CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA 16 October , 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Thursday, October 16, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- SANTA CLARA PAYS ITS RESPECTS TO COMANDANTE CHE GUEVARA AND HIS COMRADES-IN-ARMS, KILLED IN BOLIVIA 30 YEARS AGO 2.- EUROPEAN UNION DIVIDED OVER EXTENSION OF TALKS ON EXTRATERRITORIAL HELMS-BURTON LAW 3.- WASHINGTON'S USE OF FOOD AS A POLITICAL WEAPON CONDEMNED AT UNITED NATIONS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION 4.- CUBAN AND BRAZILIAN TRADE UNIONS SIGN BILATERAL PROTOCOL 5.- FUTURE OIL PROSPECTS LOOK GOOD FOR CUBA 6.- PROTESTS AGAINST U.S. POLICIES SET FOR THIS WEEKEND IN LONDON 7.- DOMINICA'S EDUCATION MINISTER RONALD GREENE VISITS CUBA 8.- CUBA IS ON LINE / INTERNET CONNECTIONS GROW ON THE ISLAND SANTA CLARA PAYS ITS RESPECTS TO COMANDANTE CHE GUEVARA AND HIS COMRADES-IN-ARMS, KILLED IN BOLIVIA 30 YEARS AGO Santa Clara, October 16(RHC)-- In this central Cuban city with a population of just over 200,000, more than 100,000 people have filed-past the coffins of Ernesto Che Guevara and his six comrades-in-arms. Despite heavy rain Wednesday afternoon, authorities were forced to keep open the doors of the Jose Marti Library -- where the remains lie in state -- until the early morning hours of Thursday. And just hours later, long lines had already formed to pay tribute to Cuba's Heroic Guerrilla. On each side of the entrance to the library are two huge mountains of multi-colored flowers, silently deposited by the visitors before entering the building. The First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party in Villa Clara said that Che has been immortalized in that province due to the numerous socio- economic works that he initiated there while holding the post of Minister of Industry. At 9 o'clock tomorrow morning, the final funeral ceremony and military honors will begin -- on the seventh and last day of official mourning throughout Cuba. Radio Havana Cuba's Spanish-language frequencies will provide live coverage of the ceremonies, while our English-language broadcasts will bring you details later in the evening. Among some of the foreign guests of honor who will attend the ceremonies are Nicaraguan Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega; the leader of El Salvador's Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, Shafick Handal; the leader of Uruguay's leftist Broad Front, Tabare Vasquez; and Argentineans Patricia Bernardi and Anhais Ginarti, anthropologists who formed part of the forensic team that discovered and identified Che's remains in Bolivia. EUROPEAN UNION DIVIDED OVER EXTENSION OF TALKS ON EXTRATERRITORIAL HELMS-BURTON LAW Brussels, October 16(RHC)-- Opinions are divided in the European Union following the inability to reach an agreement with Washington on the anti-Cuba Helms-Burton Law. The permanent ambassadors before the EU officially expressed their strong disappointment today over the lack of an agreement following EU-U.S. talks on Tuesday and Wednesday. The permanent ambassadors stated that they did not accept an extension of those talks until next week -- as defended by EU Trade Commission Leon Brittan -- unless the United States is more flexible and comes up with a new gesture. The position of the ambassadors will have to be approved in the capitals of the 15 European nations, but observers agree that a reintroduction of the challenge against Helms-Burton in the World Trade Organization is hanging in mid-air. Other EU officials, however, want to continue talks up to the April deadline for reintroducing the challenge in the WTO, though that would automatically occur if Washington applies sanctions on any European firms. WASHINGTON'S USE OF FOOD AS A POLITICAL WEAPON CONDEMNED AT UNITED NATIONS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION Rome, October 16(RHC)-- Cuba's Ambassador in Rome before the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Juan Nuiry, has again blasted the U.S. government's use of food as a political weapon against the island. Nuiry's statements came during official ceremonies in the Italian capital within the context of World Food Day. The Cuban ambassador recalled that the political declaration adopted during the first World Food Summit, held last November in Rome, unanimously condemned that practice, with the sole exception of Washington. "In this war of David