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, June 2, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO RECEIVES VISITING DELEGATION FROM U.S. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES 2.- CUBA AND CASABLANCA DRUG OPERATION DOMINATE DISCUSSIONS AT ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES' 28TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 3.- ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LAMBERTO DINI TO VISIT CUBA NEXT WEEK 4.- OVER 40 COUNTRIES CONFIRM THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE HEALTH MINISTERS MEETING OF THE MOVEMENT OF NON-ALIGNED NATIONS 5.- JAMAICAN DOCTORS AND MEDICAL STUDENTS WILL EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES 6.- DECONTAMINATION PROGRAM CONTINUES IN HAVANA BAY 7.- CUBA AND PANAMA SIGN AGREEMENT IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION 8.- CUBA ANNOUNCES NEW FISHING AGREEMENTS CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO RECEIVES VISITING DELEGATION FROM U.S. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES Havana, June 2(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro received late Monday a visiting delegation from the U.S. National Council of Churches. The delegation, headed by its secretary general -- the Reverend Joan Campbell -- arrived in the Cuban capital on Saturday to bring humanitarian aid and visit churches and health care centers. Reverend Campbell termed as "remarkable" the conversation of this high-ranking delegation of American Protestants with the Cuban leader. She said they discussed a wide range of issues in talks that lasted until 2 a.m. Tuesday morning. Invited by Cuba's Council of Churches, the delegation represents 35 Christian denominations in the United States with more than 50 million followers. The delegation included Bishop McKinley Young and the Reverends Clifton Kirkpatrick and Albert Pennybacker, among others. Included in the humanitarian aid brought by the delegation were wheelchairs donated to a clinic in Old Havana. Before leaving the United States, Reverend Campbell had told reporters that the National Council of Churches, the NCC, could not get permission to fly directly to Cuba, despite Washington's recent announcement on the lifting of sanctions forcing U.S. humanitarian flights to Cuba to travel though a third country. While in Havana, Reverend Campbell and her delegation came out against Washington's blockade of Cuba and against legislation announced by Senator Jesse Helms on humanitarian aid to Cuba. The NCC secretary general said the Helms legislation does not question the blockade. Instead, she came out in favor of initiatives spearheaded by Congressmen Charles Rangel and Esteban Torres and Senator Christopher Dodd, that would allow U.S. firms to freely sell food and medicine to Cuba. The delegation wrapped up today what it called a very positive visit to Cuba. Before leaving Havana, Reverend Campbell offered a news conference before local and foreign correspondents. "We promised that we would increase the humanitarian aid that we are bringing to Cuba; that we would redouble our efforts to bring the embargo to an end, which has created so much suffering for the Cuban people. We will go back [to the United States] and we will lobby against the Helms Bill and in favor of the Rangle-Torres Bill, because it allows not only for aid but also for trade. We also promised that we would try to push our government to quickly provide direct flights to Cuba. We ourselves brought medicine and medical equipment and had to bring it through Cancun, which added about 30,000 dollars to the cost. And then he [Fidel Castro] surprised us when he suggested that we might think about a major ecumenical meeting here in Cuba. He encouraged the Cuban churches and churches in the United States to work together for a major conference in 1999. We take this proposal seriously and have already begun to have conversations about how we might make this happen, maybe in the Summer of 1999. It was a remarkable conversation." Reverend Joan Campbell, Secretary General of the National Council of Churches, wrapping up a four-day visit to Cuba at the head of a high- ranking delegation of American Protestants. CUBA AND CASABLANCA DRUG OPERATION DOMINATE DISCUSSIONS AT ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES' 28TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY Caracas, June 2(RHC)-- Cuba and Washington's undercover Casablanca drug operation have been dominating the discussions at the Organization of American States' 28th General Assembly, which got underway on Monday in Caracas, Venezuela. The issue of Cuba's reincorporation into the regional body was addressed by OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria in his opening speech. Mexican Foreign Minister Rosario Green upped the ante by specifically proposing the creation of a system of consultations concerning Cuba's reincorporation, as well as a "group of friendly countries" -- similar to mediation mechanisms during the conflicts in Central America. Although there have been diverse reactions among the OAS representatives, observers agree that support of Cuba's reincorporation is also evident. While some countries continue demanding what they call "democratic changes" in Cuba, others support some type of immediate solution -- or, at least, that the issue be formally considered. On