CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA January 28, 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 28, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- GUATEMALA RENEWS FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH CUBA 2.- HIGH-RANKING CUBAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL MEETS IN HAVANA WITH AIDES OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES 3.- POPE JOHN PAUL II TALKS ABOUT HIS RECENT TRIP TO CUBA 4.- RAUL CASTRO SAYS UNITY IS BEST HOMAGE TO WORKING CLASS LEADER JESUS MENENDEZ 5.- CUBAN YOUTH PAY TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL HERO JOSE MARTI, ISSUING CALL FOR 7th UJC CONGRESS 6.- FRENCH COMMUNIST LEADER MEETS VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE 7.- NATIONAL CULTURAL JOURNALISM PRIZE CONVENED IN HAVANA 8.- ROA BASTOS INVITED TO HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR 9.- SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES IN CUBA RECEIVE WORLD RECOGNITION GUATEMALA RENEWS FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH CUBA Guatemala City, January 28(RHC)-- Guatemala has renewed diplomatic relations with Cuba, suspended since 1961. During a news conference in Guatemala City on Tuesday, the Guatemalan foreign ministry announced that the decision to renew full diplomatic relations comes in response to Pope John Paul II's call during his recent visit to the island -- summoning the world to open to Cuba. According to the announcement, Guatemala will re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba beginning immediately, opening an embassy in Havana within the coming months. Late Tuesday night, Cuba confirmed the announcement, stating that the renewal of relations between the two nations brings to 163 the number of countries which with Cuba has diplomatic relations. During a brief news conference in Guatemala City Tuesday evening, President Alvaro Arzu stressed that his country's reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba is a sign that, after many years, "Guatemala is becoming the master of its own destiny." President Arzu said that amid Washington's reinforcement of its blockade of Cuba over the past years, Guatemala maintained cooperation with Cuba in the areas of culture, trade and health care. In related news, Guatemala's former rebel coalition applauded the decision to renew diplomatic relations with Cuba. The National United Revolutionary Front of Guatemala called the move "highly positive and intelligent," adding that the renewal of diplomatic relations with Cuba will be beneficial for both countries. In El Salvador -- a country that does not have diplomatic relations with Cuba -- the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front also expressed approval of the decision, calling it "in harmony with the interests and aspirations of the peoples of Latin America." The former Salvadoran rebels said the administration of President Armando Calderon should follow Guatemala's example and, in that way, "recuperate the country's own sense of nationality and dignity." HIGH-RANKING CUBAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL MEETS IN HAVANA WITH AIDES OF U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Havana, January 28(RHC)-- A high-ranking Cuban government official met Tuesday with three aides of U.S. congressional representatives -- including those of ultra right-wing Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina. Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon met with Roger Noreiga, top aide to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Helms; a press aide to Senator Mark Thiesen; and the aide to the head of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Charles McCurry. Ricardo Alarcon stated that the congressional aides spoke with him about the recent visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba, the work of Cuba's National Assembly and the island's recent parliamentary elections. Alarcon stressed that he did not want to make the meeting seem bigger than it was, adding that "it is very difficult to change a conservative." Cuba's top lawmaker said the U.S. congressional advisors gave the impression that they were considering the possibility of some modifications in Washington's blockade of Cuba with respect to food and medicine, despite the fact that they continue opposing two bills on both floors of Congress calling for a free flow of food, medicine and medical products to the island. Concerning recent statements by U.S. State Department spokesperson James Rubin -- to the effect that Washington is now considering the lifting of certain restrictions in the blockade -- Alarcon said that before the Pope's visit, they were against it. "Now they're still against it, but are willing to examine the issue." Pope John Paul II said the blockade was "unjust and ethically unacceptable" and that dismantling it piece by piece "does not lessen its cruel and immoral nature." POPE JOHN PAUL II TALKS ABOUT HIS RECENT TRIP TO CUBA Vatican City, January 28(RHC)-- In Pope John Paul II's first public statements since his recent visit to Cuba, the Pontiff said his visit had important symbolic value, since Cuba occupies a unique place in world history during this century. Before thousands gathered at a weekly public audience at the Vatican, the Pope said the trip also represents an important event of spiritual, cultural and social reconciliation that will have an