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 Friday, May 22, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA RECEIVES NUMEROUS DIGNITARIES CARRYING OUT OFFICIAL VISITS TO THE ISLAND 2.- RENOWNED CUBAN DOCUMENTARY FILM-MAKER SANTIAGO ALVAREZ LAID TO REST IN HAVANA'S COLON CEMETERY 3.- WORLD FOOD PROGRAM REPRESENTATIVE IN CUBA THANKS PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO FOR RECOGNIZING WORK OF THE WORLD INSTITUTION 4.- DELEGATION FROM EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VISITS CUBA 5.- SECOND INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION CONTINUES IN HAVANA 6.- BRAZIL'S PETROLEOS FIRM READY TO SIGN CONTRACT WITH CUBA CUBA RECEIVES NUMEROUS DIGNITARIES CARRYING OUT OFFICIAL VISITS TO THE ISLAND Havana, May 22(RHC)-- Coinciding with Cuban President Fidel Castro's return from an official visit to Geneva, a flurry of diplomatic activities are underway in Havana. The Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, Abullah Ajimad, and of the Popular Democratic Republic of Korea, Kim Yong Nam, arrived today in the Cuban capital. On Saturday, Palestinian Foreign Minister and Head of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Political Department, Faruk Kadum, is expected to arrive in Havana. And on Sunday, Cuba will receive visiting Brazilian Foreign Minister Luis Felipe Lampreia. Meanwhile, Guatemalan Deputy Foreign Minster Josefina Morales Figueroa stated today in Havana that relations between the two countries are progressing well. The Guatemalan official arrived in Havana on Wednesday to prepare for the opening of her country's diplomatic mission in the Cuban capital, after the re-establishment of diplomatic relations last January. Morales Figueroa said that Guatemalan Vice President Luis Flores and Foreign Minister Eduardo Stein will pay an official visit to Cuba next month, along with an important business delegation. And it was announced today that Chilean Foreign Minister Jose Miguel Insulza will pay an official visit to Cuba in September. The announcement came from a Chilean Foreign Ministry delegation that wrapped up a visit to Havana today, aimed at paving the way for a trade agreement between Cuba and Chile that will stimulate bilateral trade by reducing tariffs on some 1500 products. Chile-Cuba relations have between progressing gradually but steadily, with Chilean exports to Cuba second only to those of Mexico. RENOWNED CUBAN DOCUMENTARY FILM-MAKER SANTIAGO ALVAREZ LAID TO REST IN HAVANA'S COLON CEMETERY Havana, May 22(RHC)-- Cuban documentary film-maker Santiago Alvarez was buried on Friday in Havana's Colon Cemetery. Alvarez, considered one of the best documentary film-makers of our time, died on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. Dozens of renowned Cuban and foreign cultural personalities have paid tribute to the memory to Santiago Alvarez. The legendary creator of films such as "Now", "Cyclone" and "79 Primaveras," began his television career as a cameraman at the age of 20. After the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Alvarez joined the Cuban Film Institute, ICAIC, together with its current President Alfredo Guevara, Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Julio Garcia Espinosa. He headed the Cuban Documentary School to begin fresh new documentaries on the revolutionary struggle headed by Fidel Castro. Santiago Alvarez' career included films on the Literacy Campaign, mass political rallies in Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion, President Fidel Castro's visits abroad as well as biographical films on important world figures like Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh and Chilean President Salvador Allende. WORLD FOOD PROGRAM REPRESENTATIVE IN CUBA THANKS PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO FOR RECOGNIZING WORK OF THE WORLD INSTITUTION Havana, May 22(RHC)--The representative of the World Food Program in Cuba, German Valdivia, thanked Cuban President Fidel Castro's recognition of the institution's work in the world. In statements to journalists in Cuba, Valdivia recalled that during his recent speech at the World Health Organization in Geneva, the Cuban leader included the World Food Program as one of the UN institutions that have contributed to educating the international community about the serious problems in today's world. He pointed out that Cuba contributes sugar to the international institution's projects each year. DELEGATION FROM EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VISITS CUBA Havana, May 22(RHC)-- A delegation from the European Parliament is on an official visit to the island. The European legislators met with the island's Economy and Planning Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez. The Cuban leader briefed members of the delegation on the measures adopted by the government to confront the economic crisis. The delegation, headed by Jose Ignacio Salabranca, President of the Commission on Relations with Central America and Mexico, visited the foreign ministry and met with diplomats and government officials. The European parliamentarians will also meet with the President of Cuba's Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage and Havana's Cardinal Jaime Ortega. SECOND INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION CONTINUES IN HAVANA Havana, May 22(RHC)-- The Second International Seminar on Relations between Cuba and the European Union continued today in Havana with the participation of politicians, economists, business representatives and journalists. Cuba's Finance and Prices Minister Manuel Millares discussed the island's opening to foreign investment. Following the collapse of the former Soviet Union, Cuba now has half of its trade with Europe and another third with Latin america. BRAZIL'S PETROLEOS FIRM READY TO SIGN CONTRACT WITH CUBA Brasilia, May 22(RHC)-- The Brazilian Petroleos firm is expected to sign a contract with Cuba for oil exploration. Brazil's Mining and Energy Minister, Raimundo Brito, told reporters that the area of exploration has already been located and added that the agreement is just about ready to be signed. Brito added that if positive results are obtained, the Brazilian firm would look for foreign partners to go ahead in the oil exploitation. [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