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                    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 Tuesday, December 15, 1998.  Today's stories:


1.- PERMANENT WORK COMMISSIONS OF CUBA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 
    WILL MEET PRIOR TO THE ORDINARY PARLIAMENTARY SESSIONS

2.- SOUTH AFRICAN DEPUTY HEALTH MINISTER VISITS CUBA

3.- COMPLEX SPINE OPERATION SUCCESSFUL WITH THE USE OF     
    ACUPUNCTURE

4.- COLOMBIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANNOUNCES VISIT OF PRESIDENT 
    ANDRES PASTRANA NEXT MONTH TO CUBA


PERMANENT WORK COMMISSIONS OF CUBA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WILL
MEET PRIOR TO THE ORDINARY PARLIAMENTARY SESSIONS

Havana, December 15(RHC)-- The plenary of the ten Permanent Work
Commissions of Cuba's National Assembly will meet on Friday and
Saturday for discussions prior to the second ordinary sessions of the
current 5th Legislature to begin on Monday in Havana.

The Economic Affairs Commission will meet the Ministers of Planning,
Finance and Prices, Jose Luis Rodriguez and Manuel Millares.  The
final report will be handed over to the Cuban parliament on Monday.

The participants will also discuss the work done so far this
year and approve its work and objectives for 1999.

The Health, Sports and Environment Commission has scheduled an
agenda that will include community health care, international
cooperation with Central America, the use of the budget in
environmental problems, environmental contamination in the sugar
industry, and sports challenges and policies.  

Cuban Health Minister Carlos Dotres, Sugar Minister Ulisis Rosales
del Toro, the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Rosa
Elena Simeon and the President of the Sports Institute Humberto
Rodriguez will participate in discussions.

SOUTH AFRICAN DEPUTY HEALTH MINISTER VISITS CUBA

Havana, December 15(RHC)-- South Africa's Deputy Health Minister,
Ayanda Ntsaluba is currently in Cuba on a four-day official visit
aimed at expanding health cooperation between both nations. The
South African official said that the objective of his visit to the
island is to analyze the purchase of vaccines and other
pharmaceutical products needed in different provinces of the African
country.

The South African deputy health minister characterized the work of
the Cuban doctors in that African nation as very good and expressed
his desire for more Cuban doctors to offer their services to his
country.

COMPLEX SPINAL OPERATION SUCCESSFUL WITH THE USE OF ACUPUNCTURE

Las Tunas, December 15(RHC)-- A successful, complex upper-spinal
surgery with the use of acupuncture was carried out at the Ernesto
Guevara Hospital in eastern Las Tunas province.

This new method is a contribution to the growing use of natural and
traditional medicine on the island.

The 60-year-old patient who underwent a two and a half hour
operation did not receive general anesthesia and for the first time
acupuncture was applied with the support of local anesthesia.

The use of acupuncture continues to be a widely-used and accepted
alternative by many Cuban people.

COLOMBIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANNOUNCES VISIT OF PRESIDENT ANDRES
PASTRANA NEXT MONTH TO CUBA

Havana, December 15(RHC)-- The Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando de
Soto announced the visit of President Andres Pastrana to Cuba at the
end of January at the invitation of Cuban President Fidel Castro.

The Colombian official made the announcement at Havana's Jose Marti
International Airport shortly before winding up an official visit to 
the island on Monday.

The Colombian Foreign Minister told the journalists at the airport
that his meeting with the Cuban leader was very beneficial for
bilateral relations as both leaders spoke about globalization and
hemispheric ties.

During his stay in Cuba, de Soto also met with his Cuban counterpart
Roberto Robaina; the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment
Rosa Elena Simeon; and Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas.


           [c] 1998, Radio Habana Cuba
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