Cuba's famed pop music band "Moncada." "Two Tons of Steel" -- touring the island since Monday -- is regarded as one of the most important bands in the U.S. state of Texas. "Two Tons of Steel" combines country music with rock and roll and jazz. At the request of the musicians, entrance to the concert will be free of charge, although donations will be accepted for the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. CUBA AND SOUTH AFRICA SIGN BILATERAL AGREEMENT Havana, April 16(RHC)-- Cuban and South African authorities have expressed their desire to strengthen bilateral links in several spheres. Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas and his South African counterpart, Alec Erwin, signed a protocol that will pave the way for exchanges in the sugar industry. Under the agreement, enterprises from the two countries will continue to explore business posibilities on the island. Before leaving Cuba on Tuesday, Erwin told journalists in Havana that the visit was part of plans by the government of South Africa to encourage local investments on the island. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba, P.O. Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007