impact in other areas. He said that while most Latin American people have received him enthusiastically, he was particularly impressed with the reception he received in Cuba. RAUL CASTRO SAYS UNITY IS BEST HOMAGE TO WORKING CLASS LEADER JESUS MENENDEZ Manzanillo, January 28(RHC)-- Cuba's First Vice President and Army General Raul Castro said that the unity shown by the Cuban people in recent general elections is their best tribute to Cuban working class leader Jesus Menendez. Raul Castro made the statement at a rally Tuesday in Manzanillo on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Jesus Menendez. Raul Castro also stressed that "the Cuban people love, respect and defend their history" and highlighted Jesus Menendez' human and revolutionary merits. Menendez was a victim of the anti-communist hysteria unleashed at the beginning of the so-called Cold War. The rally took place at the site where Jesus Menendez was murdered in 1948. CUBAN YOUTH PAY TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL HERO JOSE MARTI, ISSUING CALL FOR 7th UJC CONGRESS Santiago de Cuba, January 28(RHC)-- As part of activities to mark the 145th anniversary of the birth of Cuban National Hero Jose Marti, the Young Communist League -- the UJC -- issued the Call for its 7th Congress, scheduled for late December this year. Cuban youth across the island re-created the traditional torchlight parades to honor the Cuban National Hero -- born on January 28th, 1853. And in another activity in homage to Jose Marti, renowned Cuban intellectual and Director of the Havana-based Casa de las Americas Cultural Institution, Roberto Fernandez Retamar, delivered a lecture on Jose Marti and 1898 -- the year that U.S. troops intervened in the island's liberation struggle against Spain. FRENCH COMMUNIST LEADER MEETS CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE Havana, January 28(RHC)-- The General Secretary of the French Communist Party, Robert Hue, has met in Havana with Cuban Vice President and Political Bureau member Carlos Lage. Hue is heading a French delegation wrapping up a three-day visit to the island. Members of the delegation visited a cooperative, an oil enterprise and Varadero beach resort in western Matanzas province and studied that province's economic and social development. Meeting with Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon on Tuesday, the French Communist Party delegation exchanged opinions on national and international issues. The visiting delegation also toured Havana's Genetics Engineering and Biotechnology Center, the Frank Pais Orthopedics Hospital and Revolution Square's Jose Marti Memorial. Before leaving the Cuban capital Thursday, the French Communist delegation will meet with other high-ranking Cuban government and Communist Party officials. NATIONAL CULTURAL JOURNALISM PRIZE CONVENED IN HAVANA Havana, January 28(RHC)-- The Cuban Writers and Artists Union -- the UNEAC -- and the Cuban Journalists Union -- the UPEC -- have issued the Call for the National Cultural Journalism Prize for 1997. The Call says the prize serves to encourage the search for better cultural information on the island and the exercise of criticism in all of the island's artistic and literary manifestations. The jury will accept entries from journalists, critics or non- professional journalists who published or broadcast articles, reports, critical works, chronicles and interviews on Cuba's cultural life in publications or on radio or television during 1997. Entries must be received before February 10th. ROA BASTOS INVITED TO HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR Havana, January 28(RHC)-- Paraguayan writer Augusto Roa Bastos will be a guest of honor at Havana's International Book Fair, set to begin in the Cuban capital February 4th. Organizers of the fair's 8th edition say that during his stay in Cuba, Roa Bastos will have a busy schedule which includes contacts with the world of literature, film and ballet. SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES IN CUBA RECEIVE WORLD RECOGNITION Brussels, January 28(RHC)-- Belgium's Economy and Foreign Trade Minister, J. Chabert, presented the Golden Cup to Cuban researcher Manuel Selman-Housein Sosa. The award was made at the 46th Innovation, Research and New Technologies Fair -- Eureka Brussels 97'. Selman-Housein is a researcher at Havana's Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center and one of the discoverers of a protein -- the P64k -- which has opened the way to developing new vaccines, including one against cancer. The Cuban discovery received second place among 759 exhibitors from 40 countries. The event's jury also granted two gold medals to the Cuban researcher. The P64k protein is currently being used in a vaccine against Meningitis B -- and is now being tested in humans. It is also being used in a candidate vaccine against cancer. The jury of the Eureka Fair took into consideration the social and economic impact of the patents presented in the fair, their creativeness and presentation. The patents for the P64k protein have already been granted to the United States, Europe, Australia, India and Argentina. Among the countries testing the P64k protein are Japan, Canada, Finland, Norway, Russia, Israel and Chile. [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. 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) 814243 Fax: (53) (7) 812927 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org