CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Monday, April 20, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN PLANS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA NEXT WEEK 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO INVITED TO SUMMIT OF CARIBBEAN LEADERS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SLATED FOR AUGUST 3.- 41ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE HUMBOLDT SEVEN MASSACRE 4.- CUBANS COMMEMORATE VICTORY OF THE BAY OF PIGS INVASION AND NATIONAL DEFENSE DAY ON SUNDAY 5.- CUBAN-MEXICAN SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL COMMISSION UNDERWAY 6.- SPANISH BUSINESS DELEGATION SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH CUBA 7.- CUBAN AGRICULTURE INCREASES PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN PLANS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA NEXT WEEK Havana, April 20(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Ministry announced Sunday that Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien will pay an official visit to the island next week, responding to an invitation from Cuban President Fidel Castro. Chretien's agenda during his visit -- scheduled for April 27th and 28th -- will include the inauguration of the third terminal at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, built with Canadian financing. In announcing Chretien's visit, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said relations with Canada -- established in March 1945 -- have been characterized by frankness, respect, friendship and uninterrupted cooperation in diverse political, economic and cultural fields. Prime Minister Chretien confirmed the visit during the final news conference of the Second Summit of the Americas held in Chile over the weekend. The Canadian prime minister also reiterated his country's support of Cuba's participation in upcoming summits. Canada is scheduled to host the Third Summit of the Americas. In related news, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, also called for an end to Cuba's exclusion from the gatherings -- speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM. The prime minister of Barbados reportedly made the call during one of the closed-door sessions, according to a copy of his speech obtained by the AFP news agency. Many news agencies reported that although Cuba was absent from the gathering, the island was at the same time very much present, with an increasing number of nations in region calling for the Caribbean island's incorporation into the Summits of the Americas. As the Second Summit was winding up, there were reports of street demonstrations in the Chilean capital, Santiago de Chile, demanding the lifting of Washington's blockade against Cuba. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO INVITED TO SUMMIT OF CARIBBEAN LEADERS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SLATED FOR AUGUST Santo Domingo, April 20(RHC)-- The President of the Dominican Republic Leonel Fernandez has confirmed an invitation to Cuban President Fidel Castro to attend a summit of Caribbean leaders, slated to take place in his country next August. President Fernandez made the announcement Sunday in Santiago de Chile and confirmed the invitation today in statements to Dominican journalists upon his arrival in Santo Domingo. The gathering will reportedly focus on a strategic alliance between the Caribbean and Central America to eventually set up a free trade zone in the region. Dominican Foreign Minister Eduardo Latorre and Presidential Minister Danilo Medina were in Havana recently to open their nation's consular offices, following a similar move by Cuba in the Dominican capital, Santo Domingo. Both met with Cuban President Fidel Castro during their stay. This year has marked a new stage in Cuba-Dominican Republic relations. And this will be the first visit of a high- ranking Cuban government official to that nation since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. 41ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE HUMBOLDT SEVEN MASSACRE Havana, April 20(RHC)-- Cubans across the island are commemorating the 41st anniversary of the Humboldt Seven massacre. On April 20th, 1957, the Batista dictatorship's thugs murdered four young people, members of the Revolutionary Directorate who participated in the attack on the Presidential Palace in an attempt to overthrow the regime. A number of activities were carried out today in the Cuban capital to honor the four revolutionaries. This afternoon, members of the Federation of Cuban Students, the FEU, placed a floral wreath in front of the building located at Number Seven Humboldt Street in downtown Havana, where the young men were killed. CUBANS COMMEMORATE VICTORY OF THE BAY OF PIGS INVASION AND NATIONAL DEFENSE DAY ON SUNDAY Havana, April 20(RHC)-- Children, adults, and senior citizens participated in National Defense Day on Sunday, commemorating another anniversary of the victory of the Bay of Pigs invasion. The main objectives of the activities were defense and military training in the countryside, military practices and defense preparedness. With the spirit of the heroes and martyrs that fought 37 years ago at the Bay of Pigs, military units, defense zones and other areas on the island were turned into military sites in defense of Cuba's independence and national sovereignty. During yesterday's defense activities, people recalled the mercenary attack -- organized and financed by the United States -- where the Cuban people, under the leadership of Fidel Castro, defeated the invaders in less than 72 hours. CUBAN-MEXICAN SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL COMMISSION UNDERWAY Mexico City, April 20(RHC)-- Cuba and Mexico have inaugurated the Scientific-Technical Joint Commission in Mexico City. During the three-day meeting, both sides will look into the results of the cooperation program in the fields of science and technology. The Cuban and Mexican representatives will also examine collaboration projects for this year and sign bilateral agreements. The Cuban delegation is headed by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Collaboration, Noemi Benitez. SPANISH BUSINESS DELEGATION SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH CUBA Havana, April 20(RHC)-- A Spanish business delegation signed an accord in Havana on Sunday which was characterized by the President of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations, Jose Maria Cuevas, as "a new stage of economic relations between both nations." Among other aspects, the agreement includes the opening of a consulting office in the Cuban Foreign Investment Ministry to advise Spanish business representatives about investing on the island. Present at the signing ceremony were Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage, who reiterated Cuba's invitation to Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia as well as President Jose Maria Aznar to visit the island. CUBAN AGRICULTURE INCREASES PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION Havana, April 20(RHC)-- The Cuban Agriculture Ministry expects to bring in over 200 million dollars with the sale of agricultural products to the tourism industry. Agriculture Minister Alfredo Jordan said that there are presently more than 100 firms that are ready to sell their products to tourism firms and supermarkets that operate in dollars throughout the country. The Cuban official said that in a relatively short period of time, Cuban agriculture will be able to guarantee a stable availability of vegetables to the Cuban population as well as growth in the production and availability of tobacco, rice, milk and meat. [c] 1998, 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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