CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA July 23, 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, July 23rd, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- EDITORIAL BLASTS STATE DEPARTMENT DIATRIBES AGAINST CUBA 2.- 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS APPROACHES 3.- CUBA PRESENTS DISTINCTION TO AUSTRIAN SOLIDARITY ACTIVIST 4.- PREPARATIONS FOR JULY 26th UNDERWAY IN LAS TUNAS 5.- CUBAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES PLANS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP EDITORIAL BLASTS STATE DEPARTMENT DIATRIBES AGAINST CUBA Havana, July 23(RHC)-- The editorial in this morning's edition of the Cuban daily Granma blasts recent comments by U.S. State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns -- in which he accused the Cuban government of carrying out provocative actions against the United States. During a recent news conference, Washington's representative referred to an alleged placement of missiles in the western part of the country, claiming that the weapons are a provocation and could threaten ships near the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo. The Granma editorial said that Cuba is not trying to provoke the United States and is, in fact, taking all necessary steps to make sure that Washington cannot claim it is being provoked. At the same time, the editorial continued, such actions should not be seen as backing-down from Cuba's defense of its sovereignty. The editorial pointed out that it has always been the United States that has tried to provoke Cuba, but that the Cuban Revolution has consistently been guided by what is best for the people. During the recent Washington news conference, the U.S. State Department spokesman also referred to the so-called flotillas, organized by ultra-right wing Cuban-Americans. Nicholas Burns said that the United States government supported what he called "their democratic efforts." The editorial blasted the alliance between Washington and the Miami-mafia and condemned the irrational diatribes leveled at Cuba by the U.S. State Department's mouthpiece. Washington's policies, concludes the editorial in this morning's Granma newspaper, are designed to tighten the economic blockade against Cuba, create a false impression of the island to the rest of the world and, ultimately, attempt to destroy the Cuban Revolution. 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS APPROACHES Havana, July 23(RHC)-- Havana's Vladimir Ilich Lenin High School is playing temporary host to hundreds of foreign delegates to the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. The school is now home to 550 delegates from 25 countries. Those delegates will go on to reside with Cuban families beginning this Sunday, July 27th. CUBA PRESENTS DISTINCTION TO AUSTRIAN SOLIDARITY ACTIVIST Havana, July 23(RHC)-- Cuba's Council of State awarded the Friendship Medal to the President of the Austria-Cuba Friendship Association, Alfred Kohlbacher. The award is in recognition for Kohlbacher's efforts in favor of strengthening bilateral ties. The President of Cuba's Institute of Friendship with the People, Sergio Corrieri, presented the honor to the Austrian activist, pointing to more than 30 years of solidarity work by Alfred Kohlbacher. For his part, Kolhbacher thanked the Cuban people for the distinction and pledged to continue working in solidarity with the Cuban Revolution. PREPARATIONS FOR JULY 26th UNDERWAY IN LAS TUNAS Las Tunas, July 23(RHC)-- More than 140,000 are expected to be on hand for the July 26th celebrations this year, set for Las Tunas. The announcement was made by the First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party in Las Tunas Province, Miguel Enamorado. During a news conference Tuesday, Enamorado said that the city's press center will serve the hundreds of national and foreign journalists on hand for the ceremonies. The Communist Party official pointed to health care as one of the most important achievements of Las Tunas Province -- emphasizing that the infant mortality rate stands at 7.6 for every one thousand live births. CUBAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES PLANS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP Havana, July 23(RHC)-- The Cuban Academy of Sciences is planning to increase its membership with a call to begin the naming of candidates islandwide. The designation of candidates will begin on December 1st this year and will run through February 28, 1998. The Vice President of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, Doctor Diosdado Perez, said that for the first time, that institute will designate its candidates in the scientific community. Unlike other countries where academics are elected for life, the Cuban Academy of Sciences will elect its members every four years, with the possibility of another four years only in exceptional cases. The Cuban Academy of Sciences was established in July 1996. The scientific agency is made up of several branches including natural science, as well as social, bio-medical, technical, agrarian and fishing sciences. The Cuban Academy of Sciences currently has 129 members and that number could reach 150 in the near future. [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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