CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA August 11, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Monday, August 11, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- U.S. DELEGATES TO 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS DETAINED AND HARASSED UPON THEIR RETURN 2.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA RETURNS TO HAVANA FOLLOWING INAUGURATION OF BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT 3.- CUBA RANKS FIRST AMONG THIRD WORLD NATIONS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INVESTMENT 4.- CUBAN CANDIDATE-VACCINE AGAINST AIDS: SO FAR, SO GOOD 5.- HAVANA PROVINCE REGISTERS LOWEST INFANT MORTALITY RATE IN HISTORY 6.- VENEZUELAN ART ON DISPLAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 7.- WATER BASIN PROTECTION AGENCIES SET UP IN TWO CUBAN PROVINCES 8.- ANA FIDELIA QUIROT TAKES THE GOLD IN ATHENS; CUBA FINISHES THIRD AT TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS U.S. DELEGATES TO 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS DETAINED AND HARASSED UPON THEIR RETURN Chicago, August 11(RHC)-- Government agents and U.S. Customs officials harassed returning delegates to the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students, which ended recently here in the Cuban capital. Reports from the solidarity organization "Chicago-Cuba Coalition" confirm that more than 40 delegates were detained at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Eye-witnesses who were on hand at the airport say that government agents from the U.S. Treasury Department detained and interrogated returning delegates as they arrived from Mexico after having attended the international youth event here in Havana. A number of activists complained of having been threatened and intimidated by the agents and customs officials and many had their passports confiscated. The "Chicago-Cuba Coalition" reported that the agents only stopped harassing the returning delegates when a number of solidarity activists and family members began yelling at the authorities to let them go. The U.S. Treasury Department denied permission to the youth and students to attend the international event in Cuba, citing its "Trading with the Enemy Act" -- a part of the U.S. blockade of the island. Violators are subject to 10 years in prison and/or fines of up to $50,000. In spite of Washington's restrictions and threats, more than 800 delegates from the United States traveled to Cuba for the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA RETURNS TO HAVANA FOLLOWING INAUGURATION OF BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT Havana, August 11(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina returned to Havana over the weekend from La Paz, where he led the island's delegation to the inauguration of Bolivian President Hugo Banzer. Speaking to reporters at Jose Marti International Airport, the Cuban foreign minister said that Cuba is prepared to strengthen already good relations with the new Bolivian government. While in La Paz for the swearing-in ceremony, Roberto Robaina met last week with numerous leaders attending the inauguration. The Cuban foreign minister met with his counterparts from Mexico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic -- as well as Brazilian Vice President Marco Antonio Olivera. Robaina also spoke at length with out-going Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, as well as the new president of Bolivia, Hugo Banzer. The Cuban foreign minister said one of the highlights of his stay in La Paz was a meeting with representatives of Cuba solidarity organizations. He told journalists that the Bolivian movement in solidarity with the Cuban Revolution -- as in the rest of Latin America -- is alive and well. CUBA RANKS FIRST AMONG THIRD WORLD NATIONS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INVESTMENT Havana, August 11(RHC)-- As much as twenty-five dollars per person is invested in scientific research in Cuba. A report issued by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -- UNESCO -- reveals that Cuba is at the top of the list of all Third World nations in this field. Cuba's Science, Technology and the Environment Minister, Dr. Rosa Elena Simeon, affirms that there are more than 30,000 scientists and technicians doing research in Cuba. Dr. Simeon said that scientific communities -- special communities where researchers live and work -- are spread across the island. CUBAN CANDIDATE-VACCINE AGAINST AIDS: SO FAR, SO GOOD Havana, August 11(RHC)-- No side effects have been reported by volunteers being administered the third dose of the Cuban candidate-vaccine against AIDS. According to participants at the closing ceremony of the international AIDS conference entitled "Sexuality and AIDS in Cuba, Latin America and the Caribbean," there appear to be no side effects from the vaccine. Conference participants met at Havana's Institute of Tropical Medicine last week. Two of the volunteers and the main researchers of the AIDS vaccine project -- Doctors Carlos Fuentes and Felipe Rolo -- said the initial stage of the study will extend for four years. The clinical stage on humans began in November 1996. Yesterday's final session at the conference focussed