CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA September 24, 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Wednesday, September 24, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- HAITIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CONCLUDES THREE-DAY VISIT TO CUBA 2.- JOINT VENTURES GAIN GROUND IN CUBA 3.- BRAZILIAN CITY GRANTS HONORARY CITIZENSHIP TO COMANDANTE ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA 4.- CUBA HONORS BRAZILIAN ARCHITECT OSCAR NIEMEYER 5.- HEPATITIS B WILL SOON BE ERADICATED IN CUBA 6.- FAMED ECUADORAN PAINTER OSWALDO GUAYASAMIN PRESENTS RADIO HAVANA CUBA WITH DONATION HAITIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CONCLUDES THREE-DAY VISIT TO CUBA Havana, September 24(RHC)-- Haitian Foreign Minister Fritz Longchamp wound up a three-day official visit to Cuba on Wednesday. Calling his visit "most productive," the Haitian foreign minister said it was "another step in strengthening bilateral relations between Cuba and Haiti." During his stay in Havana, Foreign Minister Longchamp and his delegation visited centers of economic and social interest. They also met with Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina, the Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade Ricardo Cabrisas and Minister of Construction Jose Canete. Cuba and Haiti re-established full diplomatic relations in February 1996 and signed a framework agreement in December of that same year. JOINT VENTURES GAIN GROUND IN CUBA Havana, September 24(RHC)-- Foreign entrepreneurs continue to put their confidence in the island's political stability and investment protection legislation. Over 300 joint ventures in 34 economic branches are currently set up on the island. According to Cuba's Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister, Ibrahim Ferradaz, this is a significant growth of foreign capital over the past five years -- when foreign investments on the island barely reached fifty enterprises. Addressing participants at an international workshop on finances, currently underway in Havana, Ferradaz announced that in addition to the two free zones currently operating in Cuba, there are plans to open two more over the next four months. The Cuban Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister said that far from jeopardizing Cuba's economic heritage, foreign investments create many jobs while, at the same time, provide technical assistance to Cuban experts. BRAZILIAN CITY GRANTS HONORARY CITIZENSHIP TO COMANDANTE ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA Rio de Janeiro, September 24(RHC)-- Thirty years after his death in combat in Bolivia, Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara continues to receive international honors. The municipality of Sao Goncalo in Rio de Janeiro has presented Camilo Guevara -- the fourth son of Che Guevara -- the title of "Honorary Citizen," granted posthumously to the heroic guerrilla fighter. Camilo Guevara is in Rio de Janeiro as part of the Cuban delegation to the 5th Cuban-Brazilian Solidarity Convention, which opens tomorrow at the University of Rio de Janeiro. CUBA HONORS BRAZILIAN ARCHITECT OSCAR NIEMEYER Rio de Janeiro, September 24(RHC)-- Cuban authorities have awarded illustrious Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer the Jose Marti Medal. Cuba's former Minister of Culture, Armando Hart, presented the 89 year-old architect with Cuba's highest distinction. Armando Hart -- currently the Head of the Office on Jose Marti, based in Havana -- is attending a wide range of activities paying homage to Ernesto Che Guevara in Sao Paulo. Addressing the awards ceremony was the Cuban Ambassador to Brazil, Ramon Sanchez, who read a letter by President Fidel Castro. In his letter, the Cuban leader referred to Niemeyer as "an eternal friend of the Cuban Revolution and an important architect". Oscar Niemeyer -- the architect who drew up the plans to Brasilia, the capital -- is the first Brazilian to be awarded the Jose Marti Medal. HEPATITIS B WILL SOON BE ERADICATED IN CUBA Havana, September 24(RHC)-- Hepatitis B will soon be eradicated in Cuba. Health authorities on the island have revealed plans to carry out a massive vaccination campaign that will put an end to liver disease. Officials predict that by the year 2000, hepatitis B will have been completely eliminated in Cuba. Next month, children from six to 14 years of age will be administered a vaccine against the virus causing hepatitis B, manufactured at the Cuban Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center. And in 1998, all Cubans under twenty years of age will be immunized against the disease. More than one million 100 thousand Cubans were immunized against hepatitis B last year. The immunizations reduced the incidence of the disease by nearly 48 percent among Cubans under 15 years of age. FAMED ECUADORAN PAINTER OSWALDO GUAYASAMIN PRESENTS RADIO HAVANA CUBA WITH DONATION Havana, September 24(RHC)-- Noted Ecuadoran painter Oswaldo Guayasamin has presented Radio Havana Cuba with a donation designed for our international listeners. One hundred thousand calendars for the New Year... 1998. The calendar has an image of Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara -- a reproduction of Guayasamin's painting entitled "The Latin American Quixote." [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. 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