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, June 24, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SAYS HIS U.S. COUNTERPART'S GREATEST FAULT HAS BEEN SUPPORT OF HELMS-BURTON LAW 2.- A UNITED EUROPE IS AN HISTORICAL NECESSITY, BENEFICIAL TO ALL 3.- MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROSARIO GREEN WRAPS UP OFFICIAL, TWO-DAY VISIT TO THE ISLAND 4.- HEAD OF NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT AND COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO SAMPER ARRIVES IN HAVANA WEDNESDAY EVENING 5.- U.S. HUMANITARIAN AID ORGANIZATION GIVEN PERMISSION TO SEND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO CUBA 6.- CUBA REQUESTS CLARIFICATION OF EUROPEAN UNION-U.S. UNDERSTANDING REGARDING HELMS-BURTON LAW 7.- PRESIDENT OF U.S. FEED GRAIN COUNCIL SAYS BUSINESSES ARE LOSING OUT TO FOREIGN COMPETITORS IN CUBA 8.- RENOWNED U.S. ACTOR JACK NICHOLSON CONTINUES VISIT TO CUBA 9.- CUBA'S VOCAL GROUP "SAMPLING" TOURS UNITED STATES CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SAYS HIS U.S. COUNTERPART'S GREATEST FAULT HAS BEEN SUPPORT OF HELMS-BURTON LAW Havana, June 24(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro says his U.S. counterpart's greatest fault has been his support of the Helms-Burton Law. The Cuban leader spoke with journalists during a reception held at the Mexican embassy for visiting Foreign Minister Rosario Green. Fidel Castro described U.S. President Bill Clinton as intelligent, but who made the mistake of seeking votes by giving support to the anti-Cuban legislation backed by the Miami mafia. Fidel Castro added that, given Clinton's moral support of Helms-Burton, the U.S. president has encountered many international problems due to the law's extraterritorial nature. The Cuban leader recalled that Clinton inherited the long war of hostility against the island and applauded the U.S. president's recent statements recognizing the achievements made by Cuba in education and health care. President Fidel Castro said that although Clinton defends the interests of the United States and its transnational corporations, he does so from a position different from the ultra right-wing in the United States. A UNITED EUROPE IS AN HISTORICAL NECESSITY, BENEFICIAL TO ALL Havana, June 24(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro stated that a united Europe is an historical necessity which will be beneficial to all countries of the world. Speaking to reporters Tuesday night at the conclusion of a lecture presented by Spanish Industry and Energy Minister Josep Pique, the Cuban leader said that a unified Europe will help underdeveloped countries by creating a multipolar world in the area of economics -- precisely at a time when some wish to impose a unipolar political system on the rest of the world. Asked about relations between Cuba and Spain, the Cuban president said that not only have those relations been normalized, but they have greatly improved. He said he was impressed by the number of Spanish investments in Latin America and expressed his satisfaction that European countries were financing projects that would benefit the Americas, which, he said, "form a great family threatened by a powerful neighbor." Referring to a reporter's question concerning the possibility of a visit this year to the island by Spanish King Juan Carlos, the Cuban leader said the invitation continues to be open, adding that he is looking forward to meeting and talking with the man who he described as frank and cordial. MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROSARIO GREEN WRAPS UP TWO-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE ISLAND Havana, June 24(RHC)-- Mexican Foreign Minister Rosario Green said today that Mexico will always be there to support Cuba's readmission into the Organization of American States. During a news conference in Havana that wrapped up her two-day official visit to the island, the Mexican foreign minister said her country would never pressure Cuba concerning its return to the inter-american system and that Cuba will decide when, and under what conditions, the island will be willing to rejoin the OAS. Journalists questioned the visiting dignitary concerning her opinion of Cuba's political system, to which she responded by saying that Mexico would never issue opinions on the internal matters of Cuba or any other country. She said this is one of the guiding principles of Mexico's foreign policy, in the same way that Mexico does not accept interference into matters which only Mexicans can decide. Mexican Foreign Minister Rosario Green, responding to another question from a foreign journalist, said the issue of Cuba's participation in the Free Trade Zone of the Americas can be resolved once this regional integration effort is well defined. Green reiterated Mexico's position with respect to Washington's Helms-Burton Law, stressing that her country has expressed in all international forums its rejection of extraterritorial measures in trade, the war on drugs or any other area. She reiterated Mexico's condemnation of Washington's recent controversial undercover anti-drug operation Casablanca, which particularly targeted Mexico and Venezuela without the knowledge or cooperation of those countries' authorities. The Mexican foreign minister today officially closed the 8th session of the Mexico-Cuba Intergovernmental Mixed Commission, which wound up with the creation of another subcommission -- this one on agriculture and cattle raising. The two countries have also decided to step up cooperation in the war on drugs and against money laundering, to speed-up the conclusion of an agreement on compensatory credits that will benefit bilateral trade, and took note of recent advances in fields like energy, mineral resources, communications, education, culture and technology. Mexican Foreign Minister Rosario Green stated that relations between the two countries have been increased by her visit to the island. She also told reporters that her meeting with Cuban President Fidel Castro was -- in her words -- "something never dreamed of, an unforgettable and historic experience." HEAD OF NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT AND COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO SAMPER ARRIVES IN HAVANA