CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA September 25, 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, September 25, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- EUROPEAN UNION WARNS WASHINGTON TO COMPLY WITH DEADLINE TO CHANGE EXTRATERRITORIAL NATURE OF HELMS-BURTON 2.- MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD ARRIVES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 3.- NEW BOOK "CHE GUEVARA AND THE FBI" LAUNCHED IN HAVANA 4.- HOMAGES TO GUERRILLA FIGHTER ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA 5.- FIFTH BRAZILIAN SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA CONVENTION UNDERWAY 6.- RUSSIAN SCIENCE ACADEMY NAMES CUBAN SCIENTIST AS MEMBER 7.- CUBAN HEALTH PROGRAMS USED AS MODEL IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 8.- AND IN SPORTS... CUBA HOPES TO WIN FOUR MEDALS AT THE AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS EUROPEAN UNION WARNS WASHINGTON TO COMPLY WITH DEADLINE TO CHANGE EXTRATERRITORIAL NATURE OF HELMS-BURTON Brussels, September 25(RHC)-- The European Union's Foreign Trade Commissioner Leon Brittan has warned Washington that the anti-Cuba Helms-Burton Law must be modified by the October 15th deadline. According to an EU source in Brussels, Brittan has been emphatic concerning U.S. President Bill Clinton's promise to modify the legislation in exchange for the withdrawal of the EU's challenge against Helms-Burton in the World Trade Organization. Brittan has been holding talks with U.S. representatives in New York, parallel to the 52nd United Nations General Assembly. Further talks are slated for next Monday and Tuesday in Washington. Last week, the European Parliament called on the European Commission to reintroduce the Helms-Burton challenge in the WTO if Clinton does not respect his commitment by October 15th. MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD ARRIVES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, September 25(RHC)-- Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad arrived this evening in Havana for a three-day official visit. The prime minister was welcomed by Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and is expected to meet tomorrow with Cuban President Fidel Castro. The Malaysian foreign minister is accompanied by a large, 130-member delegation, including high-ranking government officials and business representatives. Cuba and Malaysia are expected to sign three bilateral agreements: an investment and promotion of investment accord, another on trade and yet another on the exemption of travel visas between the two countries. The Malaysian delegation will also travel to Chile, Uruguay and Argentina. According to the Malaysian foreign ministry, the aim of the Latin American tour is to search for new markets and promote greater South-South cooperation. NEW BOOK "CHE GUEVARA AND THE FBI" LAUNCHED IN HAVANA Havana, September 25(RHC)-- The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation -- the FBI -- opened a file in Washington, DC on a young Argentinean rebel during the early 1950's. His name was Ernesto Che Guevara and he was only 25 years old. That information was revealed Wednesday here in Havana by two authors of a new book entitled "Che Guevara and the FBI." Based on information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, attorneys Michael Ratner and Michael Steven Smith reveal that the FBI and CIA had an early interest in Che Guevara and worked to have him killed. The book was simultaneously released in the United States and Cuba by the publisher, Ocean Press. Michael Ratner, one of the authors, told reporters that the newly declassified documents, reprinted in the book "Che Guevara and the FBI," make for interesting reading. "One of the things you'll notice in the documents is -- as the Uruguayan journalist/writer Eduardo Galeano says -- they tell you less about Che than they do about the prejudices of the U.S. spy agencies." Ratner stated that one of the FBI documents says that "Che is fairly intellectual for a Latino." Another reference to the racism of the U.S. intelligence agency is the comment that "the Cubans will never be good Communists because they prefer to idle in the sun or dance to their native music." The U.S. attorney and author spoke at a news conference yesterday in the Cuban capital, where the new book based on FBI and CIA documents -- "Che Guevara and the FBI" -- was officially launched. HOMAGES TO GUERRILLA FIGHTER ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA Managua, September 25(RHC)-- Homages to internationalist guerrilla fighter Ernesto Che Guevara intensify as the date of the 30th anniversary of his murder in Bolivia approaches. Young people making up the Simon Bolivar Caravan -- travelling through Latin America -- have arrived in Managua, Nicaragua. The 12-member caravan has already visited Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico. The route also includes Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. The historic caravan was organized by the Latin American and Caribbean Students Organization -- OCLAE -- which is based in Havana. In other news, Havana was the site Wednesday of an international workshop on "Che and the Media," taking place at the Jose Marti International Journalism Institute. Journalists from Cuba, the U.S., Brazil and Mexico discussed Che's role in promoting