CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA May 30th, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Friday, May 30th, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA DENOUNCES NEW U.S. MEASURES TO TIGHTEN ILLEGAL BLOCKADE AGAINST THE ISLAND 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AWARDS JOSE MARTI ORDER TO VISITING JAMAICAN PRIME MINISTER PERCIVAL PATTERSON 3.- PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINEAN SENATE DENOUNCES SPAIN'S INSULTING INVITATION TO CUBA 4.- HAVANA'S HISTORIAN AND LAWMAKER PRAISES COOPERATION BY UNESCO AND THE SPANISH AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 5.- CUBAN AND LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE UNDER DISCUSSION AT THE 1ST SYMPOSIUM ON NATIONAL POET NICOLAS GUILLEN 6.- CUBA TO HOST INTERNATIONAL EVENT ON REGIONAL INTEGRATION CUBA DENOUNCES NEW U.S. MEASURES TO TIGHTEN ILLEGAL BLOCKADE AGAINST THE ISLAND Havana, May 30(RHC)-- Cuba has denounced new measures being considered by the U.S. Congress to tighten the illegal economic blockade against the island and promote domestic subversion in Cuba. At a packed news conference in Havana, the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon, told journalists that the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed ten legislative drafts earlier this month which are designed to widen the effects of the Helms-Burton Law. Alarcon said that one of legislative bills will allow the levying of taxes in the United States to third-country companies doing business with Cuba and that those in non-compliance would be prosecuted in U.S. courts. The Cuban parliament president pointed out that rather than modifying Helms-Burton to eliminate the extraterritorial character of several of its provisions -- as promised to the European Union in exchange for dropping its World Trade Organization suit -- these new measures, working their way through Congress, will actually tighten legislation against other countries. At this morning's news conference -- which was broadcast live on Radio Havana Cuba's Spanish language service, as well as CNN Espanol -- Alarcon said that these developments in the halls of the U.S. Congress "are yet another demonstration of the arrogant and hegemonistic character inherent in U.S. foreign policy." And the Cuban parliamentary leader stated that Cuba's accusations will be taken before the United Nations. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AWARDS JOSE MARTI ORDER TO VISITING JAMAICAN PRIME MINISTER PERCIVAL PATTERSON Havana, May 30(RHC)-- During a solemn ceremony last night at the Council of State in Havana, Cuban President Fidel Castro awarded the Jose Marti Order to visiting Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson. Receiving the highest distinction bestowed on a national or foreign citizen by the Cuban Council of State, Prime Minister Patterson accepted the Jose Marti Order on behalf of the Jamaican people. The visiting Jamaican leader also paid tribute to Cuba's National Hero, Jose Marti: "My illustrious predecessor, Comrade Michael Manley, of blessed memory, once described Jose Marti as a catalyst and a rock. He is an icon of tremendous international proportions. Poet, philosopher, political activist and patriot, Jose Marti is a symbol everywhere of the struggle of the oppressed for freedom and justice, for independence and human dignity. His political and intellectual vision continues to be a source of inspiration to all those who cherish the ideas of truth and justice. That vision serves as a beacon to guide those who strive for equity and equal rights in relations among nations. While he is rightfully acknowledged as the father of Cuba's revolutionary tradition, Jose Marti also serves as the fountain for true patriots the world over and as the beacon which illuminates the path of every advocate for the cause of humane values." Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson praised the role of the Cuban Revolution in the struggle against foreign domination and in favor of the world's poor: "The Cuban Revolution has never shunned its duty in the fight against imperialism, racism and colonialism. It continues to make more than its due contribution even today. And I say without fear of contradiction, Mr. President, contemporary history has already resolved you." During the award ceremony, Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson took the opportunity to announce that the Jamaican government has decided to improve relations between the two Caribbean island nations by upgrading the Jamaican Consulate in Havana to an embassy level, effective September 1st. He said that "the deepening of Jamaican and Cuban bilateral cooperation is important in the context of the development of our region and the future of the hemisphere." Prime Minister Patterson said Jamaica was prepared to give "its fullest support in assuring Cuba's integration within the hemispheric system" and, provided the parties are willing, offered to "help mediate and promote the normalization of relations between all sovereign countries of the Western Hemisphere." Finally, the Jamaican prime minister, in a clear reference to the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba, resolved