many occasions, however, the Cuban government has insisted that the island will not accept any political or ideological dictates as preconditions for renewed OAS membership -- or for membership in any multilateral agency. Cuba has also pointed out that renewed membership in the OAS is not one of the island's priorities, and has oftentimes criticized the regional body for its lack of response to the numerous direct and indirect U.S. interventions in Latin American countries. Meanwhile, the Mexican foreign minister said today that during her meeting late Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, she made it clear that Mexico would take legal action in Washington's Casablanca undercover drug operation. Washington brought charges against Mexican bankers and financial institutions, in an operation in which Mexican authorities were kept in the dark. Foreign Minister Rosario Green said the United States violated Mexican law, bilateral accords, regional OAS accords, as well as the universal legality as defined by the United Nations. ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LAMBERTO DINI TO VISIT CUBA NEXT WEEK Rome, June 2(RHC)-- Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini will pay an official visit to Cuba beginning June 8th, according to Italy's Foreign Ministry. Invited by Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina, next week's visit follows those of Deputy Foreign Ministers Patricia Toia, late last year, and Rino Serri, last March. Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi announced that for his country, this will be the year of Latin America in Italian diplomacy. In April, Prodi toured Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. The Italian Foreign Ministry's announcement has led to numerous comments in international media outlets concerning increasing diplomatic contacts between Cuba and other nations since Pope John Paul II's visit to the island. OVER 40 COUNTRIES CONFIRM THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE HEALTH MINISTERS MEETING OF THE MOVEMENT OF NON-ALIGNED NATIONS Havana, June 2(RHC)-- Over 40 countries have confirmed their participation in the Health Ministers Meeting of the Movement of Non- Aligned Nations that will take place in Havana on the 25th and 26th of this month. Among some of the issues the participates will discuss are analysis, definition and efficient mechanisms for the integration of social policies in the field of health. Discussions will center on reforms in the health sector as the world approaches the 21st century, with an emphasis on the strategies of Health for All. JAMAICAN DOCTORS AND MEDICAL STUDENTS WILL EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES Kingston, June 2(RHC)-- Jamaica's Health Ministry announced that a group of doctors and medical students will travel to Cuba at the end of August with the objective of exchanging experiences in the field. The exchange program is in compliance with an agreement signed in 1975 between both nations. The first group of Jamaican students travelled to Havana to study medicine in 1978. Since then, some 70 professionals have been trained and educated in Cuba. Jamaica and Cuba signed a new agreement last year opening the possibility of renewing exchange visits. DECONTAMINATION PROGRAM CONTINUES IN HAVANA BAY Havana, June 2(RHC)-- Over 200 tons of oil and 60 cubic meters of floating waste were removed from Havana Bay during 1997, completing 50 per cent of the bay's decontamination program. Observers say that marine species are already reappearing and can be seen in Havana Bay. The main sources of contamination of the bay come from 53 industries. One major polluter, the Nico Lopez Refinery, has begun to take preventive measures to stop the flow of contaminants into Havana Bay. CUBA AND PANAMA SIGN AGREEMENT IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION Havana, June 2(RHC)-- Cuba and Panama signed a collaboration agreement which will allow for the exchange of professors and students. The agreement will also make available courses in the field of education, as well as conferences, workshops and seminars. The accord was signed by the Cuban Deputy Education Minister Angel Abascal and the General Director of Panama's Institute for the Development and Application of Human Resources, Hector Aleman. Following the signing ceremony, Aleman stated that this agreement will give Panama an opportunity to gain from Cuba's experience in the field of education. CUBA ANNOUNCES NEW FISHING AGREEMENTS Havana, June 2(RHC)-- Cuba's Fishing Ministry announced new commercial agreements that already have buyers for some 1600 tons of lobster -- a value of nearly 20 million dollars. Fifteen European clients have agreed to buy 60 per cent of Cuba's lobster catch, while Havana is working to reach additional agreements for the remaining 40 percent. Cuban Fishing Minister Orlando Rodriguez Romay pointed to links with the Japanese firm Nipona Naruja, which is the main distributor of lobster in that Asian nation. The Cuban official added that a firm in South Korea is also interested in the Cuban fishing market. The price of one ton of lobster on the international market is 17 thousand dollars. Cuba hopes to capture 11,200 tons of lobster by the end of this year. [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. 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