versus Goliath, the U.S. blockade has deprived the Cuban people of food and medicine." Nonetheless, the Cuban ambassador stressed, "Cuba will continue struggling for its right to exist and to have different ideas." Nuiry said that it was precisely Cuba's different way of thinking that led to a criminal blockade that will be condemned by history. CUBAN AND BRAZILIAN TRADE UNIONS SIGN BILATERAL PROTOCOL Havana, October 16(RHC)-- With the signing of a protocol of intent, Brazil's General Confederation of Workers and the Confederation of Cuban Workers have officially sealed bilateral relations. According to the agreement -- signed during a visit to Havana by Brazilian trade union leader Francisco Caninde -- the trade unions will foster exchange between the two organizations and develop what has become known as "trade union tourism" -- the setting up of facilities for workers to enjoy their vacations. Trade union tourism in Cuba has brought more than 800 union representatives from various countries around the world to the island so far this year. The bilateral agreement between Cuban and Brazilian trade unions also allows for joint work initiatives which will benefit workers from the two nations. FUTURE OIL PROSPECTS LOOK GOOD FOR CUBA Beijing, October 16(RHC)-- Cuban officials hope to strike oil in at a least two new oil fields over the next few years. The island's Basic Industry official, Manuel Materro, told participants at the 15th World Oil Congress, underway in the Chinese capital, that Cuba is steadily advancing in the discovery of petroleum. During the event's closing session last night, the Cuban delegate said that to date, the island has signed 22 high-risk exploration contracts, covering nearly all of the island's oil regions. Sources from Beijing note that Cuba has been elected as a member of the Executive Board of the World Oil Congress. The non-governmental organization is made up of 60 of the world's most important oil importing and exporting nations. Recent statistics reveal that operations are underway on four new oil wells in the western and central regions of the island. Average production stands at 1500 barrels a day for each well. Oil workers will reportedly drill in ten different locations across the island over the next year. According to experts, the island could produce a total of one million 500,000 tons of oil before the end of this year. PROTESTS AGAINST U.S. POLICIES SET FOR THIS WEEKEND IN LONDON London, October 16(RHC)-- On Saturday, London's streets will vibrate with the sounds of thousands -- protesting Washington's blockade against Cuba. This will be the second such march in the past two years organized by the British solidarity organization "Cuba Solidarity Campaign." Marchers will step-off from Trafalgar Square in downtown London and pass by the U.S. embassy. Organizers in London are expecting a huge turn-out for Saturday's demonstration of support for Cuba and opposition to Washington's hostile policies. DOMINICA'S EDUCATION MINISTER RONALD GREENE VISITS CUBA Havana, October 16(RHC)-- The Minister of Education of Dominica, Ronald Greene, is on a four-day visit to Cuba. He arrived in the Cuban capital on Monday. The objective of Greene's visit is to meet with the Minister of Education of Cuba, Luis Ignacio Gomez, and also discuss possibilities for receiving technical assistance from Cuba's Institute of Sports and Recreation, INDER. Representatives of more than 100 students from Dominica living and studying in Cuba are also scheduled to talk with Dominica's Minister of Education before he returns home on Saturday. CUBA IS ON LINE / INTERNET CONNECTIONS GROW ON THE ISLAND Havana, October 16(RHC)-- Most Cuban ministries are now connected to the World-Wide Web -- known as INTERNET. The announcement was made at the 5th International Informatic Congress, currently underway in Havana. In the framework of INFO '97, participants are also analyzing the role of computer networks in Latin America and the Caribbean. Debates at INFO '97 will run through tomorrow, when the First International Colloquium on Specialized Libraries will also come to an end. Cuba officially hooked up to the world's largest information network -- INTERNET -- in October of last year. Since then, priority has been given to enterprises and government offices, earmarking resources for the acquisition of specialized equipment. [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