CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA June 17th, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Tuesday, June 17th, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA IS ON CENTER STAGE AT CARICOM'S 23rd ANNUAL GATHERING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS IN GUYANA 2.- CUBA EXPRESSES TOTAL SUPPORT FOR ARGENTINEAN SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE MALVINAS ISLANDS 3.- NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION BEGINS WORK 4.- SANTIAGO DE CUBA SELECTED TO HOST CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR 5.- VIETNAMESE FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATIONS BEGIN THIRD NATIONAL DRIVE TO SEND RICE TO CUBA 6.- SPANIARDS FROM THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF VALENCIA SEND MATERIAL AID TO CUBA 7.- PRESIDENT OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY TO ARRIVE IN CUBA ON SATURDAY CUBA IS ON CENTER STAGE AT CARICOM'S 23rd ANNUAL GATHERING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS IN GUYANA Georgetown, June 17(RHC)-- Cuba continues at the center of debates during the Caribbean Community's 23rd Annual Gathering of Foreign Ministers. Winding up the two-day meeting in the Guyanese capital, CARICOM'S 14-member nations expressed their willingness to mediate between Cuba and the United States. Guyanese Foreign Minister Clement Rohee stated, however, that the two nations probably do not need mediation, since "both the United States and Cuba are capable of speaking with their own voices." Amid calls by CARICOM members to promote closer ties between Cuba and the regional body, Foreign Minister Rohee insisted that Cuba has much to offer its neighbors in areas such as education and health care. He said "this fact has been admitted by the entire world, from UNESCO to the World Health Organization." The government of Dominica joined with its colleagues, saying that Dominica "understands the pressures under which Cuba is struggle to survive." Edward Alexander, special aide to Dominica's Prime Minister Edison James, recalled that in 1996, his country ceased being the only English-speaking Caribbean nation that did not have diplomatic relations with Cuba. Also on the CARICOM agenda are the membership requests of Haiti and the U.S. Virgin Islands, future economic negotiations with the European Union and the beginning of talks next year aimed at creating a Free Trade Zone in the Americas. CUBA EXPRESSES TOTAL SUPPORT FOR ARGENTINEAN SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE MALVINAS ISLANDS New York, June 17(RHC)-- Cuba reiterated its total support for Argentina in its struggle for sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands. United Nations Ambassador Pedro Nunez Mosquera spoke Monday before the U.N. Committee on Decolonialization and called for a peaceful solution to the dispute between Argentina and Britain. The Cuban ambassador expressed his regret that little or nothing has been done concerning U.N. Resolution 2065, passed in December 1965 -- requiring that both parties sit down and negotiate the issue of the Malvinas Islands. Nunez Mosquera added that Cuba hopes Argentina and Britain can soon find a solution to the issue. In related news, Argentinean Foreign Minister Guido di Tella announced that he plans to travel to London next month to talk with this British counterpart, Robin Cook. Among the items on the agenda will be the future of the Malvinas Islands. NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION BEGINS WORK Havana, June 17(RHC)-- The National Electoral Commission has begun the task of organizing and overseeing the upcoming electoral process. The 16-member electoral commission is chaired by Cuban Justice Minister Roberto Diaz Sotolongo. Commission members were appointed by the Council of State under the island's l992 electoral law. Working sessions began today in the Cuban capital. Municipal elections have been set for October 19th, with run- off elections on the 26th. SANTIAGO DE CUBA SELECTED TO HOST CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR Havana, June 17(RHC)-- Cuban education officials have chosen the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba to host the closing ceremony of the current school year. The city was selected in recognition of the outstanding work of over 30,000 teachers from Santiago de Cuba who have succeeded in raising the quality of education in the province. The province of Santiago de Cuba ranks Number One in school enrollment island-wide and in the number of senior high students applying for pedagogical careers. VIETNAMESE FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATIONS BEGIN THIRD NATIONAL DRIVE TO SEND RICE TO CUBA Hanoi, June 17(RHC)-- Vietnam's Homeland Front is again calling on organizations and individuals to participate the Third National Campaign to send rice to Cuba. Official sources from the Asian nation have revealed that this time the donation will amount to 5000 tons of rice. The initiative was approved this weekend in Hanoi by Vietnam's highest governmental body at the close of the 16th Session of the country's Bilateral Inter-governmental Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. The announcement coincides with the closing of a Continental Cuba Solidarity Conference held in the Vietnamese capital last week. In previous rice collection drives, Vietnam sent 10,000 tons of rice in 1995 and 20,000 tons in 1996. Both campaigns were sponsored by the Homeland Front. In addition, the Vietnamese people have donated five million notebooks and pencils through a solidarity movement organized by the Ho Chi Minh Young Communist League. SPANIARDS FROM THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF VALENCIA SEND MATERIAL AID TO CUBA Valencia, June 17(RHC)-- Over 300 tons of material aid collected in the autonomous Spanish community of Valencia is bound for Cuba. The donation includes three tons of medicines, a container of medical supplies, four ambulances, four garbage trucks and 30 tons of school supplies. The shipment is expected in Havana by next week. PRESIDENT OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY TO ARRIVE IN CUBA ON SATURDAY Havana, June 17(RHC)-- The President of the Spanish autonomous government of the Basque Country, Jose Antonio Ardanza, will begin an official tour of the island on Saturday. During his four-day visit to Cuba, Ardanza will meet with high-ranking Cuban government officials. The president of the Basque Country will tour numerous places of social and economic interest. [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