CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA November 4 , 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taking from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Tuesday, November 4, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA SAYS THAT AT UPCOMING IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT CUBA IS OPEN TO ALL QUESTIONS, AND ALSO HAS MANY TO ASK 2.- VENEZUELAN SECURITY EXPELLS 8 COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES OF CUBAN ORIGIN AS IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT APPROACHES 3.- CUBAN FOREIGN TRADE CONTINUES GROWING.... 4.- ITALY SENDS MORE THAN 100 FIRMS TO HAVANA'S 15 INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR 5.- CUBAN PPG HITS THE MARKET IN QUITO 6.- PRODUCTION OF 100 MILLION CIGARS GUARANTEED 7.- ABORTIONS DECREASE, BUT MORE WORK WILL BE NEEDED TO REDUCE THEIR OCCURRENCE CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA SAYS THAT AT UPCOMING IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT CUBA IS OPEN TO ALL QUESTIONS, AND ALSO HAS MANY TO ASK Havana, November 4(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina reiterated late Monday that Cuba will be open to all questions and issues at the upcoming Iberoamerican Summit, and that, above all, Cuba could well ask many questions. In statements to the press before heading to Venezuela's Margarita Island -- site of the Summit -- the Cuban Foreign Minister made reference to one of the central issues on the Iberoamerican agenda: ethics and democracy. He said it was mistaken to believe that the Summit will create problems for Cuba due to the island's different political system, insisting that for Cuba there are no tabu issues. Robaina said that as in previous Iberoamerican Summits, the gathering will most certainly reaffirm the important principle that every nation has the right to choose a system of government that best correspons to its history, its traditions and, above all, its current necessities. The Cuban Foreign Minister deplored Washington's efforts to sow divisions within the Iberoamerican family, and also deplored the announcements of a few nations concerning their intentions to promote a debate on Cuba at Margarita Island. Robaina said that those few -- who he called spokespersons of the North -- don't realize that by acting against Cuba, they are acting against themselves and against regional unity. The Cuban Foreign Minister said that, nevertheless, Cuba is more than willing to answer any questions respectfully posed. VENEZUELAN SECURITY ARRESTS 8 COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES OF CUBAN ORIGIN AS IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT APPROACHES Havana, November 4(RHC)-- Venezuelan security agents arrested late Monday 8 counterrevolutionaries of Cuban origin on Margarita Island, site of the upcoming Iberoamerican Summit. Among those detained were Carlos Alberto Montaner and Jose Ignacio Rasco. They were reportedly interrogated and then sent to the capital, Caracas, under police custody. On Monday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Bureli insisted that no street demonstrations would be permitted during the Iberoamerican Summit, as authorities were implementing extreme security measures on the Venezuelan island. The issue of security at the Iberoamerican Summit has been at the center of media attention since 4 Miami -based Cuban- Americans were arrested off the coasts of Puerto Rico in a vessel containing high-powered rifles and abundant ammunition. According to a Puerto Rican customs agent, one of the Cuban-Americans admitted the existence of an assassination plot against Cuban President Fidel Castro. And it was discovered that the vessel impounded -- La Esperanza -- belongs to Juan Antonio Llama, member of the board of directors of the ultra right wing Cuban American National Foundation led by Jorge Mas Canosa. CUBAN FOREIGN TRADE CONTINUES GROWING.... Havana, November 4(RHC)-- Cuba's global foreign trade reported a 6% increase as of September 30, over the same period last year, says Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas. Speaking to Granma newspaper reporters at the 15th edition of Havana's International Trade Fair, the Cuban Minister said that the island's prime markets are still Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, Europe and China. The Cuban official added that the country's foreign trade is expanding as part of the national economic recovery process, despite difficulties in obtaining external financing, and late arrival of important raw materials for domestic industry. Ricardo Cabrisas noted that Cuba has signed investment promotion and protection agreements with 28 countries and other such agreements are currently being drafted. 294 mixed enterprises and economic associations with foreign partners have been set up, and more than 600 foreign firms have representatives on the island, said Foreign Trade Minister Cabrisas, who added that Cuba currently has economic and commercial ties with more than 125 nations and with 150 chambers of commerce. ITALY SENDS MORE THAN 100 FIRMS TO HAVANA'S 15 INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR Havana, November 4(RHC)-- Over 100 Italian firms are participating in the 15th edition of Havana's International Trade Fair, which opened its doors in Havana Sunday. The Italian Foreign Trade Institute and the commercial office of the Italian Embassy in Havana are the main sponsors of the participation in the trade fair of Italy, which is participating this year for the first time as a nation. Roberto Santilli, of the Italian Foreign Trade Institute in Havana, told ANSA news agency that Italy's presence at the fair has gradually increased over the last three years, in tune with Italian business interest in investment in Cuba. In 1996, he added, Italy exported 108 million dollars to Cuba while it imported 35 million worth of Cuban products. Italy currently stands as the country sending the most tourists to Cuba with an estimated 158 thousand yearly, followed by Canada with 125 thousand. CUBAN PPG HITS THE MARKET IN QUITO Quito, November 4(RHC)-- Cuba's famous anti-cholesterol medication, ateromixol, commonly known as PPG, has been launched in Ecuador. The Cuban manufactured product is being marketed by the Argentinean-based laboratory Bago. The medication has been credited with remarkable success in reducing cholesterol, as an anti-coagulant, and with offering other beneficial physical and psychological side effects. The product has been widely marketed in Cuba, and has been successfully tested on patients in South American countries PRODUCTION OF 100 MILLION CIGARS GUARANTEED Havana, November 4(RHC)-- The President of Habanos S.A., Cuba's cigar producing and marketing firm, Francisco Linares, says that the forecasted production of 100 million cigars for export will be met. Speaking in the Westernmost province of Pinar del Rio, at the launching of the new Vegueros cigar brand, the company executive announced that over 80 million hand rolled cigars have already been manufactured, and that the production of the remaining 20 million is going as planned. ABORTIONS DECREASE, BUT MORE WORK WILL BE NEEDED TO REDUCE THEIR OCCURRENCE Havana, November 4(RHC)-- Cuban health authorities have acknowledged that abortions and menstrual regulation procedures have decreased on the island over the last 10 years. Doctor Miguel Sosa Marin, Chairman of the Cuban Society for Family Development said that though such procedures have declined, a new attitude toward contraception is necessary if avoidable abortions are to be reduced. Dr. Sosa Marin stressed the need to continue creating an awareness of the problems involved in using abortions and menstrual regulations as contraceptives, since these methods can be harmful. The Cuban doctor noted that sometimes it takes years for signs of the damage from these medical procedures to emerge. [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) 814243 Fax: (53) (7) 812927 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org