CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA June 10th, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Tuesday, June 10th, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA ARRIVES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 2.- CUBA AND CHINA OPEN THE 9th INTERGOVERNMENTAL SESSION FOR TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS IN BEIJING 3.- HEAVY RAINS AFFECT WESTERN REGIONS OF THE ISLAND 4.- CUBAN HEART PATIENT DOING WELL 5.- UKRAINE-CUBA INTERPARLIAMENTARY FRIENDSHIP GROUP CONDEMNS NEW LEGISLATIVE MEASURES IN U.S. CONGRESS 6.- HAVANA MATERNITY HOSPITAL RECEIVES AID FROM EUROPEAN COMMUNITY'S HUMANITARIAN OFFICE CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA ARRIVES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Santo Domingo, June 10(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina arrived today in the Dominican Republic as part of his tour of several nations here in the region. Robaina was received by his Dominican counterpart, Eduardo La Torre. In visits to Guatemala, Panama and Costa Rica, the Cuban foreign minister has personally delivered letters from Cuban leader Fidel Castro to those countries' presidents, explaining the new, anti-Cuba measures being debated in the U.S. Congress. He is expected to do the same during his meeting with Dominican President Leonel Fernandez. The Cuban foreign minister is expected to leave the Dominican Republic on Thursday en route to Nicaragua. Speaking to journalists upon his arrival at Santo Domingo's International Airport, Robaina expressed Cuba's concern that some countries and governments are not fully aware of the new, anti-Cuba measures on the floor of the U.S. Congress, aimed at further stiffening application of the Helms-Burton Law -- just when President Bill Clinton promised the European Union that the legislation would be `watered-down.' Cuba and the Dominican Republic do not have diplomatic relations, but over the past several years, bilateral cooperation has increased in trade, tourism, sports and culture. As part of Cuba's diplomatic offensive in the face of increased U.S. hostility, Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage has begun a South American tour, arriving today in Uruguay. Lage is expected to meet with Uruguayan President Julio Maria Sanguinetti. CUBA AND CHINA OPEN THE 9th INTERGOVERNMENTAL SESSION FOR TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS IN BEIJING Beijing, June 10(RHC)-- Cuba and China opened the 9th Intergovernmental Session for Trade and Economic Relations today in the Chinese capital. During the opening ceremony, Chinese Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Minister Wu Yi reiterated her country's condemnation of Washington's stepped-up, anti-Cuba hostility. The Chinese official also pointed to two significant events for China this year: the return of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty and the Chinese Communist Party's 15th Congress. Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas took the opportunity to again thank China for the 50 million dollar line of government credit that Beijing extended to Cuba during the recent visit to Havana of Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Li Lanqin. The credit will be earmarked for Cuba's education sector. Cabrisas then went on to give a panorama of Cuba's incipient economic recovery, stating that though the island is far from satisfying its real demands, economic growth rates have been good and the Cuban people have gradually embarked on a road towards greater efficiency and competitiveness. The Cuban foreign trade minister pointed out that in comparison to 1995, joint ventures with foreign capital in Cuba have grown by 22 percent and that most of that growth occurred after Washington's Helms-Burton Law. HEAVY RAINS AFFECT WESTERN REGIONS OF THE ISLAND Havana, June 10(RHC)-- Torrential rains that a few days ago affected eastern Cuba have now moved westward. The rain started to hit the central and western part of the island Saturday and, according to civil defense authorities, a warning is in effect in Havana, the capital, where some 30 buildings have collapsed. Three rivers that cross the city are threatening to flood nearby areas and residents have been evacuated. Two tunnels connecting the Vedado and Miramar neighborhoods have been closed due to flooding. Though rains have diminished in Havana over the past few hours, weather reports are still calling for the possibility of heavy rains. In western Matanzas province, the rains damaged 34 houses and cut-off travel by road in several areas of the province. A number of sugarcane plantations report flood water of up to three and a half feet deep. At present, damages in the eastern part of the island are being evaluated. Santiago de Cuba reported up to two and a half feet of water -- damaging homes, railroads, bridges and telephone lines. More than 25,000 people were affected and some 20 houses were totally destroyed in that eastern region. But from central Cienfuegos province to Guantanamo in the east, a total of 7000 houses suffered damages, electrical lines were downed, hospitals and airports were also affected. Regarding eastern Granma province, 67 houses were totally destroyed, while 500 others were partially damaged. However, despite all the damage, the rains have brought some benefits to the almost exhausted water reservoirs, following more than seven months of a severe draught. And, most important, no human lives have been lost so far. The rains are associated with an area of low pressure, located in the southeastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico. CUBAN HEART PATIENT DOING WELL Havana, June 10(RHC)-- The Cuban mechanic who received a new heart 28 days ago, Pablo Miranda, is in good health and has successfully passed all tests undergone at Havana's Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital. The 28-year-old industrial worker exercises on his bicycle, takes in the sun on Havana's seaside drive -- the Malecon -- eats any kind of food and has handled the emotion of seeing his wife and children without any difficulty. Cuban cardio-surgery expert Dr. Noel Gonzalez, has expressed his satisfaction for the work carried out by the multi-disciplinary team that took care of Miranda -- now an unmistakable proof of the advances achieved in Cuban medicine. UKRAINE-CUBA INTERPARLIAMENTARY FRIENDSHIP GROUP CONDEMNS NEW LEGISLATIVE MEASURES IN U.S. CONGRESS Kiev, June 10(RHC)-- The Ukraine-Cuba Interparliamentary Friendship Group has condemned the new aggressive maneuvers of Washington against Cuba, aimed at tightening the economic blockade. A declaration issued in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev criticized "the arrogance with which the U.S. Congress openly dictates extraterritorial measures -- totally ignoring the rights and obligations of other countries." The Ukrainian Interparliamentary Group "strongly rejects this type of international policy and expresses its solidarity with Cuba." HAVANA MATERNITY HOSPITAL RECEIVES AID FROM EUROPEAN COMMUNITY'S HUMANITARIAN OFFICE Havana, June 10(RHC)-- Havana's largest maternity facility, the Eusebio Hernandez Hospital in Marianao, was given an important aid delivery by the European Community's Humanitarian Office -- ECHO -- part of its ten million dollar assistance program to Cuba this year. The aid consists of basic food products like meat, oil and milk, as well as sanitary and surgical equipment, medicines and other items -- all aimed at improving the hospital's health indicators. In 1996, this maternity facility registered a 4.2 infant mortality rate, while no maternal deaths occurred. More than 4000 babies are born at this hospital every year and over 250,000 women from eight municipalities in Havana receive services at this center. According to the permanent representative of the European Community's Humanitarian Office in Havana, Joseph Vargas, ECHO's global aid program to Cuba will not only be maintained but also increased to over 15 million dollars in 1998. [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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