CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA June 3, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Tuesday, June 3rd, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- MEXICO, BRAZIL AND CANADA CONDEMN HELMS-BURTON AND CALL FOR CUBA'S RETURN TO THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 2.- RUSSIA CRITICIZES NEW U.S. CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS AGAINST CUBA 3.- CUBA'S DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SPARKS THE INTEREST OF FOREIGN SPECIALISTS 4.- PRESIDENT OF CYPRIOT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONDEMNS U.S. ECONOMIC BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA 5.- TUBERCULOSIS IS NOT A HEALTH PROBLEM IN CUBA 6.- CUBAN WOMEN MEET IN BEIJING WITH CHINESE COUNTERPARTS 7.- CUBAN MILITARY DELEGATION VISITS CHINA 8.- FIRST IBEROAMERICAN ENCOUNTER OF COMMUNICATIONS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT UNDERWAY IN HAVANA 9.- MERCEDES SOSA WILL PERFORM AT 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS THIS SUMMER IN HAVANA MEXICO, BRAZIL AND CANADA CONDEMN HELMS-BURTON AND CALL FOR CUBA'S RETURN TO THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES Lima, June 3(RHC)-- At the Organization of American States summit underway in Peru, Mexico, Brazil and Canada have condemned Washington's Helms-Burton Law and called for the reincorporation of Cuba into the regional body. Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Angel Gurria was the first to surprise his colleagues with a denunciation of Cuba's isolation from the OAS, even though Cuba is not on the summit's agenda. Gurria said that Cuba is a subject that is still pending on the American continent and stressed that the island's return to the organization should not be postponed. Former Brazilian President and current OAS Ambassador Itamar Franco said that Cuba's absence from the regional body is "an issue of permanent concern." Franco said efforts to economically and politically isolate Cuba -- with which, he added, Brazil has friendly relations and shared cultural identities -- is not the way to achieve the island's integration into the inter-American system. Canadian Senator Gildas L. Molgat, heading his country's delegation to the OAS summit, insisted that the moment has arrived to discuss how and when the organization's 35th member can be reincorporated -- in reference to Cuba, which was suspended but not expelled from the regional body. On Wednesday, delegations from the Caribbean countries are also expected to take up the issue of Cuba. RUSSIA CRITICIZES NEW U.S. CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS AGAINST CUBA Moscow, June 3(RHC)-- Russia's Committee for Solidarity and Cooperation with Latin America has characterized the latest U.S. congressional actions against Cuba as "unacceptable and contrary to the most elementary norms of international rights." A declaration published in Moscow denounces the ten legislative drafts passed last month by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, designed to widen the effects of the Helms- Burton Law. The Russian document criticizes congressional intentions to stop countries from providing economic assistance to Cuba and condemns Washington's threats to prosecute business representatives from third countries that trade with the island. CUBA'S DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SPARKS THE INTEREST OF FOREIGN SPECIALISTS London, June 3(RHC)-- The influential British daily "The Financial Times" notes that the development of organic agriculture in Cuba has aroused the interest of numerous foreign specialists, primarily from Great Britain, Italy and Brazil. In an extensive article, the British newspaper pointed out that Cuba began a massive transformation of the island's agriculture during the 1980's. "The Financial Times" emphasized that the production of organic food would allow for the island to become self-sufficient and not have to depend on imported food. The British newspaper also stressed the long history of U.S. attacks against the island's agriculture, particularly the use of biological warfare. PRESIDENT OF CYPRIOT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONDEMNS U.S. ECONOMIC BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA Nicosia, June 3(RHC)-- The President of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Spyros Kyprianu, has condemned the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. During a meeting in the Cypriot capital with Ricardo Rodriguez, Vice President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and Elio Gamez, head of the European Department of ICAP, Kyprianu said that Cuba maintains excellent relations with Cyprus. The Cypriot parliamentary leader conveyed his greetings to Cuban President Fidel Castro and to his Cuban counterpart, Parliamentary President Ricardo Alarcon. TUBERCULOSIS IS NOT A HEALTH PROBLEM IN CUBA Havana, June 3(RHC)-- Cuban health authorities say that the increase in the number of people suffering from tuberculosis on the island -- l,466 cases -- is not alarming. Antonio Marrero, head of the national program against this disease, told journalists that during 1996, the rate of TB patients was 13.7 for every 100,000 inhabitants. Marrero stated that tuberculosis is not considered a health problem in Cuba and that the reappearance of this pathology is minimal, compared to other countries. According to the Cuban specialist, the island's hospitals and polyclinics carry out simple and direct tests that detect the presence of the disease within 24 hours. If the test results are positive, doctors apply rigorous follow-up treatments. Marrero also told reporters that the incidence of tuberculosis in Cuba is similar to that of developed nations. He said that infant TB has disappeared in Cuba and that approximately 40% of those affected by the disease are over 60 years of age. CUBAN WOMEN MEET IN BEIJING WITH CHINESE COUNTERPARTS Beijing, June 3(RHC)-- Representatives from the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) and their Chinese counterparts have exchanged experiences in Beijing regarding the work of their organizations. During their meeting, they also analyzed common strategies in order to put into effect the program approved during the United Nations 4th World Conference on Women, held in China in 1995. Also on the meeting's agenda: women's work with children and the celebration in Havana of a solidarity encounter between women in April 1998. The Federation of Cuban Women's delegation is currently on an official visit to China as part of an Asian tour that began in Vietnam and that will also cover Japan and India. CUBAN MILITARY DELEGATION VISITS CHINA Beijing, June 3(RHC)-- Cuban Division General Nestor Lopez Cuba, who is heading a military delegation now touring several Asian nations, said he has found full support of the Cuban Revolution in China, Vietnam and the Popular Democratic Republic of Korea. Lopez Cuba, who is also a parliamentarian and the head of Cuba's Armed Forces Political Department, began his tour on May 5th in Pyongyang, and then visited Vietnam. The Cuban official's tour of Asia will conclude in Beijing on Thursday. In each country, the Cuban military delegation was received by top government officials. Cuba's current situation and its plans to face new U.S. plans against the island were two of the topics on their agenda. FIRST IBEROAMERICAN ENCOUNTER OF COMMUNICATIONS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, June 3(RHC)-- Specialists from ten countries are now in Havana participating in the First Iberoamerican Encounter of Communications in the fields of science, technology and the environment -- IBERCOM '97. Over the next few days, delegates will focus on the role of the mass media in scientific, technological and environmental communications, promotion and publicity of products and services and intellectual property. MERCEDES SOSA WILL PERFORM AT 14th WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS THIS SUMMER IN HAVANA Buenos Aires, June 3(RHC)-- Top Argentinean singer Mercedes Sosa has confirmed that she will perform in Havana during the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students, scheduled to take place between July 28th and August 5th. Speaking to journalists in Buenos Aires, the Argentinean capital, Mercedes Sosa said that the upcoming festival is a "very important cultural event." Representatives from some 50 youth organizations chose the Argentinean singer to represent her country for this world fiesta of youth and students. [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. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org