CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA May 23, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Friday, May 23, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER COMES OUT FOR RESPECTFUL RELATIONS BETWEEN HAVANA AND WASHINGTON 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF 7th U.S.-CUBA FRIENDSHIPMENT CARAVAN 3.- CUBA'S HEALTH SYSTEM GUARANTEES ATTENTION TO FOREIGN DELEGATES TO THE 14TH WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS 4.- TAXES ON HOUSE RENTING WILL BE ALLOTTED TO POPULAR HOUSING MAINTENANCE AND REFURBISHING PROGRAMS 5.- CUBA'S NATIONAL BANK PASSES RESOLUTION ON MONEY LAUNDERING 6.- EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY ACTIVISTS TO MEET IN COPENHAGEN TO STRATEGIZE ON PRO-CUBA WORK 7.- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY T.V CHANNEL WILL PROJECT FILMS BY LATE CUBAN FILMAKER TOMAS GUTIERREZ ALEA CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER COMES OUT FOR RESPECTFUL RELATIONS BETWEEN HAVANA AND WASHINGTON Havana, May 23(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister, Roberto Robaina, says Cuba is willing to maintain relations with the United States on the basis of respect for the principles of independence, sovereignty and non-interference. Robaina spoke at an interview broadcast live by Cuban radio. The Cuban Foreign Minister said that the island is interested in having relations with the United States at any moment on only one condition: no conditions. He stressed that when Washington accepts those basis, Cuba won't oppose resolving the long conflict between the authorities of the two countries. Robaina noted that since the triumph of the Revolution in 1959, Cuba has carried out an independent policy in contradiction with the tendency that in his words many in the world are used to hearing what Washington says to adopt their policies to that nation's dictates. The Foreign Minister harshly criticized the anti-Cuban Helms-Burton Law aimed at further tightening the US blockade against the Caribbean island. Robaina also referred to Pope John Paul II's visit to the island, scheduled for early next year. The Cuban Foreign Minister said that Cuba is preparing the Pontiff's visit in a very professional way. He said that the country's authorities, the island's Bishops and the Vatican are working jointly to prepare the visit. He said that all conditions have been created and many contacts made on the issue. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF 7th U.S.-CUBA FRIENDSHIPMENT CARAVAN Havana, May 23(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met on Friday with members of the 7th U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan. The meeting took place at the Ernesto Che Guevara Pioneer Children's Palace, just outside of the Cuban capital. Welcomed by hundreds of young Cuban girls and boys, the caravanistas first toured the facility and then were guests of Cuba's youngest citizens, who presented a program of music and children's songs. The 7th Pastors for Peace Caravan was dedicated to Cuban children. Among the items donated by the U.S. religious/solidarity group are several school busses, a mobile library filled with children's books, an ambulance, medicines, computers and toys. During their week-long stay on the island, the activists visited hospitals, schools, agricultural cooperatives and other places of interest. The Pastors for Peace activists leave Havana for their respective countries tomorrow morning. CUBA'S HEALTH SYSTEM GUARANTEES ATTENTION TO FOREIGN DELEGATES TO THE 14TH WORLD FESTIVAL OF YOUTH AND STUDENTS Havana, May 23(RHC)-- The more than five thousand foreign delegates to the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students will have health assistance guaranteed. An article published in today's Granma newspaper says over 50 hospitals will be available islandwide to provide young delegates with health services. The Granma article notes that Cuban physicians and nurses will travel in buses and trains with delegates on their way to the different provinces co-hosting the summer event. In related news, the Cuban delegation to the youth event will denounce Washington's aggressions against Cuba. The head of the event's organizing committee, Rogelio Polanco, told the press in Havana that local representatives will talk about biological and terrorist aggressions against the island as well as hundreds of hours weekly of illegal anti-Cuba radio and T.V broadcasting from Miami. TAXES ON HOUSE RENTING WILL BE ALLOTTED TO POPULAR HOUSING MAINTENANCE AND REFURBISHING PROGRAMS Havana, May 23(RHC)-- Popular housing maintenance and refurbishing programs will be the main beneficiaries of new taxes on home rentals. On May 15th Cuba's Council of State issued decree number 171 legalizing housing rentals. Owners renting their homes are required to pay two separate taxes: one on the rentals and another on personal income. According to today's edition of Granma newspaper, experts from Cuba's National Housing Institute and the National Office of Tax Management say they are confident that the measure will bring in several million dollars in taxes on home rentals. The recently passed law forbids home owners to rent their properties to institutions, organizations, companies or foreign entities. Private home renting is also prohibited for commercial, industrial and service purposes. CUBA'S NATIONAL BANK PASSES RESOLUTION ON MONEY LAUNDERING Havana, May 23(RHC)-- Cuban banking officials are making sure that drug trafficking -related capital is not introduced on the island. In its latest edition, Cuba's Bohemia weekly magazine's announced that the National Bank has passed a resolution against money laundering activities on the island. National Bank Secretary, Julio Fernandez de Cossio, told Bohemia that to date not one money laundering operation has been reported due to the strict control by local financing institutions. Fernandez de Cossio said that all the money that has entered the island so far has been clean capital and he stressed that the bank has been keeping close watch on all large transactions. The Secretary of the Cuban National Bank stressed that Cuba is eager to attract foreign capital and increase financial operations abroad but -he stressed- that capital must be legal. Though the Cuban Penal Code makes no reference to money laundering, explained Fernandez de Cossio- those charged with the crime will serve sentences similar to those for robbery, embezzlement and swindling. According to the Cuban bank official, the island's penal code needs to be revised to include sanctions against this type of crime EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY ACTIVISTS TO MEET IN COPENHAGEN TO STRATEGIZE ON PRO-CUBA WORK Havana, May 23(RHC)-- More than 150 European representatives of solidarity associations will map out a strategy in support of the Cuban Revolution. The meeting will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, next March. The president of the Danish--Cuban Friendship Association, Suen Erik, told Cuba's Prensa Latina news agency in Copenhagen that the gathering is basically aimed at increasing European solidarity with Cuba. Erik said that the European Friendship with Cuba Conference -held every two years- will examine the solidarity experiences of each nation. NEW YORK UNIVERSITY T.V CHANNEL WILL PROJECT FILMS BY LATE CUBAN FILMAKER TOMAS GUTIERREZ ALEA Havana, May 23(RHC)-- New York University 's television channel will show four of the best films of the late Cuban filmaker Tomas Gutierrez Alea. Professors of several US universities will conduct debates on the films after each projection. T.V viewers will have the chance to get to know the work of the famed director of the popular movie, Strawberry and Chocolate. Titon -as he was also called, died last April 16th, from a lung cancer at the age of 68. Gutierrez Alea was co-director of the internationally acclaimed film "Strawberry and Chocolate" -an oscar nominee in the 1995 Academy Awards. He began his career in 1950. After the popular Strawberry and Chocolate, Gutierrez Alea is perhaps best known for the Cuban classic," Memories of Underdevelopment" Forty five years after his first short film, Tomas Gutierrez Aleas had directed 19 movies, many of them honored at international and local film festivals. [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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