Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit 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, November 3, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL BALLET FESTIVAL IN FULL SWING 2.- CUBA AND THE SPANISH AUTONOMOUS REGION OF GALICIA SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS 3.- CUBAN FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER SAYS ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION LIMITS THE DEVELOPMENT OF CUBAN PRODUCTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET 4.- CUBA AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC SIGN IMPORTANT COOPERATION ACCORDS 5.- JAPANESE CRUISE SHIP "PEACE BOAT" DOCKS IN HAVANA BAY 6.- CUBA OFFERS HONDURAS MEDICAL AID FOR THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE MITCH HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL BALLET FESTIVAL IN FULL SWING Havana, November 3(RHC)-- The ecstacy and enchantment that ballet is able to create among dance lovers is invading the Cuban capital as the 16th Havana International Ballet Festival enters its seventh day. Gissell -- the young peasant girl who dances, dies and loves beyond death -- was a tale danced by Alicia Alonso for the first time at the Ballet Theater of New York on November 2nd, 1943. Fifty-five years later, the Director of the Cuban National Ballet Company celebrated the date. She told journalists that she still feels the emotion of the first time she danced that famous romantic ballet. Commenting on her unique way of dancing Gisselle, she said that she had no secret in her interpretation of the ballet other than a serious study she had conducted on original dancers of Gisselle like Carlotta Griisi. And regarding the recent National Labor Heroine Order granted to Alonso by the Cuban Council of State, the great Cuban ballerina noted that no gold star had ever weighed on her chest so much and that it was a great honor and responsibility from her people and her nation. Meanwhile, a good friend and admirer of Alicia Alonso, ballet legend Carla Francci is making her debut this evening at this 16th Festival with the Spectre of the Rose -- a choreography dedicated to and inspired by famous modern dancer Isadora Duncan's life. At a press conference, Fracci said that the ballet has four movements with music by Beethoven and Grieg, along with the International and Shubert's Ave Maria. Referring to Alicia Alonso, Carla Fracci called the prima ballerina a symbol of the unity of the Cuban nation. CUBA AND THE SPANISH AUTONOMOUS REGION OF GALICIA SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS Havana, November 3(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro attended the signing ceremony on Monday of 13 cooperation accords between Spain's autonomous region of Galicia and Cuba. The Cuban leader met with the President of Galicia Manuel Fraga Iribarne and members of the Galician delegation following the ceremony. For his part, the Galician leader told reporters that these agreements represent a re-enforcement of historical ties between Galicia and Cuba. Other officials present at the ceremony were Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage and Spanish ambassador in Havana Eduardo Junco Bonet, as well as other Galician government officials. CUBAN FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER SAYS ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION LIMITS THE DEVELOPMENT OF CUBAN PRODUCTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET Havana, November 3(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas told the weekly Opciones newspaper that economic globalization is one of the main external factors that limits development and the introduction of new Cuban products on the international market. The Cuban government official also pointed out that the island is limited to aid programs for development, to a line of credit that would permit industrial modernization and finance exports on a competitive basis. The Cuban foreign trade minister referred to a series of new products that have been incorporated into the island_s regular exports -- among them, human and veterinary vaccines as well as medical equipment. However, Cabrisas said that those exports are experiencing obstacles, especially external obstacles, which determine that the Cuban economy still has a high dependency of traditional products abroad. CUBA AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC SIGN IMPORTANT COOPERATION ACCORDS Havana, November 3(RHC)-- Representatives from Cuba and the Czech Republic have signed important cooperation agreements in the fields of energy, transportation, machinery, construction and industrial materials. The accords were signed during the first session of the Joint Economic, Commercial and Technical Cooperation Commission taking place in Havana. Both sides also discussed the protection and promotion of investment accord expected to be signed next year. The Czech Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Yiri Maceska, said her delegation is satisfied with the results of their meeting, adding she is certain that future bilateral relations will improve, especially in the fields of economy and trade. JAPANESE CRUISE SHIP "PEACE BOAT" DOCKS IN HAVANA BAY Havana, November 3(RHC)-- The Japanese cruise ship "Peace Boat" has arrived in Cuba with 750 passengers on board. The Peace Boat will tour the island's different historic, tourist, economic and social places of interest. This is the fourth time that the Japanese Peace Boat has docked at Cuban ports. This trip is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Cuba. CUBA OFFERS HONDURAS MEDICAL AID FOR THE VICTIMS OF HURRICANE MITCH Havana, November 3(RHC)-- Cuba has offered humanitarian assistance to the people of Honduras, seriously affected by Hurricane Mitch. Cuba's Health Minister Carlos Dotres stated that 14 doctors and nurses from different specialties will travel to the most affected areas of Honduras, mainly the region of Mosquitia in the Department of Gracias a Dios, which was the hardest hit by the storm. Referring to Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman's refusal to accept Cuba's offer of humanitarian aid for the Nicaraguan people, the Cuban Health Minister said that Cuba has always offered its solidarity with the rest of the people's of the world when they are severely affected by a natural disaster. He pointed to the example of the Dominican Republic, Honduras and other countries that have been affected. Cuba currently has 1500 Cuban medical specialists serving in some 40 countries around the world. [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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