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 Monday, June 8, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LAMBERTO DINI ARRIVES IN HAVANA FOR OFFICIAL VISIT 2.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE THAT EUROPEAN UNION WILL CONTINUE TO REJECT HELMS-BURTON LAW 3.- BRITISH BUSINESS DELEGATION ARRIVES IN CUBA 4.- CUBAN BISHOPS WILL MEET WITH POPE JOHN PAUL II 5.- HAVANA MAYOR DENIED ENTRY VISA INTO EL SALVADOR 6.- GENERAL SECRETARY OF RUSSIA'S COMMUNIST PARTY SAYS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA IS OUTDATED 7.- BRAZILIAN AIRLINES "TRANSAIR INTERNATIONAL" BEGINS FLIGHTS TO VARADERO 8.- SPANISH SOL MELIA HOTEL CHAIN TO MANAGE FOUR MORE HOTELS ON THE ISLAND ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LAMBERTO DINI ARRIVES IN HAVANA FOR OFFICIAL VISIT Havana, June 8(RHC)-- Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini arrived in the Cuban capital this evening to begin a two-day official visit, invited by his Cuban counterpart Roberto Robaina. Besides gatherings with Cuban government officials, the Foreign Ministries of Italy and Cuba are expected to sign an important bilateral accord. The Italian Foreign Ministry's agenda of activities includes delivering a lecture at the University of Havana entitled "Europe and Latin America in the Epoch of the Global Economy." Italy is currently the country that sends most of the tourists who visit Cuba. It's one of Cuba's ten major trading partners, and ranks third in the Cuban market. Last year, Italy-Cuba trade surpassed the 200 million dollar mark. Italy and Cuba have set up some 30 mixed economic associations, while nearly 20 Italian firms operate in Cuba's duty-free zones. CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE THAT EUROPEAN UNION WILL CONTINUE REJECTING HELMS-BURTON LAW Havana, June 8(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina has expressed confidence that the European Union will continue rejecting Washington's Helms-Burton Law. In statements to local journalists, Robaina said Cuban authorities are aware that the EU's Council of Ministers -- which began gathering today -- has limited itself to taking note of the accord on Helms-Burton reached last May 18th by the EU presidency, the European Commission and the United States. At the same time, the Cuban foreign minister said that the EU's Council of Ministers ratified the contents of the regional body's Unilateral Declaration, which contains a position of principles rejecting Helms-Burton. Robaina said the Cuban government still does not have any official information regarding the European Council's and the different EU member nations' interpretation of the May 18th agreement, but said that in different forums some European ministers have maintained their rejection of the extraterritorial nature of Washington's anti-Cuba legislation. The Cuban foreign minister said that some EU officials have asserted that they will honor accords signed with Cuba on the promotion of investments and will do everything possible to protect their nationals in the free exercise of trade and commerce as established in European political practice and mercantile laws. BRITISH BUSINESS DELEGATION ARRIVES IN CUBA Havana, June 8(RHC)-- A British business delegation is currently in the Cuban capital on a working visit. Representatives from some 20 British firms linked to transportation, tourism, finances, medicine and machinery will strengthen business ties between both nations. The British business delegation, headed by Trevor Jones, president of a group of commercial advisors for the Caribbean, will remain on the island until Friday. During their visit, the delegation will meet with members of Cuba's Foreign Trade Ministry and Chamber of Commerce as well as other government officials to discuss business opportunities on the island. CUBAN BISHOPS WILL MEET WITH POPE JOHN PAUL II Rome, June 8(RHC)-- Cuban bishops are currently in Rome to express their appreciation for the visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba last January. Vatican spokesman Monseigneur Joaquin Navarro Vals said that the Cuban religious leaders will also analyze aspects of the Pontiff's visit to the island. The head of the Catholic Church has repeatedly condemned Washington's blockade against Cuba, describing it as immoral and ethically unacceptable. The Vatican spokesman said that Havana's Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino and the 12 Cuban bishops accompanying him will be received by Pope John Paul II on Tuesday. They are scheduled to meet with other leaders of the Vatican on Wednesday. The Cuban bishops will end their visit on Thursday with a solemn Mass at St. John's Basilica on the occasion of the Catholic Corpus Christi festival. HAVANA MAYOR DENIED ENTRY VISA INTO EL SALVADOR San Salvador, June 8(RHC)-- El Salvador's Auxiliary Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez has strongly criticized the Salvadoran government's decision to deny a visa to Havana's Mayor Conrado Martinez Corona, who was invited to sign a number of agreements in the fields of culture, sports and health. The Salvadoran religious leader pointed out that the government of President Armando Calderon is ignoring Pope John Paul II's request for the world to open to Cuba and recalled that this Central American nation has used the services of Cuban sports trainers. The auxiliary bishop urged the Salvadoran government to be consistent with its foreign policy. San Salvador's municipal government invited Havana's mayor to attend official ceremonies naming Havana and San Salvador sister cities, but President Armando Calderon refused to issue an entry visa. The refusal to allow the Cuban capital city's mayor and President of Havana's Provincial Assembly into El Salvador was strongly criticized by the media of this Central American country. GENERAL SECRETARY OF RUSSIA'S COMMUNIST PARTY SAYS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA IS OUTDATED Buenos Aires, June 8(RHC)-- The leader of Russia's Communist Party, Guennadi Ziuganov, said in Buenos Aires that Washington's nearly 40 year blockade against Cuba is outdated. He praised the capacity of the Cuban people to adapt to the current international scene without sacrificing social achievements. Ziuganov, who is also a member of the Russian Parliament, is winding up a visit to Argentina and is expected to arrive in Cuba late Monday as part of a Latin American tour. The general secretary of Russia's Communist Party will meet with Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage, Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon as well as other government and Party officials. BRAZILIAN AIRLINES "TRANSAIR INTERNATIONAL" BEGINS FLIGHTS TO VARADERO Havana, June 8(RHC)-- Brazil's "Transair International" airlines inaugurated its first flight from this South American nation to Varadero over the weekend. The inaugural flight arrived at Juan Gualberto Gomez International Airport with a group of Brazilian personalities and representatives of important media sources. SPANISH SOL MELIA HOTEL CHAIN TO MANAGE FOUR MORE HOTELS ON THE ISLAND Havana, June 8(RHC)-- The Spanish Sol Melia hotel chain will manage another four luxury hotels in Cuba by the end of this year and early 1999. Sol Melia is the top-ranking hotel group in Spain and third-highest in Europe, with over 220 hotels in 25 nations. 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