CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA January 21, 1998 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Wednesday, January 21, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- POPE JOHN PAUL II ARRIVES IN HAVANA, BEGINNING FIVE-DAY PASTORAL VISIT TO THE ISLAND 2.- CUBAN BAPTIST MINISTER SAYS THE POPE'S VISIT STRENGTHENS RELIGIOUS FEELINGS 3.- MEXICAN RELIGIOUS FIGURES IN HAVANA FOR THE POPE'S VISIT 4.- CUBA HAS NO OBJECTIONS TO DEVELOP RELIGIOUS TOURISM 5.- EXPORTS FROM MEXICO EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS YEAR 6.- UNESCO DECLARES EL MORRO CASTLE A WORLD HERITAGE SITE POPE JOHN PAUL II ARRIVES IN HAVANA, BEGINNING FIVE-DAY PASTORAL VISIT TO THE ISLAND Havana, January 21(RHC)-- Pope John Paul II arrived at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana at 3:55 p.m. local time, Wednesday afternoon. The Pope was welcomed by Cuban President Fidel Castro, leaders of the Cuban Catholic Church, top government officials and the diplomatic corps. A huge photo of the Pontiff adorned the main terminal of the airport, with the words: "Welcome Your Holiness John Paul II." Following the playing of the Cuban and Vatican National Anthems, Pope John Paul II walked alongside Cuban President Fidel Castro to an area on the tarmac where the two world leaders delivered their welcoming statements. The Cuban leader began by officially welcoming the head of the Catholic Church to Cuba. He said that, unfortunately, descendants of the indigenous inhabitants of the island could not greet him today, because their ancestors had been exterminated by Spanish colonialism. The Cuban president recalled the crimes of the Inquisition and "those crimes committed during the conquest of the Americas." Comparing the United States to the Roman Empire, the Cuban leader said that just like the first Christians who were victimized by the imperial powers, the Cuban people have convictions that they are also prepared to die for. Fidel Castro said that there are many important questions with which Cubans agree with the Church and other areas in which there are disagreements, but that respect for religious ideas will always prevail. The Cuban president ended his airport address by welcoming Pope John Paul II to a land with more equality, a country with more children going to school and a people that receive better health care than any country the Pope has ever visited. Finally, Cuban President Fidel Castro called for the globalization of an equitable distribution of wealth and human solidarity. Pope John Paul II said he was pleased to finally be in Cuba and looked forward to his visits during his pastoral stay on the island. He said that the Cuban people themselves should be the protagonists of their own national and personal history. Following the Pope's greetings to the Cuban people, he left Jose Marti International Airport and travelled along the main avenues of the Cuban capital in his "Pope Mobile." Tens of thousands lined the streets to greet the Pope and catch a glimpse of the first Pontiff to ever visit the island. On Thursday, the Vatican Chief will fly to Santa Clara to deliver a mass at 10:15 a.m. local time, returning to Havana at noon. CUBAN BAPTIST MINISTER SAYS POPE'S VISIT STRENGTHENS RELIGIOUS FEELINGS Havana, January 21(RHC)-- Cuban Baptist Reverend Raul Suarez said in Havana that the visit of Pope John Paul II to the island is "a transcendental event that will strengthen Cubans' religious feelings." Reverend Suarez, who is the head of Havana's Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, said he has always thought that "the salvation of national identity, of sovereignty, independence, and of the beautiful social project we have is the result of the efforts of all Cubans -- believers and non-believers -- in a unique society amid a revolutionary process." MEXICAN RELIGIOUS FIGURES NOW IN HAVANA FOR THE POPE'S VISIT Havana, January 21(RHC)-- Two Cardinals and four Bishops from Mexico said in Havana that the visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba brings a message a peace, fraternity and unity for the peoples of Latin America. On Tuesday, the Venezuelan government also sent a delegation to the island to participate in the program of activities during the Pope's five-day visit to the island. CUBA HAS NO OBJECTIONS TO DEVELOP RELIGIOUS TOURISM Havana, January 21(RHC)-- Cuban Tourism Minister Osmany Cienfuegos said that Cuba has no objections to develop so-called `religious tourism.' During a news conference in Havana with journalists accredited for the visit of Pope John Paul II to the island, the official explained that Cuba would look well upon any initiative aimed at fostering religious tourism. Cienfuegos also said that the so-called `smokeless industry' is currently the island's fastest growing economic sector. Cubanacan S.A. was the Cuban tourism company with the best results in 1997 -- bringing in over 90 million dollars in profits. A total of l million 170 thousand tourists visited the island last year. Most of them came from Italy, Canada, Spain, France and Germany -- in that order. EXPORTS FROM MEXICO EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS YEAR Mexico City, January 21(RHC)-- The Cuban consul in the Mexican city of Merida, Arnaldo Molina Perez, stated that exports from the state of Yucatan to Cuba could have a 20% increase this year, as compared to 1997. In an interview with the Mexican news agency Notimex, Molina Perez said that that figure could be bigger, based on the sale of chicken and pork, scheduled to arrive in Cuba from Yucatan. UNESCO DECLARES EL MORRO CASTLE A WORLD HERITAGE SITE Santiago de Cuba, January 21 (RHC)-- Cuba's San Pedro de la Roca Castle, better known as El Morro Castle, in eastern Santiago de Cuba, has been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The announcement raises to 552 the number of monuments, cities and parks in 112 countries now protected by the International Convention on Natural and Cultural Patrimony. The construction of the San Pedro de la Roca Castle was the result of political and commercial rivalries in the Caribbean during the 17th century. The complex is considered to be the best preserved of all existing Spanish-American military architecture. [c] 1998, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. 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