CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA June 6, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Friday, 6th, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA TAKES TO WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION COMPLAINT AGAINST NEW ANTI-CUBA MEASURES IN US CONGRESS 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ACKNOWLEDGES THE WORK OF SUGAR WORKERS IN EASTERN HOLGUIN PROVINCE 3.- HEAVY RAINS AFFECT PROVINCES IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN CUBA 4.- MOSCOW AND HAVANA WILL EXCHANGE OIL FOR SUGAR 5.- PRESIDENT OF CUBAN INSTITUTE OF RADIO AND TELEVISION ENDS VISIT TO CHINA 6.- CUBA TAKES DETERMINED STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CUBA TAKES COMPLAINT AGAINST NEW ANTI-CUBA MEASURES IN U.S. CONGRESS TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION Geneva, June 6(RHC)-- For the first time, Cuba has directly taken a complaint before the World Trade Organization concerning new anti-Cuba measures making their way through the U.S. Congress. Cuban Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Isabel Allende, personally handed a protest note on Thursday to the World Trade Organization's Assistant General Director, Warren Lavorel in Geneva. Allende charged that the new measures recently approved in the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee -- further tightening the Helms-Burton Law -- "seek to raise the tone" of Washington's offensive against Cuba. For the moment, however, Cuba will not make a formal denunciation. Meanwhile, the 113 member-states of the Non-Aligned Movement have formally denounced the U.S. congressional maneuvers. On repeated occasions, the Non-Aligned Movement has expressed deep concern over Washington's unilateral and extraterritorial anti-Cuba legislation. Last night, the U.S. House postponed debates on the new measures, which have been designed as amendments to existing bills still pending favorable votes in the House and Senate, and the signature of President Bill Clinton. The debates are expected to resume next week. The European Union, which temporarily dropped a formal complaint against Washington in exchange for Clinton's promise to "water-down" Helms-Burton, is apparently waiting to see what course these new anti-Cuba measures will take and if President Clinton will sign them into law, should they reach his desk. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ACKNOWLEDGES THE WORK OF SUGAR WORKERS IN EASTERN HOLGUIN PROVINCE Havana, June 6(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has sent a message to sugarcane workers and residents in the eastern Cuban province of Holguin, acknowledging their performance in the current sugar harvest. The Cuban leader's congratulatory message was delivered by the First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party in that province, Jorge Luis Sierra, during the closing of a Party conference at the Ministry of the Interior. According to Sierra, Holguin produced 30,000 tons more than the previous harvest, thanks to higher efficiency. He also took note of the fact that the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Las Tunas also fulfilled their sugar production plans. HEAVY RAINS AFFECT PROVINCES IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN CUBA Havana, June 6(RHC)-- So far, over 1000 homes have been damaged and hundreds of people evacuated due to heavy rains that have been affecting the island's central province of Ciego de Avila and the eastern province of Santiago of Cuba. In Ciego de Avila, damages include dozens of homes destroyed and over 200 people evacuated, while in Santiago, there are over 300 houses damaged and several towns are cut-off due to rising flood waters. The airport at Santiago de Cuba has been closed and many sugarcane and rice fields have been affected. No lives have been lost so far and local authorities are already working to repair damages and send material aid to municipalities affected by the rains. Yesterday, meteorological services reported between 150 to 200 millimeters of rainfall and the forecast is for more rain in the coming days. The weather situation has prompted the mobilization of evacuation and civil defense teams. MOSCOW AND HAVANA WILL EXCHANGE OIL FOR SUGAR Moscow, June 6(RHC)-- Russia will receive 3,025,000 [three million, twenty-five thousand] tons of sugar in 1997 for the delivery of 9,075,000 [nine million, seventy-five thousand] tons of oil, according to a resolution issued by the Federal government today. According to the document, the oil supply to Cuba will be carried out with funds that are not included in the annual budget and the organization in charge of these operations will be determined by public leasing. The Russian Ministry of International Economic Relations will select the winning enterprise. The resolution was issued during the signing of the final act of the First Inter-governmental Session of the Russia-Cuba Commission for Economic Cooperation. The document -- which establishes ways to promote commerce and bilateral cooperation -- was signed by Cuba's Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas and the Russian Minister for Emergency Situations, Sergei Shoigu. Cabrisas also signed a plant health accord with Russia's First Deputy Minister for Agriculture. PRESIDENT OF CUBAN INSTITUTE OF RADIO AND TELEVISION ENDS VISIT TO CHINA Beijing, June 6(RHC)-- The President of Cuba's Radio and Television Institute (IRCT), Enrique Roman, has ended an official visit to China. The visit was considered an important step towards cooperation between Cuban and Chinese radio and TV institutes. Roman, who is also a member of the Cuban Communist Party's Central Committee, arrived in Beijing on Saturday and was received by China's Minister of Cinema, Radio and Television, as well as other officials. During his stay, the Cuban ICRT president signed a cooperation agreement with China's Central Television, which includes the exchange of programs and news services. Chinese authorities donated a satellite dish to ICRT, in order that Chinese TV signals can be received by satellite. In addition, the Spanish Department of Beijing's Central Radio presented five digital recorders to the Cuban institute, as part of another cooperation agreement. CUBA TAKES DETERMINED STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Havana, June 6(RHC)-- According to the Cuban Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment, Ricardo Sanchez, Cuba is advancing towards sustainable development despite its enormous economic limitations. Sanchez stated that Cuba is preparing an environmental law and will add the statute to the island's Constitution. The law will deal with the State's role for the protection of the environment and natural resources. Meanwhile, the resident coordinator of the United Nations system, Ariel Francais, has expressed his satisfaction with the way Cuba has used funds earmarked to improve the environment. With the assistance of a l70,000 dollar project financed by Montreal's Protocol through the United Nations Development Program, Cuba can now recycle industrial and commercial refrigeration gas -- and, in that way, help to preserve and protect the ozone. [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. 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