WEDNESDAY EVENING Havana, June 24(RHC)-- As the Cuban capital prepares for tomorrow's opening session of the 23rd Meeting of Health Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement, the President of the organization and out-going Colombian President Ernesto Samper arrives in Havana late Wednesday evening. The Colombian president begins an official visit to the island at the invitation of this Cuban counterpart, Fidel Castro, and will inaugurate the non-aligned ministerial meeting on Thursday. Health ministers and high-ranking officials from nearly 70 countries will be in attendance at the two-day meeting, which will serve to evaluate medical attention in Third World countries and seek ways to build cooperation between Non- Aligned Movement member-States. Colombian President Ernesto Samper plans to meet with Cuban officials, including Cuban President Fidel Castro and will visit Santiago de Cuba's EXPOCARIBE before wrapping up his visit to the island on Saturday. U.S. HUMANITARIAN AID ORGANIZATION GIVEN PERMISSION TO SEND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO CUBA Los Angeles, June 24(RHC)-- Operation USA, a non-governmental organization based in Los Angeles, California, has been granted permission by the U.S. Treasury Department to send medical aid to Cuba. The group plans to ship eight 40-foot sea containers to the island over the next two years. According to Richard Walden, president of the group, the aid will consist of sterilization equipment, portable X-ray units, operating tables, hypodermic syringes, pharmaceutical supplies and vitamins. The aid will go to three pediatric hospitals in Havana and a network of rural health programs run by the Cuban Council of Churches. Walden said his organization, founded nearly 20 years ago, has worked in 67 countries around the world and was pleased to have finally received U.S. permission to send assistance to Cuba. During a news conference held in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the head of Operation USA praised Cuba's health care system and placed the blame for current shortages of medicine squarely on the shoulders of Washington. He told reporters he that humanitarian aid for Cuban children is "still a prisoner of U.S. politics," adding that until Washington passed legislation proposed by Senator Christopher Dodd and Representative Esteban Torres, the aid his group sends will amount to "a drop in the bucket." The two Democratic lawmakers have proposed legislation that would exempt food and medical supplies from the U.S. blockade of Cuba. The president of Operation USA stated that unless the U.S. government removes licensing restrictions on food and medicine, humanitarian assistance will be insufficient. Walden, whose organization's Board of Directors includes actress Julie Andrews, film directors Blake Edwards and Roland Joffe and former U.S. presidential candidate Gary Hart, said he was ashamed that his country was using unjust policies of isolation against Cuba and hoped that the donation -- in his words -- "will serve as a gesture of friendship, with respect for [Cuba's] independence and sovereignty." CUBA REQUESTS CLARIFICATION OF EUROPEAN UNION-U.S UNDERSTANDING REGARDING HELMS-BURTON LAW Geneva, June 24(RHC)-- Cuba has requested that the European Union notify the World Trade Organization regarding the understanding reached with the United States government on the application of the Helms-Burton Law. The preliminary agreement was announced last month in London and according to Cuba's representative to the WTO, Carlos Amat, a clarification concerning the arrangement is still forthcoming. Cuba views the U.S.-European Union understanding as a mutually-convenient solution which does not change the extraterritorial nature of the U.S. law. According to procedural protocol, the European Union must notify the World Trade Organization in order that any member country can question or challenge the agreement. PRESIDENT OF U.S. FEED GRAIN COUNCIL SAYS BUSINESSES ARE LOSING OUT TO FOREIGN COMPETITORS IN CUBA Washington, June 24(RHC)-- The President of the U.S. Feed Grain Council Kenneth Hobbie stated that U.S. grain producers would be able to supply up to one million metric tons of feed grain to Cuba if Washington's lifts its economic blockade against the island. Hobbie stressed that it is time for Washington to re-examine its policy towards Cuba, which is affecting the Cuban people as well as U.S. producers, who are losing business opportunities. The president of the U.S. Feed Grain Council said he recently led a delegation of producers and agro-business representatives to examine Cuba's agricultural needs. Hobbie pointed out that the U.S. delegation was disturbed to see other countries providing agricultural products to the island, while they are prohibited from doing so under U.S. law. Cuba purchases millions of dollars in agricultural products throughout the world each year, according to the U.S. businessman, including French wheat, Canadian barley malt and Asian rice. He said that if the island were able to buy from the United States, Cuba would save two-thirds of its cost, due to its geographical proximity. RENOWNED U.S. ACTOR JACK NICHOLSON CONTINUES VISIT TO CUBA Havana, June 24(RHC)-- Oscar award-winning actor Jack Nicholson continues his visit to Havana, at the invitation of Cuba's Film Institute, ICAIC. The 61-year-old actor arrived Monday at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, where he was warmly welcomed by ICAIC's President Alfredo Guevara. Asked by reporters what brought him to Cuba, the U.S. actor replied: "Films." Nicholson, who is also a cigar lover, visited the Partagas tobacco factory in Havana on Tuesday. CUBA'S VOCAL GROUP "SAMPLING" TOURS UNITED STATES Los Angeles, June 24 (RHC)-- Cuba's a capella group "Sampling" performed over the weekend in Los Angeles' Conga Room. "Sampling" is able to create the sounds of an entire band, complete with congas, bass, piano and a horn section, using only their mouths and hands. Sunday's performances included jazz, salsa and even rap. The Cuban vocal group "Sampling" was characterized by critics as the year's most memorable Latin show so far. [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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