to work together with the Cuban people to resist Washington's aggressions: "Let us, in the spirit of Jose Marti, vigorously oppose all forms of domination and political subservience. Let us resist unilateral, economic measures which are aimed at coercing developing countries. I am supremely confident that out of this visit will emerge a renewed commitment on the part of our two countries to build the bridges across which we will walk with greater understanding and sense of purpose into the next century. May we all become inspired in this task by the great legacy of Jose Marti and the indomitable spirit of the Cuban people in defense of their dignity and sovereignty." Jamaican Prime Minister Precival Patterson is on a five-day, official visit to Cuba. Today, he travelled to Matanzas Province, where he and his accompanying delegation visited the tourist beach resort of Varadero. PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINEAN SENATE DENOUNCES SPAIN'S INSULTING INVITATION TO CUBA Madrid, May 30(RHC)-- The President of the Argentinean Senate, Eduardo Menem, stated that Spain should have invited Cuba to the 7th Conference of Iberoamerican Parliamentary Presidents as a full-member, with full voting rights. Representing Argentina at the meeting, now underway in Madrid, Menem said that Cuba has been a member of the Interparliamentarian Union for YEARS and that Spain's invitation to attend the conference as only an observer was insulting. The President of the Argentinean Senate proposed that measures be taken in order to prevent similar incidents in the future and that invitations to such Iberoamerican meetings be taken out of the hands of the host countries. Earlier this month, the government of Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar issued an invitation to Cuba to attend the meeting as an observer, rather than as a full member. Cuba strongly condemned the insult and other Latin American parliamentarians followed suit. Last week, the Board of Directors of the Latin American Parliament, known as PARLATINO, added its voice to the growing condemnations. Calling the invitation "insulting and unacceptable," PARLATINO asserted that Madrid had treated Cuba in an inconsistent manner compared with other Iberoamerican countries. HAVANA'S HISTORIAN AND LAWMAKER PRAISES COOPERATION BY UNESCO AND THE SPANISH AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Cartagena, May 30(RHC)-- According to Havana's historian Eusebio Leal, "True international cooperation should encourage nations to find their own paths and design their own futures." The Cuban historian spoke in Cartagena, Colombia where he is part of the Cuban delegation to the 9th Meeting of Latin American Culture Ministers. The meeting ends Friday after two days of sessions at the Colombian beach resort. Leal noted that the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation have played a decisive role in preserving Havana's historical heritage in an area of nearly two square kilometers. Delegations from 30 nations were on hand at the regional meeting, which took place under the slogan "Cultural Heritage: Memory and Identity." CUBAN AND LATIN AMERICAN CULTURE DISCUSSED AT THE 1ST SYMPOSIUM ON NATIONAL POET NICOLAS GUILLEN Havana, May 30(RHC)-- The 1st International Symposium on Cuban National Poet Nicolas Guillen is slated for the second week of July. The symposium will foster exchange and research on Cuban and Latin American culture, particularly poetry. Guillen's hometown of Camaguey will host the event, which will mark the late poet's 95th birthday anniversary. 1997 also marks the 60th anniversary of Guillen's first visit to Mexico, France and Spain, where he lived and worked for a short period of time. The event will emphasize cultural links between those nations and Cuba. A member of the event's organizing committee, Roberto Mendez Martinez, told Granma newspaper Friday that, in addition, the symposium will focus on essays and studies on the work of Guillen, Cuban and Latin American cultural journalism and studies of Spanish language poetry. CUBA TO HOST INTERNATIONAL EVENT ON REGIONAL INTEGRATION Havana, May 30(RHC)-- Foreign and Cuban legal experts will gather in eastern Santiago de Cuba province next July for an international meeting on the role of the law in the process of Latin American and Caribbean integration. Jurists from the United States, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Panama, Costa Rica and Colombia have confirmed their participation at the meeting, which is sponsored by the Cuban International Law Association and the National Association of Cuban Jurists. Cuba's National Information Agency says that the meeting will spark scientific debate and the exchange of ideas and experiences on the impact of regulations and laws on the process of regional integration. The event's coordinator, Evelio Ramirez, told journalists that the schedule includes lectures by renowned international legal experts and studies on Latin American independence fighters. Globalization, Caribbean and Latin American integration, the legal framework of economic reforms on the continent and Washington's blockade against Cuba top the event's agenda. [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