on care for pregnant women who are zero-positive. The Cuban delegation discussed the cases of 44 HIV carriers -- women who decided to give birth even after they learned about the risks of transmitting the virus to their offspring. Of that number, 14 babies were tested negative, 24 are still being examined and six babies were tested positive -- three having died of AIDS. Three hundred scientists, HIV carriers and AIDS patients from more than 20 countries attended the Havana conference. HAVANA PROVINCE REGISTERS LOWEST INFANT MORTALITY RATE IN HISTORY Havana, August 11(RHC)-- Havana Province has registered the lowest infant mortality rate in history. The infant mortality rates dropped to 6.3 per one thousand live births in the province -- one point lower than the national average. Representatives of the Cuban Ministry of Health told journalists that a redesigning of the Mother-Child Health Program -- with emphasis placed on prevention -- is responsible for the outstanding result. Nationally, Cuba has registered an infant mortality rate of 7.3 per one thousand live births. VENEZUELAN ART ON DISPLAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, August 11(RHC)-- Painting, ceramics, photographs and jewelry from Venezuela's Margarita Island are on display in Havana. Venezuela's Ambassador in Cuba, Gonzalo Garcia Bustillo, attended the inaugural ceremony this past weekend. Together with the exhibit, Venezuelan cultural institutions donated some 300 pieces of art to the Venezuela House Library in the colonial section of Old Havana. In other news, Cuba's cultural authorities have announced that Cuban artists will perform for participants at the Seventh Iberoamerican Summit, set for Margarita Island in November. WATER BASIN PROTECTION AGENCIES SET UP IN TWO CUBAN PROVINCES Havana, August 11(RHC)-- With the setting up of water basin protection agencies in Camaguey and Holguin provinces, protection of water resources gains extra momentum. The initiative is part of a national project to clean-up areas damaged by pollution, deforestation, soil erosion and poor use of water resources. The two provincial water basin protection agencies have been designed to keep an eye on the implementation of progressive solutions to curb damages. There are 38 water basins in Camaguey, accounting for nearly 16,000 square kilometers. The ecological destruction dates back to the colonial period -- in particular, severe deforestation. This situation is currently aggravated by the dumping of solid waste into rivers and streams, many of which flow into the ocean. In Holguin, the water basin protection agency aims at fostering reforestation, soil, flora and fauna preservation and rehabilitating environmentally damaged areas. ANA FIDELIA QUIROT TAKES THE GOLD IN ATHENS; CUBA FINISHES THIRD AT TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS Athens, August 11(RHC)-- Cuban runner Ana Fidelia Quirot grabbed the gold in Athens over the weekend at the World Track and Field Championships. Her victory in the 800-meter race gave Cuba the fourth gold medal in the competitions, which ended yesterday in the Greek capital. The Cuban runner pulled ahead of her closest rival, Maria Mutola from Mozambique -- finishing the 800-meter distance in 1 minute 57 seconds and 14 hundredths. With the two competitors running neck to neck, Ana Fidelia pulled ahead during the final stretch, winning the race by only 34 hundredths of a second. Observers say Ana Fidelia Quirot's win on Saturday stands for itself -- but it is even more amazing when considering her comeback from severe burns she suffered in a fire only four years ago. Many medical experts believed that the Cuban runner would have difficulty walking again, let alone running. Ana Fidelia Quirot -- who has since won the world championship at Gothenburg in 1995 and the Bronze Medal at last year's Olympics in Atlanta -- attributes her success to the advances of the Cuban health care system. Sports commentators are still talking about the Athens Track and Field Championship and Cuba is pleased with achieving third place at the event. With a reduced delegation and some injuries included -- with is normal for any competition -- the island's athletes took four gold, one silver and one bronze medal (4-1-1). Cuba was only outdone by two powerful nations: the United States (7-3-8) and Germany (5-1-5). Three of Cuba's gold medals were won by jumpers in men's Triple, Long and High Jump. Ivan Pedroso in Long Jump has proven that he is the best -- with 8.42 meters... and his eyes are focussed on the 9 meter mark. In Triple, Yoelbi Quesada, with 17.85 meters -- valid also for a new national record -- took his out his revenge for losing at the Atlanta Olympics. And the victory of Javier Sotomayor in High Jump indicates that despite bad times, he is the "Prince of Heights." Sotomayor re-conquered his world title with a 2.37 meter jump and is back on the throne again with world records for indoor and outdoor. [c] 1997. Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. This prohibition includes the distribution of this material via Usenet News, "bulletin board" services, e-mail lists, print media, radio and television. 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