CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA June 18th, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Wednesday, June 18th, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- U.S. SENATE QUIETLY APPROVES PACKAGE OF ANTI-CUBA MEASURES 2.- CUBA DENOUNCES WASHINGTON'S PROPAGANDA WAR AGAINST THE ISLAND'S ELECTORAL PROCESS 3.- U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO EXCLUDE FOOD AND MEDICINE FROM WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE 4.- GUYANESE FOREIGN MINISTER CLEMENT ROHEE ARRIVES IN HAVANA 5.- NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS SET UP IN CUBA 6.- NATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST DISEASE-CARRYING MOSQUITOES 7.- CUBA AND JAMAICA SIGN NEW COOPERATION ACCORD 8.- THE INTERNATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF THE 14TH WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS MEETS IN HAVANA 9.- CUBAN YOUNGSTERS WILL DEVOTE PART OF THEIR SUMMER VACATION TO WORK IN AGRICULTURE U.S. SENATE QUIETLY APPROVES PACKAGE OF ANTI-CUBA MEASURES Washington, June 18(RHC)-- The U.S. Senate this morning approved a series of anti-Cuba measures which had been previously passed in the House of Representatives, designed to tighten existing legislation against the island. According to Prensa Latina News Agency, the measures were quietly attached to other bills considered by the Senate and passed through as a package. The appropriations amendments were attached to legislation authorizing the re-organization of the U.S. State Department. Although the Senate language on a number of the anti-Cuba measures is different than that which was approved by the House last week, now the measures will go to a Congressional Conference Committee which will agree on final legislation before sending the bills to the U.S. president for his approval or disapproval. Among the measures that have now passed both the House and Senate is a bill that taxes the U.S. offices of foreign companies which have commercial relations with the island. In recent weeks, Cuba has denounced these new measures working their way through the U.S. Congress -- calling attention to the virtual "conspiracy of silence" around the proposed legislation. On numerous occasions, Cuban authorities have pointed out that rather than modifying Helms-Burton to `clean- up' the extraterritorial character of several of its provisions -- as promised to the European Union in exchange for dropping its challenge before the World Trade Organization -- these new congressional measures will actually tighten legislation against other countries. Observers say that maneuvering in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate has been carried out quietly, without its usual fanfare, in order to deliberately hide its intentions from its European allies. CUBA DENOUNCES WASHINGTON'S PROPAGANDA WAR AGAINST THE ISLAND'S ELECTORAL PROCESS Havana, June 18(RHC)-- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon charged that Washington is waging a war of propaganda against Cuban democracy and rejected any suggestion that so- called `international observers' inspect the island's electoral process. Speaking before a meeting of the Municipal Assemblies in the Cuban capital, Alarcon stated that "there is no process in the world like Cuba's, which counts on millions of real observers and participants." The Cuban parliamentary leader compared the voter turn-out in Cuba to that in the United States -- pointing out that not even half of those eligible to vote bother to go to the polls in the U.S., whereas more than 90 percent of the Cuban people take part in the democratic process. Alarcon also emphasized that no one knows where U.S. candidates come from, except that they apparently have money for expensive campaign advertising. "Here in Cuba, it is the workers and farmers themselves... one's own neighbors, who choose their representatives." The president of the Cuban parliament added that Cuba has developed a real, participatory democracy -- of the people, by the people and for the people. U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO EXCLUDE FOOD AND MEDICINE FROM WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE OF CUBA Washington, June 18(RHC)-- A bipartisan group of twelve U.S. congressional representatives has introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that will exclude food and medicine from Washington's economic blockade of Cuba. Backed by pharmaceutical companies, U.S. food giants and the Church, the representatives argued on Capitol Hill yesterday that restrictions on food and medicine place an unnecessary burden on the Cuban people. Leading the congressional group is James Leach, a Republican representative from Iowa. Representative Esteban Torres, a Democrat from the state of California, is also among the bipartisan group. The U.S. State Department has responded to the initiative by claiming that food and medicine can be shipped to Cuba under a licensing process put in place by the U.S. government. But the congressional representatives, as well as humanitarian organizations, insist that the restrictions are so tight that they place a de-facto prohibition on groups sending aid to the island. GUYANESE FOREIGN MINISTER CLEMENT ROHEE ARRIVES IN HAVANA Havana, June 18(RHC)-- Guyanese Foreign Minister