CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA August 22, 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 Friday, August 22, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA TO BE OFFICIALLY INVITED TO GATHERING BETWEEN EUROPEAN UNION AND LATIN AMERICAN PRESIDENTS 2.- WASHINGTON'S POLICY OF ISOLATION AGAINST CUBA IS A FAILURE 3.- CUBA AND ITALY SET UP JOINT VENTURE IN THE TOURISM SECTOR 4.- CHE'S FAREWELL LETTER TO FIDEL WILL BE RECORDED IN LONDON 5.- CUBAN RADIO BROADCASTING MARKS 75th ANNIVERSARY 6.- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN OCTOBER CUBA TO BE OFFICIALLY INVITED TO GATHERING BETWEEN EUROPEAN UNION AND LATIN AMERICAN PRESIDENTS Asuncion, August 22(RHC)-- Cuba will be officially invited to the gathering between Latin American heads of state and government and the European Union, slated for early 1999 in Rio de Janeiro. The announcement came today from Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ruben Melgarejo, who insisted that "Cuba is part of Latin American and, as such, will not be isolated from the event." Latin American foreign ministers are in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion, paving the way for this weekend's 11th Summit of the Rio Group. The 14 member-nations of the Rio Group are expected to issue another condemnation of Washington's Helms- Burton Law and to come out against the U.S. drug certification process. Latin American leaders are expected to approve a document containing 50 points, including United Nations reform, drug trafficking, democracy and education. WASHINGTON'S POLICY OF ISOLATION AGAINST CUBA IS A FAILURE Havana, August 22(RHC)-- Increased diplomatic relations, international rejection of Washington's blockade and the successfully concluded 14th World Festival of Youth and Students point to the utter failure of Washington's policy of isolation against Cuba. An article published in today's edition of Granma newspaper entitled "Cuba -- Blockaded But Not Isolated," illustrates that the island has long consolidated its position among nations. The article points out that before 1959, Cuba maintained relations with only 50 countries -- while today Cuba has relations with 160 countries. Granma points out that since 1993 -- when the economic crisis worsened and some predicted that socialism in Cuba was history -- 20 countries have established relations with Cuba. Today's article in Granma also refers to the U.N. General Assembly votes in favor of the lifting Washington's blockade against Cuba as further evidence that the island is not isolated. CUBA AND ITALY SET UP JOINT VENTURE IN THE TOURISM SECTOR Havana, August 22(RHC)-- A new Cuban-Italian enterprise plans to build six hotels and three department stores on the island. Cuba's Cubanacan tourism group and Italy's Prosol have merged their capital to form the IRIS S.A. joint venture. According to Cubanacan Manager Juan Jose Vega, IRIS S.A. hopes to attract foreign financing and expand business both for Cuba and Italy. Meanwhile Prosol Manager Angelo Sollazo said that choosing Cuba as a trading partner is a magnificent challenge, adding that he believes in Cuba "as a friend and as a business partner." CHE'S FAREWELL LETTER TO FIDEL WILL BE RECORDED IN LONDON London, August 22(RHC)-- For the first time in 32 years, Ernesto Che Guevara's farewell letter to President Fidel Castro will be recorded in London. The British "Tumi" recording company has announced that they have been given authorization from the Cuban "Egrem" recording company to include the letter on a compact disk -- a tribute to the Heroic Guerrilla -- entitled "Ever Onward to Victory, Comandante." In the letter -- written in 1965 -- Che Guevara renounced his ministerial posts in Cuba in order to support liberation movements around the world. CUBAN RADIO BROADCASTING MARKS 75th ANNIVERSARY Havana, August 22(RHC)-- Celebrating 75 years on-the-air, Cuba's radio broadcast industry is one of the oldest in Latin America. The first radio broadcast in Cuba was heard on August 22, 1922, when Luis Casa Romero began broadcasting from a small transmitter. There are currently 61 radio stations and 90 community and local stations providing information to Cuban listeners. More than 4000 people are employed by the Institute of Cuban Radio and Television, the ICRT. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN OCTOBER Havana, August 22(RHC)-- The Cuban Association of the Physically Handicapped has issued a call for the Second International Conference on the Rights of the Disabled, scheduled for next October. The conference will promote increased participation of people with disabilities through the exchange of experiences on the rights of the disabled in today's society. The conference will be open to organizations of the disabled as well as those with disabilities and social, religious, and non-governmental organizations from around the world. High on the event's agenda will be the right to social integration, physical, mental, professional and social rehabilitation, psychological problems of the disabled, the right to leadership and the role of organizations representing the disabled. [c] 1997. Radio Habana Todos los derechos reservados No puede ser reproducido, reimpreso o publicado sin previo acuerdo con RHC. Esta limitacion incluye la redistribucion via Usenet News, sistemas de "bulletin board", listas de correo electronico, medios impresos, radio y television. Para mas informacion, envie un mensaje a rhc@radiohc.org Cualquier pregunta sobre las informaciones o programas transmitidos por nuestra emisora, o solicitudes de actualizacion sobre nuestros horarios y frecuencias, puede ser dirigida a nuestra direccion electronica o postal. 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