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, May 19, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ADDRESSES THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION 2.- 103TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF CUBA'S NATIONAL HERO JOSE MARTI 3.- SWISS PARLIAMENTARIANS CONTINUE THEIR VISIT TO CUBA 4.- CUBAN SINGER-SONGWRITER SILVIO RODRIGUEZ AMONG CANDIDATES TO WIN THE PRINCE OF ASTURIAS LITERATURE PRIZE 5.- THIRD INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON DIALYSIS AND KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS UNDERWAY 6.- COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL SUGAR ORGANIZATION WILL MEET IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ADDRESSES THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION Geneva, May 19(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro said today that the world should feel humiliated for allowing Washington to impose extraterritorial measures against Cuba. In a speech delivered on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the World Trade Organization, the Cuban leader said this multilateral agency should be capable of preventing the economic genocide Washington is committing against the Cuban people. One of the 14 heads of state or government to participate in the WTO gathering, President Castro said that despite the existence of this multilateral agency -- with 132 member nations -- Washington is attempting to give juridical validity to its illegal measures inside the Organization for Cooperation and Development in Europe, the OCDE -- which he called "an exclusive club of rich nations." The leader of the Cuban Revolution pointed out that the Helms-Burton Law arbitrarily converted wealthy Cubans who fled the island at the time of the revolutionary triumph into U.S. citizens whose property has been confiscated. Fidel Castro said that the majority of WTO member-nations are underdeveloped countries, although the issues of poverty and the foreign debt rarely make up part of the organization's debates. At the same time, he pointed out, the Third World is losing everything: tariffs that protected their emerging industries and generated incomes, agreements on basic products and producer's associations, among other instruments to protect the value of Third World exports and contribute to the development of those nations. The Cuban leader called on the World Trade Organization to consider the possibility of an economic crisis in the United States itself, due to the excessive dimensions of financial speculation. He said even the enemies of capitalism would not like to experience the catastrophic repercussions of a U.S. financial collapse. Cuban President Fidel Castro called on the World Trade Organization to convert itself into "an instrument of struggle for a better world and a more just process of economic globalization." 103TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF CUBA'S NATIONAL HERO JOSE MARTI Havana, May 19(RHC)-- Cubans across the island are commemorating the 103rd anniversary of the death of Cuba's National Hero Jose Marti. On Tuesday morning, school children placed flowers on the bust of Marti, located at every school on the island. The Cuban independence hero was killed on this date in 1895 in an area called Dos Rios, located in the eastern part of the island, while fighting against Spanish colonialism. SWISS PARLIAMENTARIANS CONTINUE THEIR VISIT TO CUBA Havana, May 19(RHC)-- Swiss parliamentarians, currently visiting the island, stressed their desire to strengthen relations with Cuba. Headed by the President of the Swiss National Council, Ernst Lewenberger, the parliamentarians said they are eager to learn how the Cuban National Assembly and its commissions work, and look forward to studying the island's political institutions. Lewenberger told journalists that despite Switzerland being the center of economic relations, there is a special interest in Cuban cigars and tourism on the island. During the Swiss parliamentarians visit, they have met with Communist Party and government officials and toured places of economic and cultural interest. The Swiss parliamentarians met with Cuban President Fidel Castro in Geneva before departing for the island. CUBAN SINGER-SONGWRITER SILVIO RODRIGUEZ AMONG CANDIDATES TO WIN THE PRINCE OF ASTURIAS LITERATURE PRIZE Havana, May 19(RHC)-- Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodriguez is among the 36 candidates from 16 countries that could be selected for the Prince of Asturias Literature Prize. Among some of the other Latin American candidates are Mario Benedetti from Uruguay, Alfredo Bryce from Peru, Guatemalan Augusto Monterroso and Brazilian Blida Pinon. The announcement will be made on Friday, the 22nd, in the Spanish city of Oviedo. THIRD INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON DIALYSIS AND KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS UNDERWAY Santiago de Cuba, May 19(RHC)-- The Third International Seminar on Dialysis and Kidney Transplants began sessions on Monday in eastern Santiago de Cuba province, with the participation of some 250 Cuban and foreign specialists. Among some of the issues that are being discussed are the advantages of dialysis, the selection of the donor and receiver of the kidney transplant and possible complications after a kidney transplant. The seminar will pave the way for the 6th Kidney Congress, to take place from the 20th to the 22nd at the Heredia Theater in Santiago de Cuba. COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL SUGAR ORGANIZATION WILL MEET IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, May 19(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas said that the International Sugar Organization will continue working despite the economic clauses that have been eliminated in international sugar agreements. The Cuban official added that the International Sugar Organization's objective is to assure worldwide cooperation in the field, enforce permanent consultation and facilitate the trade and sale of sugar. Cabrisas pointed out that the current situation for sugar producing countries is not favorable, as the price of sugar on the international market is currently only eight cents a pound. The Cuban foreign trade minister will chair the International Sugar Organization's council to take place from the 26th to the 29th of this month in Havana. [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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