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, May 4, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO TERMS MASSIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC COMMEMORATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY AS "OLYMPIC" 2.- ANOTHER VICTORY IN BATTLE AGAINST WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE 3.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA ATTENDS MEETING OF GROUP OF AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC COUNTRIES IN BARBADOS 4.- U.S. PLASTIC SURGEONS CONCLUDE TWO-WEEK PROGRAM IN CUBA 5.- WOMEN TRADE UNIONISTS MEET IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 6.- ARGENTINA THANKS CUBA FOR OFFER OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE 7.- FRENCH BUSINESS DELEGATION WRAPS UP VISIT TO CUBA 8.- CUBA SHOULD BE USED AS EXAMPLE FOR LATIN AMERICA IN CHILD CARE CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO TERMS MASSIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC COMMEMORATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY AS "OLYMPIC" Havana, May 4(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has termed as "olympic" the massive and enthusiastic street demonstrations in Cuba commemorating International Workers' Day. The statement came over the weekend in an interview with Havana's Prensa Latina News Agency, following an awards ceremony for outstanding Cuban workers and work centers. More than one million Cubans paraded through Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion on Friday, May 1st -- while islandwide, nearly six million Cubans took to the streets to reiterate their support for Cuba's socio-economic system and to massively condemn Washington's blockade of the island. In reference to the blockade, the Cuban leader told Prensa Latina that the measure has been "morally defeated" and that "the number of voice sand institutions opposing the blockade continues to grow." Fidel addedthat mainstream news agencies around the world have called the blockade "immoral and unjust." The leader of the Cuban Revolution said he had the impression that U.S. leaders themselves are embarrassed about the blockade, but "they've backed themselves into a corner and can't get out." He said they seem "like flies entangled in a spider web." In his discussion with the local press, the Cuban leader said that some believe the Cuban Revolution will change by other methods, though not with the blockade. President Castro said he accepted that challenge, calling on those with other methods to come, adding "let's see what happens." Observers interpreted these words as an indirect response to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien's call on Cuba to change, during hisrecent visit to the island. Fidel Castro spoke of the new stage in Cuba-Spain relations, calling them "very positive in spite of the big ideological differences between the two countries." He noted that the normalization of those relations comes on the centennial of the U.S. military intervention into and occupation of Cuba. He said the normalization is the result of serious efforts by both Spain and Cuba. The Cuban leader said he had a positive impression of Spain's new ambassador in Havana, Eduardo Junco Bonet, with whom he met last week following the presentation of diplomatic credentials. He said this process of normalization has resulted in increasing visits of Spanish business people to the island. The number of visits to Cuba of business executives from around the world, said Fidel Castro, "represent a big black hole in Washington's blockade." The Cuban president said Spain forms part of an increasingly influential European Union, which he said is destined to play an increasingly important role in the international scenario over the coming years. He pointed to the struggle between Europe and the United States in terms of access to Latin American markets, terming as positive European integration because it will translate into the existence of two strong currencies and two economic powers instead of one. Finally, Fidel Castro addressed charges alleging a lack of democracy in Cuba. He said that without wishing to offend his colleagues and other nations of the region, "Cuba did more for its people in the first years of the Revolution than the rest of Latin America has done over the past 200 years." Moreover, said Fidel, the Cuban Revolution and Cuban democracy "are based on the unity, consensus and consciousness of the Cuban people." That is how Cuba has survived, he said -- "that is how Cuba has resisted under extremely adverse circumstances." The leader of the Cuban Revolution said that, in contrast, "our brothers and sisters in Latin America seem like they're travelling in a ship guided by the wind, without knowing where they're heading." ANOTHER VICTORY IN BATTLE AGAINST WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE Havana, May 4(RHC)-- Cuba's Trabajadores weekly published an editorial on Monday entitled "The Cuban people win another great victory against the blockade." The editorial refers to May Day celebrations throughout the island last Friday. Recalling last January's elections in Cuba, the visit of Pope John Paul II and the recent U.S. defeat at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Trabajadores says the presence of millions of people celebrating International Workers Day "was yet another example of the unity and revolutionary strength of the Cuban people." Trabajadores added that with the physical presence of the Cuban people, armed with their convictions, joys and enthusiasm, "an important historical triumph was marked against Washington's blockade against the island." The editorial added that throughout the island, the Cuban people also expressed appreciation to the nations of the world that have challenged U.S. policies toward Cuba. Those countries, says Cuba's Trabajadores weekly -- many of which are poor, undeveloped nations -- have condemned U.S. aggressions against Cuba. Monday's Trabajadores weekly concludes its editorial saying that Cuba's labor movement thanked the representatives of 