CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA June 23, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Monday, June 23, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH VISITING BASQUE COUNTRY PRESIDENT JOSE ANTONIO ARDANZA 2.- DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS CLARIFY ROLE OF FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY IN BAY OF PIGS INVASION OF CUBA 3.- THOUSANDS OF DELEGATES TO 14TH WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS WILL TRAVEL TO CUBA ON CUBANA AIRLINES 4.- SIXTH EXPO-CARIBE INTERNATIONAL FAIR OPENS IN SANTIAGO 5.- ULTRA-SOUND TECHNIQUES: A COMMON PRACTICE IN ANIMAL RESEARCH CENTERS CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH VISITING BASQUE COUNTRY PRESIDENT JOSE ANTONIO ARDANZA Havana, June 23(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met with Basque Country President Jose Antonio Ardanza last night in the Cuban capital. The two leaders discussed bilateral economic cooperation between the two nations. This is the first time a Basque president has officially visited the island. The visit is aimed at strengthening the already good relations between Cuba and the Basque Country. Along with President Ardanza is a delegation of government officials and business representatives. The Basque delegation arrived in Cuba on Saturday will tour several joint projects in various sectors of the island's economy. DECLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS CLARIFY ROLE OF FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY IN BAY OF PIGS INVASION OF CUBA Washington, June 23(RHC)-- Recently declassified documents have revealed that former President John F. Kennedy paid little attention to his military advisors concerning the Bay of Pigs invasion launched against Cuba. The daily "USA Today" published an exhaustive analysis of some 1000 pages of declassified documents, demonstrating that Kennedy was more involved in the invasion than previously believed. According to the documents, on January 27, 1961 -- just one week after Kennedy assumed the presidency -- the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Armed Forces gave then-U.S. Secretary of State Robert MacNamara a memorandum expressing their doubts concerning the success of the invasion. On February 3rd, armed forces commanders told MacNamara that the alleged internal support in Cuba of an invasion required "greater analysis." On April 16th -- just before the invasion was launched -- the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Lyman Lemnitzer, told Kennedy that the success of the operation was "highly doubtful." Nevertheless, Kennedy apparently placed more trust in the Number Two man at the CIA -- Richard Bissel. The invasion quickly translated into defeat for Washington -- with 1179 mercenaries captured and 300 killed and without the popular, anti-Castro uprising predicted by the CIA. The exact opposite occurred, with hundreds of thousands of Cubans forming a voluntary militia to fight the invaders. In exchange for the mercenaries' release, the Cuban government demanded from Washington -- and received -- 53 million dollars worth of food, medicine and medical equipment. THOUSANDS OF DELEGATES TO 14TH WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS WILL TRAVEL TO CUBA ON CUBANA AIRLINES Havana, June 23(RHC)-- Cubana de Aviacion Airlines is reserving more than 4000 seats for delegates to the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students. More than 60 percent of the delegates will fly on Cubana de Aviacion Airlines, which has reduced its fares for delegates by 70 percent. The festival's official carrier will also exempt delegates from airport taxes. Cubana de Aviacion President Heriberto Prieto told the newspaper "Juventud Rebelde" that 25 percent of the company's seats will be reserved for delegates at the end of July into early August -- the height of the island's tourist season. For most African, Middle East and Asian young people, air transportation to Havana is the main obstacle. Therefore, many have found suitable alternatives. For example, Japanese delegates will fly on Mexicana Airlines. Cuba's Aero-Caribe will carry Haitians and Aero-Segovia will fly Nicaraguan delegates. Russia's Aeroflot Airlines will handle the transportation of delegates from various nations and Aviateca will bring Guatemalans to the 14th World Festival. Other air companies providing their support to the youth festival with lower prices are Tame, Avianaca, Aeropostal, Lacsa and Taag, which will carry delegates from the southern region of Africa. SIXTH EXPO-CARIBE INTERNATIONAL FAIR OPENS IN SANTIAGO DE CUBA Santiago de Cuba, June 23(RHC)-- With the participation of some 200 firms from 37 nations and more than 300 representatives from Cuban companies, Expo-Caribe '97 opened today in Santiago de Cuba. This 6th edition of the commercial fair has attracted the largest participation of foreign and local exhibitors ever. In addition to 20 Caribbean nations, the European Community has also sent participants to the fair. The President of Cuba's Chamber of Commerce, Carlos Martinez Salsamendi, told journalists that 30 percent of the island's trade is with Latin American and Caribbean nations. Salsamendi commented that trade between Cuba and the Caribbean region alone has increased 29-fold over the past five years. ULTRA-SOUND TECHNIQUES: A COMMON PRACTICE IN ANIMAL RESEARCH CENTERS Havana, June 23(RHC)-- Ultra-sound techniques -- used for the genetic improvement of animals -- are bearing fruit in Cuban research centers. With the introduction of ultra-sound techniques at the Research Center for the Improvement of Animal Species, Cuban veterinarians are able to conduct a complete gynecological diagnosis of the animal in order to genetically improve the species. The Research Center for the Improvement of Animal Species is the only center on the island to perform in-vitro fertilization and to actively participate in Cuba's animal cloning project. [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