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 Thursday, March 26, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- VISITING PRIME MINISTER OF ST. CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS, DENZIL DOUGLAS, COMES OUT IN SUPPORT OF CUBA'S FULL INTEGRATION INTO CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY 2.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA TRAVELS TO ITALY AFTER OFFICIAL VISIT TO RUSSIA 3.- CUBAN MAGAZINE FEATURES SOCIALISM BEFORE THE 21st CENTURY 4.- DRINKING-RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS TAKE A HIGH TOLL 5.- EXCHANGE ON WORLD FINANCIAL CRISIS CONCLUDES IN HAVANA 6.- BUSINESS SEMINAR UNDERWAY IN RIO DE JANEIRO 7.- CUBA-CHINA JOINT COMMISSION FOR COMMERCIAL AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL VISITING PRIME MINISTER OF ST. CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS, DENZIL DOUGLAS, COMES OUT IN SUPPORT OF CUBA'S FULL INTEGRATION INTO CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY Havana, March 26(RHC)-- The visiting Prime Minister of St. Christopher and Nevis, Denzil Douglas, has come out in support of Cuba's full integration into the Caribbean community. In an implicit reference to Washington's blockade of Cuba, Douglas said that "efforts to isolate Cuba and the suffering resulting from those efforts, must cease." Prime Minister Denzil Douglas told journalists that his conversation with Cuban President Fidel Castro -- who received the visiting dignitary on Wednesday at the Palace of the Revolution -- centered around bilateral cooperation in the spheres of health care, sports and agriculture, as well as the professional training of his country's citizens in Cuban schools and institutes. He thanked Cuba on behalf of other Caribbean nations for its cooperation with and aid to the region. Asked about the possibility of Cuba becoming a member of the regional organization CARICOM, Douglas said he was certain that his colleagues in the region are waiting with interest for a petition from Cuba, which would then lead to a process of evaluation. A physician by profession, Prime Minister Denzil Douglas will place particular emphasis on learning first-hand about Cuba's health care system during his eight-day visit. CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA TRAVELS TO ITALY AFTER OFFICIAL VISIT TO RUSSIA Moscow, March 26(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina travelled today to Italy after wrapping up a three-day official visit to Russia. During his stay in Russia, Robaina held extensive conversations with his Russian counterpart Evguenni Primakov and with leaders of the parliament, delivered a conference on Cuban foreign policy at Moscow's Institute of Foreign Relations and visited the oil and mineral rich autonomous Republic of Tatarstan. The Cuban foreign minister said his visit to Tatarstan demonstrates that Cuba's relations with Russia are extending beyond Moscow. He said Cuba and the autonomous Russian Republic are in the process of identifying areas in which they can develop mutually beneficial economic ties. CUBAN MAGAZINE FEATURES SOCIALISM BEFORE THE 21st CENTURY Havana, March 26(RHC)-- The 8th edition of the magazine "Cuba Socialista" began circulating on the island this week. The magazine, a publication of the Cuban Communist Party, devoted the edition to the subject of Socialism before the 21st century. It carries presentations made by renowned Cuban and foreign experts during a recent seminar in Havana on the prospects of Socialism for the future of the world. One of the articles, by Jose Ramon Balaguer, head of the Cuban Communist Party's Ideological Department, highlights the role of Socialism as a viable option for social development. Two other pieces discuss globalization; one of them takes a look at that international phenomenon from a Marxist perspective. Another feature article in the new edition of the "Cuba Socialista" magazine addresses changes in capitalism over the last few decades. DRINKING-RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS TAKE A HIGH TOLL Havana, March 26(RHC)-- Drunk-driving accounted for one of every three accidents in Cuba during 1997, according to figures published by Granma newspaper on Thursday. The paper said a total of 1319 people were killed in traffic accidents on the island last year. Granma notes that although the figure represents a decrease in more than one hundred fatal victims compared to 1996, the number of deaths remains alarmingly high. Granma said there was a total of 7904 road accidents in Cuba in 1997, and that speeding and recklessness were the two major causes of accidents after drunk driving. Most victims of car accidents in Cuba last year were pedestrians; next were cyclists, who were involved in 37 percent of the accidents. Figures published by Granma newspaper also reveal that in Havana alone, traffic offenses result in some 2500 fines daily. EXCHANGE ON WORLD FINANCIAL CRISIS CONCLUDES IN HAVANA Havana, March 26(RHC)-- An international roundtable on the world financial crisis ended in Havana Wednesday. Experts who presented papers at the event included the Permanent Secretary of the Latin American Economic System, Uruguayan Carlos Moneta; Japanese academic Masako Goto; and Doctor Osvaldo Martinez, Director of the Cuban Research Center on the World Economy. Delivering the closing remarks at the meeting, Osvaldo Martinez said the Asian financial crisis was a reflection of the very problems besieging the world's capitalism system today. The Havana roundtable on the international financial crisis was sponsored by the Cuban Foreign Investment Ministry, the Canadian corporation Sherritt and the Cubazucar company, among other institutions. BUSINESS SEMINAR UNDERWAY IN RIO DE JANEIRO Rio de Janeiro, March 26(RHC)-- A seminar on business opportunities in Cuba is underway in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Entrepreneurs from that South American nation listened Thursday to comments on investment possibilities on the island made by Foreign Investment Minister, Ibrahim Ferradaz. Headed by Minister Ferradaz, the Cuban delegation to the seminar is made up of representatives from the areas of oil, tourism, and mining, as well as pharmaceuticals, steel, and science and technology. Foreign Investment Minister Ibrahim Ferradaz described the Rio seminar on business opportunities in Cuba as a first step in greater Cuba-Brazil economic exchange. CUBA-CHINA JOINT COMMISSION FOR COMMERCIAL AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, March 26(RHC)-- The 10th session of the Cuba-China Joint Commission for Commercial and Economic Relations began in Havana Wednesday with the participation of visiting Chinese Deputy Foreign Trade Minister Sun Zhenyu and Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas. Among the issues that will be analyzed during the talks are bilateral cooperation, terms of trade and commercial results over the last year. The use of credits and donations granted to Cuba by the Chinese government during 1997 and aid for 1998 are also points on the meeting's agenda. Within this context, several documents will be signed, such as an accord for preferential credit, a governmental credit and donation and the final agreements. [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. We welcome your comments and suggestions. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org