Clement Rohee arrived in the Cuban capital this evening for an official visit at the invitation of his Cuban counterpart, Roberto Robaina. Guyana's foreign minister was accompanied by a delegation of government and business representatives. During his visit to Cuba, Rohee will preside over a meeting of the Cuba-Guyana Mixed Commission, which will examine various bilateral agreements between the two countries. The Guyanese foreign minister will also hold talks with top Cuban officials and is scheduled to visit places of social and economic interest. The visit of Foreign Minister Rohee is being seen as another step in the strengthening of relations between Cuba and Guyana and will open a new page in regional cooperation and integration. NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS SET UP IN CUBA Havana, June 18(RHC)-- On October 19th, Cubans will cast their ballots to elect delegates to the island's Municipal Assemblies. On Monday, Cuba's National Electoral Commission appointed those who will form the provincial and municipal electoral commissions, as well as the Isle of Youth Special Municipality and the Armed Forces. The members will officially take their posts on Saturday, June 21st. These commissions will be in charge of organizing and leading the electoral process in their regions, according to Cuba's Electoral Law. NATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST DISEASE-CARRYING MOSQUITOES Havana, June 18(RHC)-- A note released by Cuba's Public Health Ministry was published in today's edition of the daily newspaper Gramma. According to the Health Ministry, the island's epidemiological surveillance system has detected several hundred cases of dengue in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. The note adds that the municipality had registered an increase in the number of aedes-aegyptis mosquitoes which carry dengue fever. The Cuban Health Ministry says that local health authorities have taken measures both to protect those affected and to clean-up the environment. As a result, the mosquito population is progressively being reduced and the infection rate has dropped considerably. According to the Cuban Health Ministry, the situation has been reported to the Pan American Health Organization. Although no dengue cases have been reported in any other part of Cuba, authorities have launched a national clean-up campaign so that health care levels among the population are not affected. Following the 1977-1978 dengue epidemic on the island, Cuba managed to eradicate a resurgence of the disease in 1981 and to significantly reduce the number of aedes-aegypti mosquitoes. Based on past experience in fighting the disease, Cuban health authorities expect to soon eliminate the current dengue outbreak in the eastern part of the country. CUBA AND JAMAICA SIGN NEW COOPERATION ACCORD Havana, June 18(RHC)-- Cuba and Jamaica have signed a cooperation accord in Havana in the field of sports. The agreement includes exchanges in athletics, basketball, boxing, football and volleyball. Jamaica's Minister for Labor, Social Security and Sports, Horace Daley, has expressed his country's interest in exchanging competitive delegations with Cuba every year. THE INTERNATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF THE 14TH WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS MEETS IN HAVANA Havana, June 18(RHC)-- The International Festival Coordinating Committee -- the ICC -- is putting the final touches on the organization of the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. Some 45 representatives from 23 nations are fine-tuning the details in Havana, just forty days before the inauguration of the youth event on the island. The 3rd meeting of the ICC is mainly focusing on international transportation and fees. Cuba's representative at the meeting, Young Communist League leader Victoria Velazquez, told participants that Cuba's Cubana de Aviacion airline will handle the transportation of more than half the delegates. She also told the ICC members that transportation fees for delegates will be reduced by nearly 70 percent. In all, the Cuban airline will carry more than 4500 delegates out of an estimated total of more than 6000 foreign participants coming to Cuba this summer. The Cuban National Preparatory Committee also announced that some 30,000 Cuban families have volunteered their homes to accommodate delegates during the nine-day event. After this 3rd meeting winds-up on Friday, most members of the ICC will remain on the island until the Festival begins on July 28th. CUBAN YOUNGSTERS WILL DEVOTE PART OF THEIR SUMMER VACATION TO WORK IN AGRICULTURE Havana, June 18(RHC)-- Over 140,000 Cuban youngsters will dedicate part of their summer vacation to work in the countryside, as members of the Students Work Brigades -- an increase of 30,000 young people, as compared to 1996. Traditionally, Cuban youngsters devote 15 days of their vacation to agriculture work, as well as in health and other sectors. According to the announcement, some 14,000 students will support the activities of the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students, to be held from July 28th to August 5th. Half of these Cuban young people will participate in the closing ceremony of that international gathering. [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