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 17, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA TRAVELS TO HONDURAS AT THE HEAD OF ANOTHER TEAM OF CUBAN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS 2.- CUBA REITERATES WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE HELPING CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES 3.- CUBA DENOUNCES U.S.-SPONSORED BROADCASTS 4.- ORDER OF MALTA MAKES DONATION TO CUBAN HEALTH CARE 5.- U.S. EXPERT PRAISES SUCCESS OF CUBAN BIOTECHNOLOGY 6.- GHANIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES CUBAN WOMEN'S FEDERATION PRESIDENT 7.- CUBAN FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER LEAVES FOR GUYANA 8.- GREEK PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT HAVANA 9.- CUBA AND FRANCE EXPAND ANTI-DRUG TRAFFICKING COOPERATION FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA TRAVELS TO HONDURAS AT THE HEAD OF ANOTHER TEAM OF CUBAN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS Havana, November 17(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina travelled to Honduras today, at the head of another team of Cuban medical professionals who will offer their services to the victims of Hurricane Mitch. The fourth Cuban medical contingent to travel to Honduras is comprised of 20 specialists in hygiene and epidemiology. Cuban Health Minister Carlos Dotres, who saw off the delegation at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, stated that a total of 103 Cuban medical professionals and technicians are now working in Central America. >From Honduras, Robaina will travel to Guatemala. Cuba has also sent tons of medicines and other health products to the four Central American nations affected by the recent devastating storm. The sending-off of another Cuban medical contingent coincides with today's urgent call from Honduran Health Minister Marco Antonio Rosa, who said that his country urgently needs humanitarian medical aid to avoid outbreaks of epidemics like malaria, dengue and conjunctivitis. He admitted, however, that the precarious conditions in the refuge centers where homeless Hondurans are living make it very difficult to prevent the spread of disease. Honduras has particular need of antibiotics to fight malaria, serum equipment and vaccinations against hepatitis A, tetanus and other illnesses. The Honduran government has adopted an emergency plan to rebuild the country's 27 hospitals as well as its clinics -- most of which were affected by Mitch. CUBA REITERATES WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE HELPING CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES New York, November 17(RHC)-- Cuba's permanent representative to the United Nations, Bruno Rodriguez, says that his country will continue helping the nations and peoples of Central America and the Caribbean hit by natural disasters. The Cuban diplomat made the statement at a plenary session of the UN General Assembly on the issue "Improving Coordination in Humanitarian and Relief Assistance in Cases of Disasters." The Cuban ambassador reiterated Havana's willingness to send all necessary medical personnel to the Central American countries affected by Hurricane Mitch. He told the audience that Cuba offered help to all countries affected by the natural disaster and sent three medical brigades to Honduras, one to Guatemala and two more are currently being set up. Rodriguez noted that despite Cuba's economic difficulties and shortages, the island decided to forgive Nicaragua's debt with Cuba worth more than 50 million dollars. Rodriguez also recalled that in September, Cuba sent a team of doctors to the Dominican Republic and offered all medical and paramedical personnel necessary for a World Health Organization humanitarian operation, aimed at restoring damage caused by the hurricane and improving health indexes in the Caribbean, especially in Haiti. CUBA DENOUNCES U.S.-SPONSORED BROADCASTS New York, November 17(RHC)--Cuba has denounced the aggressions broadcast by radio and television stations from the United States, many of which openly promote subversive and terrorist actions. Speaking at the United Nations on Monday, during a debate on issues related to information, Cuba's representative Rafael Dausa strongly condemned efforts by the U.S. government to broadcast such messages to the island. He said that signals directed to Cuba from the United States amount to more than one thousand 953 hours a week, on 26 different radio and television frequencies. Dausa emphasized that the broadcasts on so-called Radio Marti and TV Marti are directly sponsored and financed by the U.S. government. Cuba's UN representative pointed out that such transmissions are in violation of international law and contrary to regulations of the International Telecommunications Union. Rafael Dausa stated that the aggressive use of information against the island is considered an attack against the sovereignty and independence of Cuba and that appropriate measures will be taken to repel such actions. ORDER OF MALTA MAKES DONATION TO CUBAN HEALTH CARE Havana, November 17(RHC)-- The Order of Malta has made a donation of medicines to Cuba worth eight million dollars. The religious-military Order's Health Minister Alfrecht Freiheer presented the shipment of antibiotics, steroids and