CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA November 6 , 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taking from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Thursday, November 6, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA CELEBRATES SIGNIFICANT VICTORY AT UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA ARRIVES AT VENEZUELA'S MARGARITA ISLAND FOR 7TH IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT 3.- AS LONG AS US MILITARY THREAT PERSISTS, CUBA WILL NOT SIGN CONVENTION AGAINST LAND MINES, SAYS CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTRY 4.- US ATTORNEY TO PARTICIPATE AS OBSERVER IN HAVANA TRIAL AGAINST US CITIZEN WALTER VAN DER VEER 5.- NEW FREE TRADE ZONE OPENS IN HAVANA 6.- CUBAN AUTHORITIES EVALUATE ATTENTION TO THE DISABLED 7.- ANTI-AIDS CRUSADE TO BE LAUNCHED SOON CUBA CELEBRATES SIGNIFICANT VICTORY AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY Havana, November 6(RHC)-- In large red letters, Cuba's Granma newspaper frontpaged the overwhelming anti-blockade vote at the United Nations General Assembly with the title "SIXTH VICTORY". The news daily highlighted the significant increase in the number of UN member nations in favor of lifting the blockade, the decrease in the number of abstentions, and the deja vu of the same 3 countries who voted against the resolution: the United States, Israel and Uzbekistan. The news daily also listed the countries for and against, as well as those that abstained and were absent. 22 countries didn't participate in the vote, which means that support of Cuba's anti-blockade resolution could be even great had those countries been present. Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina expressed his conviction that the resistance of countries whose sovereignty is grossly trampled on by the United States will continue growing, and that dignity and self-determination will raise its head even higher in the future. Robaina said the UN vote gives to Cuba's demands a character of universality. Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage said today that Wednesday's vote is an important incentive for the Cuban people to carry forward their struggle. CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA ARRIVES AT VENEZUELA'S MARGARITA ISLAND FOR 7TH IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT Havana, November 6(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina stressed today that Cuba comes to the Iberoamerican Summit to listen and to be heard concerning the issue democracy. Robaina arrived in the early morning hours of Thursday at Margarita Island's Santiago Marino international airport aboard a special flight from Havana. Questioned by journalists upon his arrival, the Cuban Foreign Minister said that when speaking of democracy, it's imperative to hear not only what some think of the issue, but the opinions of all. He said that the essential definition of democracy is peoples' power, education, culture, the right to a job and government that is not corrupt. In this respect, Cuba, reiterated Robaina, has a clean record. The Cuban Foreign Minister also referred to the Iberoamerican Summit to be held here on the island in 1999. He said that despite pressures from Washington, Cuba is very serious with respect to the documents it signs and the commitments it makes. Thus far, reports concerning versions of the Iberoamerican Summit's final document -- receiving its final touches today -- do not question holding the 1999 gathering in Havana. AS LONG AS US MILITARY THREAT PERSISTS, CUBA WILL NOT SIGN CONVENTION AGAINST LAND MINES, SAYS CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTRY Havana, November 6(RHC)-- As long as a US military threat persists, Cuba will not sign an international treaty on the prohibition of land mines, said today the Cuban Foreign Ministry. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alejandro Gonzalez -- in the traditional, weekly press conference with the local and foreign press -- said that Cuba is under the permanent threat of the world's leading power and therefore requires all the means at its disposal to defend the nation from an eventual aggression. The statement was in response to a question concerning Washington's recent announcement that its land mines at the illegally occupied Guantanamo naval base would be eliminated by 1999 and replaced with more sophisticated detection devices. The US government has also refused to sign the anti-land mines treaty due to what it considers the military threat from North Korea. The area around the Guantanamo naval base is considered one of the most heavily mined zones in the western hemisphere. The Cuban Foreign Ministry spokesman said nevertheless that Cuba was willing to assist in the elimination of land mines threatening the civilian populations of Third World countries. US ATTORNEY TO PARTICIPATE AS OBSERVER IN HAVANA TRIAL AGAINST US CITIZEN WALTER VAN DER VEER Havana, November 6(RHC)-- The Cuban government has granted a visa to US attorney Dominick Salfi, to participate as an observer in the Havana trial against US citizen Walter Van Der Veer, which was slated to begin today. Van Der Veer was arrested at Havana's international airport in August, 1996, in possesion of military equipment and anti-Cuba literature, and charged with promoting crimes against the security of the state. He has admitted to being active with several ultra right wing groups based in Miami. The trial was originally slated for October 3rd, but postponed when US attorneys requested authorization to be present during the court proceedings. NEW FREE TRADE ZONE OPENS IN HAVANA Havana, November 6(RHC)-- A new free trade zone was opened in Havana Wednesday. Located in the western district of Mariel, the zone covers 553 hectares, and so far, it is the only such center on the island with port and air field facilities. Speaking with the press during the inauguratioin, Cuban vice-president Carlos Lage commented about the importance of free trade zones as a source of jobs, a provider of new technology, and as an expedite mean for production and marketing. The Mariel Free Trade zone is administered by the Almacenes Universales, S.A. Company from Cuba and so far more than 10 firms, mainly of European origin have expressed their willingness to establish outlets in the new facility. Cuba officially launched its strategy for Free Trade Zones and Industrial Park last year, with the approval of Decree law 165. The opportunity the island offers in terms of stability, absence of labor conflicts, and the availability of highly skilled manpower, are calling the attention of investors worldwide, despite Washington's efforts to strangle the island economically. Mariel is the third free trade zone opened in the country. Observes are forecasting that two others will be opened soon, one in the province of Cienfuegos, in Central Cuba, and another one in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba. CUBAN AUTHORITIES EVALUATE ATTENTION TO THE DISABLED Havana, November 6(RHC)-- Cuban authorities convened a meeting this week, to evaluate the attention to the island's disabled. For a follow up to a similar meeting held last year, representatives from ACLIFILM -the Association for the Physically disabled-, ANCI -the association that groups the blind-, and ANSOC which groups the deaf and hearing- impaired met with Cuban Communist Party Political Bureau members and the ministers of Education, Finance and Prices, Labor and Social Security, among other high-ranking government officials. According to information disclosed by Salvador Valdes, Minister of Labor and Social Security, 2 328 disabled persons were given jobs in light industry workshops this year. However, although the figure is higher than 1996, Valdes said that there are still 2 324 disabled people are awaiting for employment. Other aspects discussed were the unsatisfaction over the lack of adequate architectural access to building, social incommunication with the disable and the attention and integration of groups requiring greater attention like those of mentally retarded and deaf-blinds. After evaluating the progress made and the aspects that need further attention, representatives of the disabled acknowledged Cuba's authorities efforts in terms of medical attention, rehabilitation, medications, special education, recreations and search of job opportunities, whose spending are covered by the state. There are currently 78,630 people grouped in the island's various disabled organizations. ANTI-AIDS CRUSADE TO BE LAUNCHED SOON Havana, November 6(RHC)-- A Crusade of Hope against AIDS will soon be launched in Cuba. Cuban Public Health authorities and HIV carriers will be joining forces and begin the crusade next November 15 in Havana. According to organizers, the effort will have an educational purpose and is aimed at raising people's awareness on risk perception. During 1997, there's been an increase of seropositives in the island at a rate of a new case daily, mostly in the age group between 20 and 24 years. The specialists and seropositives participating in the crusade, will visit all provinces to inform citizens of what people should know about the spread of the deadly virus. The crusade will conclude on December 1st in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba. [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