Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit 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 29, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- REMAINS OF "TANIA THE GUERRILLA" FLOWN TO SANTA CLARA 2.- CUBA AND COLOMBIA SIGN PARLIAMENTARY AGREEMENTS 3.- LEBANESE PARLIAMENTARY PRESIDENT TOURS THE CUBAN CAPITAL 4.- CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PLANS VISIT TO CUBA 5.- CUBA GEARS UP TO WELCOME RECORD NUMBERS OF TOURISTS IN COMING YEARS 6.- HEALTH CARE SYSTEM SERVES THE PEOPLE WITH OPEN HEART REMAINS OF "TANIA THE GUERRILLA" FLOWN TO SANTA CLARA Santa Clara, December 29(RHC)-- The remains of "Tania the Guerrilla" and nine other internationalist combatants who fought alongside Che Guevara in Bolivia were flown to Santa Clara this morning, some 300 kilometers east of Havana. Caissons travelled through the city's main streets, which were lined by thousands of Santa Clara residents. The remains will lie in state at the city's Jose Marti Library until burial tomorrow at the Che Guevara Mausoleum during a political and military ceremony. The burial will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Santa Clara -- in which the rebel column commanded by Che achieved a military victory that was one of the decisive events in the triumph over Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. Accompanying the Argentinean-born Tamara Bunke are six Bolivian combatants, two Cuban internationalists and one Peruvian. Cuban authorities announced the discovery of Tania's remains in Bolivia last September 22nd. In mid-1997, the remains of Che and six other combatants were found by a team of Cuban forensic experts, and later buried at the mausoleum in Santa Clara. As of tomorrow, 17 of the 38 internationalists killed in Bolivia in 1967 will rest at the Ernesto Che Guevara Mausoleum. The search for other remains continues. CUBA AND COLOMBIA SIGN PARLIAMENTARY AGREEMENTS Havana, December 29(RHC)-- The Parliamentary Presidents of Cuba and Colombia, Ricardo Alarcon and Fabio Valencia, respectively, signed four accords on Monday that reinforce legislative ties between the two countries. The agreements express the importance of working together for a Latin American Community of Nations and call for the creation of legislative groups of friendship and solidarity. The newly signed agreements between Cuba and Colombia also propose annual interparliamentary meetings to be held alternately in each country. The first meeting will take place in the Cuban capital early next year. LEBANESE PARLIAMENTARY PRESIDENT TOURS THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, December 29(RHC)-- Heading a parliamentary delegation from his country, the President of the Lebanese National Assembly, Nabib Berri, stressed his desire to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Cuba. Berri and his accompanying delegation toured Havana's Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and praised the development of vaccines and medicinal products. The Lebanese delegation also met with Ricardo Cabrisas, Cuba's Minister of Foreign Trade. Following the meeting, Cabrisas told reporters that while good trade relations exist between Cuba and Lebanon, those relations could be improved and broadened. CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PLANS VISIT TO CUBA Havana, December 29(RHC)-- Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy will arrive in the Cuban capital for an official visit on January 7th. According to diplomatic sources in Havana, the Canadian foreign minister will meet with his Cuban counterpart, Roberto Robaina, and Vice President Carlos Lage. The Cuban Foreign Ministry announced that next week's visit by Lloyd Axworthy is further evidence of the strong relations of friendship and cooperation between Cuba and Canada. It was recalled that Canada's Prime Minister Jean Cretian paid an official visit to Havana last April. CUBA GEARS UP TO WELCOME RECORD NUMBERS OF TOURISTS IN COMING YEARS Havana, December 29(RHC)-- By the year 2010, Cuba will have the capacity to welcome as many as seven million tourists annually. During a news conference in the Cuban capital, Tourism Minister Osmany Cienfuegos said that 1998 is ending with a record number of tourists to the island so far -- one million 400,000 visitors. According to the Cuban minister of tourism, by the year 2000, more than two million tourists will come to the island. He emphasized that that number will more than triple before the year 2010. Osmany Cienfuegos said that the tourist industry this year is, once again, the highest earner of foreign currency for the country --bringing in a total of one billion 800 million dollars during 1998. HEALTH CARE SYSTEM SERVES THE PEOPLE WITH OPEN HEART Santiago de Cuba, December 29(RHC)-- An indisputable achievement of the Cuban Revolution is the excellent health care attention given to the people, free of charge. According to recently released figures, more than 160 open heart surgeries have been performed at Santiago de Cuba's Cardiology Center --with a survival rate of more than 93 percent. Unknown in Cuba before 1959, open heart surgery was first introduced in 1985. Doctor Hector del Cueto Espinosa, Director of Santiago's Cardiology Center, told reporters that the clinic has facilities for intensive care and physical therapy, treating hundreds of patients for minor heart problems as well as performing major operations. Dr. Espinosa emphasized that in Cuba, medical attention -- from the simplest aspirin to heart transplants -- is not considered a privilege for the wealthy few, but the right of every Cuban citizen. 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