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 Wednesday, November 4, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- BRITISH TRADE MINISTER BRIAN WILSON COMES OUT IN FAVOR OF GREATER TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND GREAT BRITAIN 2.- HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR IS A GOOD REFLECTION OF CUBA'S DIVERSE COMMERCIAL PARTNERS 3.- 16th INTERNATIONAL BALLET FESTIVAL RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS 4.- FOURTH LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN FRIENDSHIP AND SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA ENCOUNTER CONTINUES 5.- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE EURO CURRENCY CONCLUDES IN HAVANA 6.- TURKEY AND CUBA IMPROVE COMMERCIAL TIES 7.- GERMAN MEDICAL AID ARRIVES IN CUBA BRITISH TRADE MINISTER BRIAN WILSON COMES OUT IN FAVOR OF GREATER TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND GREAT BRITAIN Havana, November 4(RHC)-- British Trade Minister Brian Wilson told reporters in the Cuban capital that having a stand at Havana's International Trade Fair is a significant indication that London is seriously interested in expanding its trade relations with Cuba. Wilson, who met with Cuban President Fidel Castro and high-ranking members of government after arriving in Havana, stated that London feels that for a long time the British business community has been lagging behind in its trade relations with Cuba as compared to other trade partners. The British trade minister told journalists that Cuba has excellent products that aren't sufficiently known either in Great Britain or on the world market. Trade Minister Brian Wilson wrapped up his visit to Cuba after participating in Havana's 16th International Trade Fair. HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR IS A GOOD REFLECTION OF CUBA'S DIVERSE COMMERCIAL PARTNERS Havana, November 4(RHC)-- Havana's International Trade Fair is a good reflection of the island's diverse commercial partners, according to Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage. The Cuban official spoke with journalists during a tour of Havana's EXPOCUBA exhibition center, where the International Trade Fair is currently taking place. Carlos Lage said that this year's edition of the fair has been significantly larger, noting the ever-increasing numbers of participants to the important trade event. He added that a slow but steady growth has been registered in the island's economy and pointed out that tourism has played an important role in this positive result. The Cuban vice president stated that although 43 per cent of the island's assets and exportable services come from tourism, the sugar industry continues to be one of the country's most important economic sectors. Referring to the nickel industry, the Cuban leader said that the country can weather the low international market prices of nickel because export conditions are still favorable. Carlos Lage pointed out that the nickel industry has grown by eight to ten tons a year over the past three years. 16th INTERNATIONAL BALLET FESTIVAL RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS Havana, November 4(RHC)-- The 16th International Ballet Festival of Havana continues with performances in theaters throughout the Cuban capital and the cities of Matanzas and Santa Clara. Theater-goers from around the world are praising the Cuban National Ballet Company, the Cuban ballet school and the quality of the island's dancers. William Hutton, a member of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet President's Council, told reporters that the Cuban Ballet Company is one of the best in the world. He said he has attended many ballet performances around the world and had words of praise for the choreography of Alicia Alonso. FOURTH LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN FRIENDSHIP AND SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA ENCOUNTER CONTINUES Havana, November 4(RHC)-- The President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon spoke to the participants of the Fourth Latin American and Caribbean Friendship and Solidarity with Cuba Encounter on Tuesday. Alarcon addressed the issue of the island's democratic process. The solidarity activists are continuing their discussions on an action plan in their fight against Washington's nearly 40 year-old blockade against Cuba, solidarity work with the island and the struggle against the disinformation campaign targeting the Caribbean island. During Tuesday's session at Havana's Capitol building, Foreign Ministry official Miguel Alfonso talked about the origins and consequences of Washington's anti-Cuba policy and referred to the extraterritorial character of the Torricelli and Helms-Burton Laws. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE EURO CURRENCY CONCLUDES IN HAVANA Havana, November 4(RHC)-- After two intense days of debates and analysis, the International Conference on the EURO Currency wound up in Havana, with promises of even greater economic ties between Latin America and Europe. Some 170 experts from 23 countries, representatives from international banking institutions and the Latin American Economic System (SELA) took part in the encounter and analyzed the impact that the new currency will have on the region after it goes into circulation next January 1st. According to many of the participants, the use of the EURO will help reduce spending in transactions between Europe and Latin America, permitting new commercial opportunities. The Deputy Minister of Cuba's Central Bank Sergio Plascencia welcomed the new EURO currency, adding that its circulation will create advantages for Cuban trade with Europe. He told reporters that the EURO will be an important economic alternative to the U.S. dollar and, to a certain extent, will help eliminate Washington's financial dominance.. TURKEY AND CUBA IMPROVE COMMERCIAL TIES Havana, November 4(RHC)-- The Turkish Trade and Industry Minister Yalim Erez said future commercial ties with Cuba are promising especially in the electronic, food, tourism and construction sectors. The Turkish official said that Cuban products have good prospects in Turkey, a region where the potential market has over 400 million consumers belonging to Asia and the Middle East. Cuba and Turkey established diplomatic relations in 1979 and have enjoyed good relations, making commercial and economic exchange possible. GERMAN MEDICAL AID ARRIVES IN CUBA Havana, November 4(RHC)-- Germany's Foreign Affairs Office and Bayer Pharmaceutical Company have donated three tons of medicines to Cuba as part of Bonn's cooperation efforts to help maintain health care -- one of the island's most important social achievements. The first part of the German donation arrived in Havana on the inaugural flight of Condor Airlines, which transported the donation free of charge. During a ceremony held in Havana, Cuban health authorities thanked the German government, Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Condor Airlines for the donation. [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. 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