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 Wednesday, July 29, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ARRIVES IN JAMAICA, BEGINNING CARIBBEAN TOUR 2.- 1st U.S.-CUBA FRIENDSHIP CONFERENCE CONTINUES IN HAVANA 3.- CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY BEGINS EUROPEAN TOUR 4.- CUBA OFFERS HEALTH AND EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO BOLIVIAN TOWN OF EL ALTO 5.- YOUTH MEETINGS SCHEDULED IN PORTUGAL WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF CUBA'S YOUNG COMMUNIST ORGANIZATION 6.- FIRST IBEROAMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND STATE REFORM AGREES TO HOLD NEXT MEETING IN CUBA 7.- INTERNATIONAL NEUROLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ARRIVES IN JAMAICA, BEGINNING CARIBBEAN TOUR Montego Bay, July 29(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro arrived in Jamaica this afternoon to begin a three-day official visit -- the first leg of a three-nation Caribbean tour. Thousands of Jamaicans were on hand for a warm and enthusiastic reception at Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport. The Cuban leader, accompanied by Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and other high-ranking officials, received a 21-gun salute and was meet by Jamaica's Governor General Sir Howard Cooke and Prime Minister Percival Patterson. The airport was decorated with huge posters with the words "Jamaica Welcomes President Castro," along with photos of the Cuban leader and the flags of Cuba and Jamaica. Shortly before Fidel Castro's arrival, the Jamaican prime minister reiterated his country's opposition to Washington's blockade of Cuba and the position that Cuba is an inseparable part of the Caribbean. Two of Jamaica's major news dailies, "The Gleaner" and "The Daily Observer," highlighted in articles and editorials the fact that Fidel Castro has survived the hostility of nine U.S. administrations, an economic blockade, mercenary invasions, terrorist attacks and assassination plots. The local media also mentioned the good physical condition displayed by the Cuban leader during his nearly five-hour speech last Sunday to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the revolutionary assault against the Batista dictatorship's Moncada military garrison. Among Fidel Castro's numerous activities in Jamaica will be the placing of a floral wreath at the grave of late Jamaican leader Michael Manley. President Castro was present for Manley's funeral in March of last year -- the Cuban leader's second visit to Jamaica. His first visit, as Manley's guest, took place in 1977. >From Jamaica, President Castro will travel to Barbados on Friday and will arrive in Grenada on Sunday to reciprocate last year's visit to Cuba of Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell. Mitchell said today that the Cuban leader will also receive a warm welcome in his country, in appreciation for Cuba's solidarity not only with Grenada, but with the entire Caribbean community. Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister of the small Caribbean island of St. Lucia, Mario Michel, has taken the opportunity to also express his country's rejection of any pressures in relation to St. Lucia's ties with Cuba, recalling that all of the Caribbean repudiates the U.S. blockade of the largest island in the Antilles. Michel said a significant number of St. Lucian youth have studied in Cuba, which has benefitted the country's economic development. 1st U.S.-CUBA FRIENDSHIP CONFERENCE CONTINUES IN HAVANA Havana, July 29(RHC)-- Cuba solidarity activists attending the First U.S.-Cuba Friendship Conference underway in Havana gathered today with high-ranking Cuban officials to discuss the themes of democracy and the island's foreign policy. Ricardo Alarcon, President of the Cuban Parliament, briefed the more than 300 participants. During a question and answer session following his presentation, delegates asked about the role of the Cuban Communist Party and the National Parliament in society and about Cuba's model of democracy as compared to the so-called "representative democracy" that Washington has imposed on the rest of Latin America, to the detriment of the interests of the vast majority of the region's population. An important moment of the conference was when Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon made reference to the much- trumpeted freedom of speech in the U.S., pointing to the belated arrival of the New York Times series on the terrorist acts by Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles. Alarcon pointed out that he himself had informed the UN Security Council in 1992 about Posada's criminal acts and his links with U.S. federal agencies. "Freedom of the press and freedom of expression should also include the freedom for the bureaucrats and those responsible for those crimes in the administration to go public and explain to the readers of the New York Times and other papers why Mr. Posada is still on the CIA's payroll, why he has been receiving their support throughout all these years and, by the way, explaining what is really the position of the United States regarding terrorism." Also during the plenary session on Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Isabel Allende briefed conference participants on the island's foreign policy. Taking part in the three-day solidarity conference are members of the 8th Pastors for Peace Caravan, the Venceremos Brigade and a delegation from the U.S.-Cuba Labor Exchange. The conference is slated to wind up tomorrow, Thursday. CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY BEGINS EUROPEAN TOUR Madrid, July 29(RHC)-- Cuba's National Ballet Company has begun a European tour which will include 50 performances as part of activities commemorating its 50th anniversary. The National Ballet Troupe, headed by Primerisima Ballerina Alicia Alonso, will perform at the Barcelona Summer Festival, then visit San Sebastian and finally perform in Madrid, where the renowned ballet company will participate in an International Gala on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The European tour also includes performances in Switzerland, Italy and Austria. CUBA OFFERS HEALTH AND EDUCATION ASSISTANCE TO BOLIVIAN TOWN OF EL ALTO La Paz, July 29(RHC)-- Cuba's Ambassador in Bolivia, Raul Barzaga, expressed the island's commitment to help the people of the town of El Alto in the fields of health and education. El Alto is one of the country's poorest areas. During a visit to the town's city hall, the Cuban diplomat said that the success of Cuba's health care system can be a model for El Alto, where there are high levels of disease such as tuberculosis. YOUTH MEETINGS SCHEDULED IN PORTUGAL WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF CUBA'S YOUNG COMMUNIST ORGANIZATION Havana, July 29(RHC)-- The Secretary of International Relations of Cuba's Young Communist League, Sergio Vigoa, said that the island will be represented at three important meetings to take place in Portugal. The Cuban official told reporters that a three-day youth festival will begin on August 3rd, where participants will be able to discuss issues such as employment, discrimination, participatory democracy and the environment. The meeting will take place prior to the Second Iberoamerican Youth Forum and the Meeting of Youth Ministers, scheduled in Lisbon between the 5th and 12th of August. The Portuguese city of Oporto will be the site of next October's Iberoamerican Summit. FIRST IBEROAMERICAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND STATE REFORM AGREES TO HOLD NEXT MEETING IN CUBA Lisbon, July 29(RHC)-- The First Iberoamerican Conference of Ministers of Public Administration and State Reform has agreed to hold its next meeting in Cuba. During the first meeting, which took place July 27th and 28th in the Portuguese city of Sintra, delegates approved the Lisbon Declaration, which will presented to the heads of state and government at next October's Iberoamerican Summit in Oporto. Among the issues discussed at the recent meeting was the need to hold periodic meetings between the Ministers of Public Administration and State Reform in order to coincide with the yearly Iberoamerican Summits. The Cuban delegation to the first meeting was headed by Foreign Investment and Economic Collaboration Minister Raul Taladrid. INTERNATIONAL NEUROLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, July 29(RHC)-- Cardiovascular and neurological diseases, diagnosis and therapy were the main issues discussed during the Second Session of the International Neurological Symposium that is taking place here in the Cuban capital. One hundred specialists from Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, Spain and Cuba are participating in the event which includes round tables and conferences on the achievements made in clinical neurology. Before the symposium wraps up on Friday, participants will also discuss medical advances in the fight against epilepsy, movement disorders and Parkinson's disease. [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. 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