Issued Wed, 27 Aug 97 19:39:07 EDT CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA August 27, 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 Wednesday, August 27, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS WRAPS UP CONSULTATIONS IN GENEVA CONCERNING CUBA'S ACCUSATIONS AGAINST WASHINGTON 2.- MEETINGS ON UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS BEGIN IN HAVANA 3.- CANADA STRENGTHENS ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH CUBA 4.- GERMAN LTI HOTEL COMPANY TO MANAGE HOTEL AT KEY COCO 5.- BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND CATALONIA INTENSIFY CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS WRAPS UP CONSULTATIONS IN GENEVA CONCERNING CUBA'S ACCUSATIONS AGAINST WASHINGTON Geneva, August 27(RHC)-- Signatory nations of the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons wrapped up three days of consultations on Cuba's charge against the United States of biological aggression. Seventy (70) of the 138 signatory nations of the Convention participated in the hearings, presided over by British Ambassador Ian Sutar. Participants agreed that the signatory nations have one month to present their observations concerning Cuba's accusation and Washington's denial. Sutar will then have to draw-up a technical report within one year, after which any further action will be decided upon. The head of the Cuban delegation, Deputy Foreign Minister Maria de los Angeles Flores, termed the results favorable, saying that the final text of the agreement was fair and objective. The British ambassador told journalists that the consultations, held behind closed doors, clearly established that a U.S. aircraft overflew Cuba's western Matanzas Province last October 21st and that an insect in that province caused considerable damage to agricultural crops. He stated, however, that it was not possible to establish the cause and effect. Cuba charges that the aircraft, registered to the U.S. State Department, released a liquid substance containing the larvae of the Thrips Palmi insect, which was discovered by authorities two months after the aircraft flew over Matanzas. Washington claims that the aircraft released a smoke signal to mark its location to a nearby Cuban civilian airliner. But the pilot, co-pilot and navigator of the Cubana airliner have all insisted that the U.S. plane released a liquid substance, not smoke. Cuban authorities have also pointed out that the U.S. aircraft in question is not only NOT normally equipped with smoke generators, but that smoke signals are not used by aircraft under the authority of air traffic control -- which could quickly and easily prevent two nearby planes from crashing into each other. Observers note that while Cuba did not achieve its goal of a formal investigation, neither was the U.S. government successful in its effort to have Cuba's accusations totally rejected. MEETINGS ON UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS BEGIN IN HAVANA Havana, August 27(RHC)-- Upcoming municipal elections in Cuba will be discussed in open, public meetings throughout the country. The first such meeting, chaired by the President of Cuba's Parliament Ricardo Alarcon, was held today in the Havana neighborhood of La Lisa. Among the topics discussed were electoral law procedures, voter's rights and responsibilities and participatory democracy at the grassroots level. The public meeting was held under the auspices of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) -- the largest mass organization on the island. Similar meetings will be held as the date approaches for elections to choose delegates to 169 Municipal Assemblies of People's Power. On October 19th, an estimated seven and a half million Cuban voters will go to the polls to elect their representatives on the municipal level. CANADA STRENGTHENS ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH CUBA Havana, August 27(RHC)-- Canada plans to expand economic and social cooperation with Cuba. Canadian Ambassador to Havana Keith Christie and Cuban Deputy Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Raul Taladrid have signed an important bilateral economic and social cooperation agreement here in the Cuban capital on Wednesday. As part of the agreement, Canadian authorities have presented Cuba with a donation of cooking oil valued at five million Canadian dollars (some 3.6 million U.S.). Ambassador Christie told journalists that Canadian non- governmental organizations have joined efforts with government authorities to provide technological and financial aid to refurbishing projects at Havana's Metropolitan Park. The Canadian aid package also covers other areas, including health care and education. Canada donated a number of notebooks to help with the start of the new school year, which begins in Cuba on Monday, September 1st. Cuba's Deputy Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister said that given its volume and value, Canadian aid projects represent the most comprehensive international assistance to the island. GERMAN LTI HOTEL COMPANY TO MANAGE HOTEL AT KEY COCO Havana, August 27(RHC)-- The German LTI Hotel Company will continue to place its bets on business in Cuba. LTI executives have announced they will manage the new Las Coloradas Hotel at Key Coco -- off the northern coast of Ciego de Avila Province. With the addition of the Las Coloradas Hotel, LTI now manages three hotels on the island. Germany's LTI Hotel Company manages two hotels at the beach resort of Varadero, located east of Havana. The five-star, 150-room Las Coloradas Hotel -- financed by the Cuban Gran Caribe Hotel Group -- will open for business in early October. BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND CATALONIA INTENSIFY Havana, August 27(RHC)-- Bilateral relations between Cuba and the Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia are on the increase. The General Secretary of Catalonia's Republican Party, Josep Lluis, will arrive in Havana early next week, heading a delegation of members of the ruling government party. Observers say the upcoming visit will be aimed at advancing bilateral trade relations and the creation of joint ventures between Cuba and Catalonia. [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. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. We welcome your comments and suggestions. 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