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 Friday, January 30, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN VICE-PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE DEMANDS CONTROL IN AGRICULTURE 2.- CUBAN-AMERICAN LEADER ELOY GUTIERREZ MENOYO CONDEMNS HYPOCRISY OF CUBAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION 3.- WOMEN CALLED UPON TO WORK FOR IDEALS OF JOSE MARTI 4.- COLOMBIAN ORGANIZATION CONDEMNS U.S. BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA 5.- FRENCH COMMUNIST PARTY SECRETARY ENDS VISIT TO THE ISLAND 6.- CARIBBEAN UNIVERSITIES MEET IN HAVANA TO ESTABLISH COOPERATION PROGRAMS 7.- CUBAN COUNCIL IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HOLDS RECEPTION CUBAN VICE-PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE DEMANDS CONTROL IN AGRICULTURE Havana, January 30(RHC)-- Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage says that organizational and structural changes in the Cuban Agriculture Ministry demand "more control, responsibility, order and discipline." Lage made the statement at the end of an annual plenary meeting to evaluate that ministry's work in 1997 and prospects for this year. The Cuban vice president said that material and financial decentralization gives the Agriculture Ministry more authority to use and distribute its resources. He recalled that the decrease in agricultural production last year was due, in part, to damages caused by Hurricane Lili and the introduction by the United States of the Thryps Palmi insect that seriously affected numerous crops. Lage stressed, however, that the economic results obtained by the Ministry last year confirmed the tendency towards recuperation registered over the past five years. The Cuban vice president also urged experts and researchers to take all necessary steps to prevent and control any other plague which could affect agricultural crops. CUBAN-AMERICAN LEADER ELOY GUTIERREZ MENOYO CONDEMNS HYPOCRISY OF CUBAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION Miami, January 30(RHC)-- Cuban-American leader Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo termed as "despicable" the ultra right-wing Cuban American National Foundation's "new-found humanitarianism with respect to Cuba." Gutierrez Menoyo, head of the Miami-based organization Cambio Cubano, made reference to the Foundation's most recent alliance with Senator Jesse Helms to draw up a project for humanitarian aid to Cuba, supervised by the International Red Cross. Gutierrez Menoyo said the measure is merely an effort -- in his words -- "to divert attention from the international clamor and the appeal by Pope John Paul II to lift the blockade of Cuba." He stated the Cuban-American National Foundation wants to place conditions on humanitarian aid to Cuba because the ultra right-wing organization realizes that "it is being left-out of the ball game." The Cuban-American leader told reporters in Miami that the CANF suspects that changes in Washington's Cuba policy could be underway due to the two bills on the floor of both houses of Congress that would allow a free flow of food, medicines and medical equipment to Cuba. The two bills are supported by a large number of both Republicans and Democrats, by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other leading business circles in the U.S. and by numerous religious and humanitarian organizations. Gutierrez Menoyo said the Foundation "has even given a bad name to the term political opportunism." WOMEN CALLED UPON TO WORK FOR IDEALS OF JOSE MARTI Santiago de Cuba, January 30(RHC)-- The President of the Federation of Cuban Women, Vilma Espin, called on women in Santiago de Cuba Province to work for the principles and ideals of Cuban National Hero Jose Marti, in tribute to the 145th anniversary of his birth. The head of the FMC pointed out the need for more patriotic activities in order to consolidate the values of the island's national identity. She suggested a program to observe historic dates that will strengthen moral and patriotic values among the present and future generations. COLOMBIAN ORGANIZATION CONDEMNS U.S. BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA Bogota, January 30(RHC)-- The Colombian Committee for Peace, Integration and Democracy urges the United States to lift its blockade against Cuba and Latin America to open to the Caribbean island. In a call on the occasion of Pope John Paul II's visit to Cuba, the Colombian institution describes the economic, commercial and financial sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Cuba as "monstrous and inexplicable." The Pontiff's visit clearly shows the failure of Washington's Cuba policy, says the document, with the Pope's rejection of the embargo and the anti-Cuban Helms-Burton Law aimed at further tightening Washington's blockade against the island. The Colombian Committee for Peace, Integration and Democracy concludes that Latin American countries must promote the island's re-incorporation into the region's economic system, including membership in the Organization of the American States, the OAS. FRENCH COMMUNIST PARTY SECRETARY ENDS VISIT TO THE ISLAND Havana, January 30(RHC)-- French Communist Party General Secretary Robert Hue wound up his official visit to Cuba Thursday. Before his departure, Hue offered a news conference where he described the talks held with several high-ranking government officials, including Cuban President Fidel Castro, as "very positive." The general secretary of the French Communist Party pointed out the long history of bilateral links between France and Cuba. Hue's three-day visit to Havana took him to different places of social and economic interest. On Thursday, he met with Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina. Robert Hue, speaking on behalf of French Communists, said the Party was committed to work for an end to the U.S. blockade of the island. CARIBBEAN UNIVERSITIES MEET IN HAVANA TO ESTABLISH COOPERATION PROGRAMS Havana, January 30(RHC)-- University authorities from the Association of Caribbean States will meet in Havana from February 2nd through the 5th in order to set up joint cooperation programs in the field of education. Cuba's Deputy Higher Education Minister Eduardo Cruz said that this is the first meeting of its kind organized by the regional organization. Nearly 70 participants from Caribbean countries and 30 Cuban rectors and university experts have confirmed their attendance. CUBAN COUNCIL IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HOLDS RECEPTION Santo Domingo, January 30(RHC)-- The Cuban Consul General in the Dominican Republic offered the first official reception in 40 years in that country on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution and the 145th anniversary of Cuban National Hero Jose Marti's birth. During a conversation with the consul at the ceremony, the Honorary President of the governing Dominican Liberation Party, Juan Bosch, recalled his exile in Cuba during the Rafael Leonidas Trujillo dictatorship in that neighboring Caribbean country. Cuba and the Dominican Republic resumed consular relations in June 1987, but it was not until January 7th of this year that the Cuban mission to that country began operating in the Dominican capital. [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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