140 organizations from 41 nations that took part in Havana's celebrations on International Workers Day last Friday. "This symbolizes the solidarity, unity and internationalism that the world's labor movement needs so much today and which Cuba strongly supports." CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA ATTENDS MEETING OF GROUP OF AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC COUNTRIES IN BARBADOS Bridgetown, May 4(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina is in Barbados to attend a meeting of the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries. Cuba was invited to the meeting as an observer. Before leaving Havana for Barbados, the Cuban foreign minister told journalists that his country is interested in taking part in future talks concerning the Lome Convention. The Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries is made up of 71 countries -- former colonies of Europe -- and have had preferential trade relations with European countries. Roberto Robaina said that Cuba's participation in upcoming talks -- scheduled for September -- will facilitate the island's re-incorporation into the world economy. U.S. PLASTIC SURGEONS CONCLUDE TWO-WEEK PROGRAM IN CUBA Havana, May 4(RHC)-- A group of 14 U.S. medical specialists have ended a two-week stay in Cuba, where they held workshops and performed reconstructive surgery at two main hospitals in Havana. The plastic surgeons, members of the non-governmental, not-for-profit organization Interplast, volunteered their services at the Cuban capital's Juan Manuel Marquez pediatric hospital and the island's largest medical center, Hermanos Ameijerias. A total of 15 Cuban children and three adults benefitted from reconstructive surgery performed by the doctors. Carlos Dotres, Cuba's Minister of Public Health, expressed his appreciation for the work of the U.S. physicians. For their part, the visiting U.S. plastic surgeons -- who left Saturday morning for their country -- said they were impressed by the high professionalism of Cuban doctors and medical personnel and the love and dedication shown for their patients. WOMEN TRADE UNIONISTS MEET IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, May 4(RHC)-- Women trade unionists from 13 countries have met in Havana to discuss the particularly negative impact of neoliberal economic policies on women. Timed to coincide with yesterday's celebration of International Worker's Day, the women took part in a two-day workshop organized by the Cuban Worker's Confederation, the CTC. Discussions focused on the gloomy outlook for the future of many women in countries were privatizations are prioritized, resulting in increased poverty and unemployment. The women trade union activists specifically concentrated on the lack of health care services and educational deficiencies provoked by free market economic policies. Delegates at the two-day meeting in the Cuban capital also voiced their firm opposition to the U.S. economic blockade of the island. ARGENTINA THANKS CUBA FOR OFFER OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE Buenos Aires, May 4(RHC)-- Argentina has expressed its appreciation to Cuba for the offer to send medical assistance in response to severe flooding in that South American nation. In statements to Prensa Latina News Agency, Alberto Kohan, Minister of the Argentinean Presidency, acknowledged receiving a recent letter from Cuban President Fidel Castro. The message expressed the Cuban leader's concern and solidarity with those affected by the rising waters, resulting from the El Nino meteorological phenomenon. Fidel offered to send a medical contingent to help in the relief efforts. More than 100,000 Argentineans have been evacuated to higher ground in order to escape rising flood waters. Constant rains have forced authorities to take emergency measures and have only aggravated an already disastrous situation, given the levels of poverty and unemployment in the areas hardest hit. Kohan told reporters in Buenos Aires that Argentina greatly appreciates the Cuban leader's gesture of solidarity and friendship. FRENCH BUSINESS DELEGATION WRAPS UP VISIT TO CUBA Havana, May 4(RHC)-- An important French business delegation wrapped up their working visit to Cuba on Saturday. This was the fourth visit by a delegation from the French National Business Council. Forty-three business representatives from important French banks, financial institutions and companies met with Cuba's Economy Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez and the President of the Central Bank, Francisco Soberon. The head of the delegation, Jean Pierre deGeorges and a group of business representatives also met with Cuban President Fidel Castro during their stay. Before ending their visit to the island, the business representatives signed a number of important bilateral agreements with Cuban authorities. A new joint-venture with French and Cuban financing was also established which will soon begin construction of eight luxury hotels on the island at a cost of 25 million dollars. According to the latest statistics, there are currently 22 joint-ventures in operation between France and Cuba. It was also reported that French lending agencies this year have extended credit to Havana amounting to more than 185 million dollars -- ten million dollars more than during 1997. CUBA SHOULD BE USED AS EXAMPLE FOR LATIN AMERICA IN CHILD CARE San Jose, May 4(RHC)-- Despite Washington's brutal economic blockade against the island, Cuba leads all other Latin American countries in the care of children. According to Francisco Rojas, representative of the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, based in Costa Rica, Cuba offers more protection for its children than any other country in the region. The UNICEF representative told journalists that Cuba should be used as an example for other Latin American nations, pointing to the low infant mortality rate of 7.2 -- comparable only to highly developed countries. [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. 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