CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA July 24, 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 Thursday, July 24th, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES THREATEN U.S. PRESIDENT IF HE FURTHER DELAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF HELMS-BURTON LAW 2.- GRANMA EDITORIAL CRITICIZES U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR TRYING TO STOP AMERICAN YOUTH FROM PARTICIPATING IN 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS 3.- CARIBBEAN CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE WINDS UP MEETING IN HAVANA 4.- CUBA AND THE U.N. POPULATION FUND SIGN AGREEMENTS 5.- INTEGRATED MEDICAL EMERGENCY SYSTEM INAUGURATED 6.- U.S. VENCEREMOS BRIGADE VISITS SITES OF INTEREST IN HAVANA 7.- AIR JAMAICA HOPES TO INCREASE BUSINESS IN CUBA CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES THREATEN U.S. PRESIDENT IF HE FURTHER DELAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF HELMS-BURTON LAW Washington, July 24(RHC)-- Right-wing congressional representatives have threatened to move against U.S. President Bill Clinton if he tries to soften any aspects of the infamous Helms-Burton Law. In an open letter to the U.S. president, Senator Jesse Helms, President of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Benjamin Gilman of the House Foreign Relations Committee lashed out at recent actions taken by the Clinton Administration to satisfy agreements with the European Union, the EU. In March, the White House struck a deal with the EU -- promising to do everything possible to clean-up the extraterritorial aspects of Helms-Burton, in exchange for the European Union suspending its legal challenge of the law before the World Trade Organization. The EU has charged that the U.S. legislation -- which tightens the economic blockade of Cuba -- is a violation of international law. The right-wing lawmakers scolded Clinton for his recent decision to freeze Title III of the anti-Cuba law for another six months and warned that they are prepared to lead the fight in Congress to take away presidential powers to suspend parts of the controversial legislation. The open letter addressed to Clinton also strongly criticizes the U.S. president for not moving faster on measures designed to punish foreign companies that do business in Cuba. Senator Helms and Representative Gilman also expressed their disgust at the White House for what they called "the deliberate and unilateral decision" not to apply the provision of Helms-Burton which denies entry visas to business executives and their families with properties in Cuba. The letter threatens to begin a major push in the House and Senate to remove Clinton's prerogative to suspend certain extraterritorial aspects of the law. The open letter concludes by warning the U.S. president that he is acting outside of current legislation, passed by both houses of the Congress and signed into law by Clinton himself. GRANMA EDITORIAL CRITICIZES U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR TRYING TO STOP AMERICAN YOUTH FROM PARTICIPATING IN 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS Havana, July 24(RHC)-- The editorial in this morning's edition of the Cuban daily Granma criticizes the U.S. government for prohibiting American young people from attending the upcoming 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. Referring to the U.S. Treasury Department's decision to refuse special travel licenses to the youth, Granma asked what is it that Washington is afraid their young people will see if they come to Cuba? Why would the U.S. government threaten to slap heavy fines and even prison sentences on children if they dare come to Havana for a meeting with other youth from around the world? U.S. citizens who travel to Cuba without special permission from their government are subject to fines of up to 50,000 dollars and/or ten years in prison. This morning's editorial in Granma suggested that perhaps Washington is trying hide the achievements of the Cuban Revolution from it's young people -- while pointing out that U.S. delegates to the World Youth Festival are already arriving in the Cuban capital in spite of Washington's threats. CARIBBEAN CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE WINDS UP MEETING IN HAVANA Havana, July 24(RHC)-- The 6th General Assembly of the Caribbean Christian Conference (CCC) wound up in Havana Wednesday with a resolution in solidarity with the Cuban people. In the final document, the conference pledges to mobilize its forces to end Washington's more than 35-year blockade against the island. Cuban President Fidel Castro sent a message to the conference. The meeting was attended by 149 representatives of 34 Christian denominations from Central America and the Caribbean. Delegates elected a new presidency headed by the Reverend Leslie Anderson of the Methodist Church in Belice, Dr. Linda Banks from the Anglican Church in Anguila and Cuban Reverend Carlos Emilio Ham, of the island's Reformed Church. This is the first time in 24 years that a Cuban has been elected to occupy a post in the Caribbean Christian Conference leadership. Reverend Ham will also be the first Spanish- speaking person to hold the post. CUBA AND THE UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND SIGN AGREEMENTS Havana, July 24(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Investment and Cooperation Minister Ibrahim Ferradaz, Education Minister Luis Ignacio Gomez and the United Nations Population Fund Director in Cuba, Rainer Rosebaum, have signed five cooperation projects in Havana. The projects are aimed at supporting the island's reproductive health policies and strategies. The fund's support, which amounts to more than 900,000 dollars for this year, is part of a larger aid package worth 4.5 million dollars for the first five years. On this occasion, the United Nations Population Fund's aid will be dedicated to family planning in risk-situations, reproductive health at the family doctor level, as well as sexual education in schools and the community and territorial studies on reproductive health. The aid agreed upon for the next five years will be spent mainly in Cuba's five eastern provinces. The United Nations Population Fund's contribution to the island between 1975 and 1989 amounted to nearly 11 million dollars, while almost 7 million in aid was granted to Cuba between 1990 and 1996. INTEGRATED MEDICAL EMERGENCY SYSTEM INAUGURATED Havana, July 24(RHC)-- Cuban Health Minister Dr. Carlos Dotres has inaugurated an Integrated Medical Emergency System in the Gustavo Aldereguia Provincial Hospital in the south-central city of Cienfuegos. The system is reportedly considered an essential factor in successfully fighting the main causes of death among the island's adult population: heart attacks, strokes, traffic accidents and asthma. Dr. Dotres explained that the system will also begin operating soon in the provinces of Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus and Holguin. The opening in those provinces will coincide with the 26th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada Barracks, the action that sparked the Cuban Revolution. The island's health minister added that Cuba invested nearly two million dollars to buy ambulances and other equipment to set the system in motion. U.S. VENCEREMOS BRIGADE VISITS SITES OF INTEREST IN HAVANA Havana, July 24(RHC)-- The 28th Contingent of the U.S. Venceremos Brigade visited Havana's William Solar Pediatric Hospital and the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute on Wednesday. The 140-member brigade also toured daycare centers, senior citizen homes and special schools. The Venceremos Brigade is an educational/political project that began in l969 when some 300 young Americans traveled to the island to help out with the sugar harvest by cutting cane. Now, the group does a two-week volunteer stint in construction while visiting schools, factories and other places to get a first hand look at the island. The majority of the 28th Contingent will stay on in Cuba to participate in the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students, which gets officially underway on Monday. AIR JAMAICA HOPES TO INCREASE BUSINESS IN CUBA Havana, July 24(RHC)-- The Jamaican airline --Air Jamaica-- announced it will soon increase operations in Cuba with new flights to the Varadero beach resort and Santiago de Cuba. Air Jamaica Sales Executive Parsha Buddo said that Cuba is one of the Caribbean area's main tour destinations and stressed that her company's decision to increase flights strengthens bilateral relations. Last June, Air Jamaica began flying to Havana on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. [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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