CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA September 5, 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Friday, September 5, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- TERRORIST BOMB IN HAVANA HOTEL CLAIMS ONE LIFE 2.- ANGOLAN FOREIGN MINISTER VENANCIO DA SILVA MOURA IN CUBA 3.- IMPORTANT DELEGATION FROM DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ARRIVES ON THE ISLAND 4.- TOP UGANDAN OFFICIAL BEGINS VISIT TO CUBA ON SATURDAY 5.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SELECTED AS DIRECT DELEGATE TO FIFTH CONGRESS OF THE CUBAN COMMUNIST PARTY 6.- CUBA MARKS 40th ANNIVERSARY OF UPRISING IN CIENFUEGOS TERRORIST BOMB IN HAVANA HOTEL CLAIMS ONE LIFE Havana, September 5(RHC)-- Cuba has denounced further terrorist sabotage attacks carried out on the island, organized in the United States. Cuba's Interior Ministry released a statement today, confirming the explosion of three bombs Thursday afternoon in the Havana hotels Copacabana, Chateau and Triton, similar to others recently denounced by the Cuban government. This time, however, one terrorist bomb claimed the life of a 32-year-old Italian businessman. Fabio Di Celmo was killed at the Copacabana Hotel. He was reportedly in the hotel's lobby, near the bomb when it exploded. Fabio Di Celmo was pronounced dead on arrival at a Havana hospital. The Cuban Interior Ministry charged once again that these terrorist activities are organized and financed in the United States and are targeting tourist installations with the aim of negatively affecting one of the island's principal economic activities. "These attacks are in line with enemy efforts to strangle the economy as a way to destroy the Cuban Revolution." Cuba's Interior Ministry stated that "the Cuban people and government -- defenders of the country's legitimate peace and security -- strongly condemn crimes such as these, deeply regret the death of a young, peace-loving Italian citizen -- a victim of unscrupulous, professional assassins -- and are taking the necessary measures to confront these cowardly and repugnant attacks." Meanwhile, Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon -- currently in Chile to attend the Iberoamerican Legislative Seminar -- directly accused the extreme right-wing Cuban-American community in Miami for the terrorism unleashed against the island's tourism sector. Alarcon added that the recent rumors concerning the death of Cuban President Fidel Castro also originated in Miami, calling the rumors "a plan aimed at waging a war of nerves against Cuba." And in statements to reporters in Havana, Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina said the terrorist campaign comes on the heels of Washington's approval of millions of dollars earmarked for so-called `dissident organizations,' whose real aim is to destroy the Cuban Revolution. ANGOLAN FOREIGN MINISTER VENANCIO DA SILVA MOURA IN CUBA Havana, September 5(RHC)-- Upon his arrival in the Cuban capital last night, Angolan Foreign Minister Venancio Da Silva Moura told reporters that he is "a witness to the historic ties of friendship between the people of our two nations." The Angolan government official also expressed his country's "eternal gratitude to the Cuban people," in an implicit reference to the role played by Cuba in fighting the invasion of Angola by the former South African apartheid regime. Foreign Minister Da Silva Moura stressed that his country was anxious to increase bilateral cooperation in Cuba in all spheres, "which has been at an impasse for reasons that are well-known." The visiting Angolan official referred to the current military build-up carried out by Angola's rebel UNITA organization. IMPORTANT DELEGATION FROM DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ARRIVES ON THE ISLAND Havana, September 5(RHC)-- An important governmental and sports delegation from the Dominican Republic arrived in the Cuban capital on Thursday, led by Diandino Pena, First Secretary to the Presidency of the Republic. Among the members of the Dominican delegation are the heads of the Ministries of Industry and Commerce, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Culture and Sports, as well as the head of the Ministry of Public Works. On hand at Jose Marti International Airport yesterday to welcome the delegation to Havana was the Vice President of the Cuban Council of Ministers and President of the Cuban Olympic Committee, Jose Ramon Fernandez. The delegation will meet with Cuban government and sports officials and will be on the island until Sunday. The visit of this important delegation from the Dominican Republic is expected to lead to the signing of bilateral agreements in the area of sports. The capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, hopes to host the next Pan American Games, scheduled to take place in the year 2003. Cuba and the Dominican Republic established consular relations last June and despite the fact that full diplomatic relations do not yet exist between the two Caribbean countries, have developed relations in numerous areas of cultural and commercial interests. TOP UGANDAN OFFICIAL BEGINS VISIT TO CUBA ON SATURDAY Havana, September 5(RHC)-- The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Uganda, Eriya Kategaya, is scheduled to arrive in Cuba tomorrow, Saturday, to being an eight-day, official visit. Kategaya was invited by Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and is the highest ranking Ugandan government official to visit Cuba since 1988 -- when Ugandan President Yoweri Musevini responded to an invitation from Cuban President Fidel Castro. The Republics of Cuba and Uganda established diplomatic relations in May 1974 and since then have greatly expanded bilateral cooperation. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SELECTED AS DIRECT DELEGATE TO THE FIFTH CONGRESS OF THE CUBAN COMMUNIST PARTY Havana, September 5(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has been selected as a direct delegate to the Communist Party's upcoming Fifth Party Congress. Fidel was chosen as a representative from Santiago de Cuba. Preparations for the Party Congress geared-up last month with the selection of the first 300 direct delegates. In all, 1500 Party members and 250 guests will attend the island's most important political event, scheduled to take place from October 8th through the 10th. CUBA MARKS 40th ANNIVERSARY OF UPRISING IN CIENFUEGOS Cienfuegos, September 5(RHC)-- Residents from the provincial capital of Cienfuegos commemorated the 40th anniversary of the uprising against the bloody dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. On September 5, 1957, armed citizens of Cienfuegos took to the streets to fight the dictatorship's army. In response, Batista sent in the air force, strafing the city and killing dozens of civilians. The action, although failing to overthrow the tyranny, sparked the urban struggle which eventually led to the final victory of the Cuban Revolution in January 1959. [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. 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