revolutionary journalism. Comandante Che Guevara wrote a number of articles for local and international papers, not to mention his valuable writings on guerrilla warfare in Cuba, the Congo and Bolivia. Meanwhile, the Australian Publishing House "Ocean Press" officially launched three new books on guerrilla fighter Ernesto Che Guevara in Havana on Wednesday. "Che Guevara and the FBI," by U.S. lawyers Michael Ratner and Michael Steven Smith, is the result of an intensive investigation involving documents from the FBI, the CIA and the U.S. government. "Che: A Memoir by Fidel Castro," written by Ocean Press Director David Deutschman, includes statements, assessments and anecdotes by President Fidel Castro on Che Guevara. "Che Guevara Reader," also by David Deutschman, is the most complete anthology of important speeches and letters by Che Guevara, translated into English. Australia's Ocean Press Publishing House is well-known for its interest in Cuba. Since its founding eight years ago, Ocean Press has published more than forty titles on issues involving Cuba. And the Organization of Solidarity with the Peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America -- OSPAAL -- and its official publication, Tricontinental, are the organizers of the international meeting "Year 2000: Legacy and Spirit of Che's Work," currently underway in Havana. The event marks the 30th anniversary of both the death in combat of Che Guevara and the creation of Tricontinental magazine. At the same time that the meeting is taking place, local and foreign publishing houses are launching publications related to the internationalist fighter. There are nearly 100 experts from more than fifty countries attending the meeting. FIFTH BRAZILIAN SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA CONVENTION UNDERWAY Rio de Janeiro, September 25(RHC)-- The Fifth Brazilian Solidarity with Cuba Convention got underway in Rio de Janeiro today. Nearly one thousand delegates and guests responded to the call by the Brazil-Cuba Solidarity House -- the event's main organizer. Local authorities stated that Che's son -- Camilo Guevara -- will be presented with Rio de Janeiro's highest distinction, the Pedro Ernesto Medal, awarded posthumously to his father, Ernesto Che Guevara. RUSSIAN SCIENCE ACADEMY NAMES CUBAN SCIENTIST AS MEMBER Moscow, September 25(RHC)-- Russia's Academy of Science has confirmed that a Cuban scientist has been named as a member of that prestigious institution. Wilfredo Torres Iribar, who enrolled in Russia's Science Academy in the 1980's, has been given the honor. The announcement of the Cuban scientists' membership was made at the international meeting "Science and Society on the Eve of the Year 2000," being held in Moscow. Renowned Russian scientists and more than 100 foreign experts are in attendance. Cuba is the only Latin American nation represented at the meeting. CUBAN HEALTH PROGRAMS USED AS MODEL IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Port of Spain, September 25(RHC)-- International interest in Cuban health programs continues to increase. Trinidad and Tobago's Health Minister, Hamza Raffeek, told journalists that his ministry hopes to put into practice some of the health programs successfully implemented in Cuba. During a news conference following his arrival from Havana, the health minister spoke highly of the quality of the Cuban health care system. Raffeek revealed plans to implement the community doctor's program in Trinidad and Tobago -- modeled after Cuba. The program involves physicians living and working in the neighborhood, providing constant and steady care to their patients. In cases of specialized care, community doctors diagnose their patients and refer them to hospitals and clinics. AND IN SPORTS... CUBA HOPES TO WIN FOUR MEDALS AT THE AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS Havana, September 25(RHC)-- Cuba hopes to win at least four medals in the swimming championships set for Australia in January. According to head coach Jose Vazquez, two of those medals should be gold. Although many consider this a somewhat remote possibility, Vazquez bases his hopes on the excellent condition that Cuban swimmers are in right now. For several years, Cuba has begun to appear in the medal standings -- something that not too long ago seemed to be an unreachable dream. A silver and a bronze medal won at the Atlanta Summer Games have been joined by two gold medals won at the 25-meter swimming pool world championship held in Rio de Janeiro in 1995 and in Gottemburg earlier this year. Vazquez foresees Cuba grabbing the gold in men's 100 and 200 meter backstroke, plus silver in the 100 and bronze in the 200. The Cuban team that will attend the Perth Championship, which will be made up of five swimmers. They are: Rodolfo Falcon, Neisser Bent, Marcos Hernandez, Gunter Rodriguez and Johan Garcia. In mid-October, the group will travel to Colombia for training, away from winter climatic changes on the island. At the end of the year, they will set up their training camp in Puerto Rico. The island's swimmers will attend the Italian Grand Prix in late November, prior to the Perth Championship. In Italy, they will have the chance to compare their abilities with excellent swimmers from Europe. [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) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org