other medicines to his Cuban counterpart, Carlos Dotres. At the ceremony, Dr. Dotres said the donation will be of great help to save human lives. The ceremony took place on the occasion of the three-day visit by the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Prince Fra' Andrew Bertie, at the invitation of Cuban President Fidel Castro. On Tuesday, the Sovereign Order of Malta visited Havana's Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital and the Santovenia Senior Citizens Home. He also met with the Vatican's Nuncio Beniamino Stella and Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega. Shortly before leaving on Wednesday, Fra' Andrew Bertie is scheduled to have a private meeting at the Caritas-Cuba organization. Throughout the world, the Order of Malta directs some 70 hospitals and clinics, 20 specialized centers, as well as dozens of rest homes, day care centers and hospitals in refugee camps. Its assistance covers more than 100 countries. U.S. EXPERT PRAISES SUCCESS OF CUBAN BIOTECHNOLOGY Havana, November 17(RHC)-- The current growth of Cuba's biotechnological industry places the island in the world's elite in that scientific area, according to prestigious U.S. molecular biologist Harlyn Halvorson. The US expert made the statement after arriving in Cuba to attend the International Congress Biotechnology '98, which kicked off in the Cuban capital on Monday. Halvorson praised the island's development over the past 15 years, whose results, in his words, "have captured international attention." Halvorson, who is also the Director of the Massachusetts Molecular Biotechnology Center, said that the U.S. government has placed obstacles in the way of exchange programs between the two nations. He said that he will propose the establishment of a Pan American Molecular Biology Society in which Cuba could play a key role. Biotechnology '98, which is held annually in Cuba, is dedicated this year to animal and industrial biotechnology. The congress will run through Friday. GHANIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES CUBAN WOMEN'S FEDERATION PRESIDENT Accra, November 17(RHC)-- The President of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), Vilma Espin, was received by Ghanian President, Jerry John Rawlings. Espin is currently visiting Ghana at the invitation of the President's wife and leader of the December 31st Women's Movement, Nana Rawlings. At the meeting, the Ghanian president highlighted the strong bonds of friendship that unite the two countries and the need to continue developing them. The Ghanian leader talked about his recent visit to Cuba and his meeting with his Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro, whom he once again referred to as a legendary figure who inspired him and other African leaders. President Rawlings also thanked the island for its assistance and cooperation with the African country and praised the attitude of Cuban doctors, who work in the country's most remote regions. CUBAN FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER LEAVES FOR GUYANA Havana, November 17(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas will attend the Meeting of the Cuba-Caricom Committee in Guyana starting Wednesday. The Cuba-Caricom Committee is an agency established by the community of English-Speaking Caribbean Countries (CARICOM) to promote trade and investments between Cuba and those nations. The meeting, scheduled to begin tomorrow, will deal with the current state of bilateral relations and how to expand those links. The gathering is also scheduled to review compliance with the decisions adopted during the previous meeting held in Havana last December. Shortly before leaving for the Caribbean country, the Cuban foreign trade minister said he'll also attend the Cuba-Guyana Commission, aimed at analyzing the development of economic relations between the two nations. GREEK PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT HAVANA Havana, November 17(RHC)-- A delation of Greek parliamentarians, headed by Loannis Diamandinis, President of the Greece-Cuba Friendship Group, arrived in Cuba Monday for a five-day visit. Upon his arrival in the Cuban capital, Diamandinis said that the Greek people feel special friendship for Cuba and its Revolution and expressed his parliamentary delegation's desire to meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro. The Greek parliamentary group is scheduled to meet Cuban parliament members working in the Commissions on Foreign Affairs, Culture, Education, Science and Technology and others. CUBA AND FRANCE EXPAND ANTI-DRUG TRAFFICKING COOPERATION Havana, November 17(RHC)-- The Cuban and French Customs Offices strengthened their cooperation Monday with the opening of a course on canine training for the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking. The course, which is scheduled to last ten weeks, is being taken by customs officers from Havana's International Airport, the Isle of Youth, Holguin and a special port delegation. Upon opening the course, the French Republic's Customs and Tax Director Pierre Mathieu predicted good results during the training due to the seriousness with which the island's technicians work. [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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