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 18, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA SAYS CENTRAL AMERICA CAN COUNT ON THE HELP OF CUBAN DOCTORS FOR AS LONG AS NECESSARY 2.- VISITING PRIME MINISTER OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA EXPRESSES INTEREST IN CUBA'S COLLABORATION IN THE HEALTH FIELD 3.- FORUM ON THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 4.- RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS CUBA 5.- INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL SCIENCES '98 CONGRESS TAKING PLACE AT HAVANA'S CONVENTION CENTER 6.- TELE-CONFERENCE IN HAVANA SPONSORED BY THE ROTTERDAM BUSINESS CLUB 7.- BRAZIL AND CUBA SIGN IMPORTANT OIL COOPERATION ACCORD 8.- GREECE AND CUBA PEN COOPERATION AGREEMENT CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA SAYS CENTRAL AMERICA CAN COUNT ON THE HELP OF CUBAN DOCTORS FOR AS LONG AS NECESSARY Tegucigalpa, November 18(RHC)-- Visiting Honduras, Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina stated that Central America can count on the help of Cuban doctors for as long as necessary. The Cuban foreign minister arrived in Honduras on Tuesday, accompanying the fourth contingent of Cuba health professionals to offer their services to the Honduran victims of Hurricane Mitch. Havana will send a fifth contingent later this week. Robaina also offered as many as 2000 Cuban doctors to serve in Central America, if needed, and 500 scholarships a year for Central Americans who want to study medicine in Cuba. He said that there cannot be reconstruction and economic development without an integral health care plan in a region where -- with the exception of Costa Rica -- 50,000 die before reaching the age of five every year and who could be saved at a relatively modest economic cost. The Cuban Foreign Minister said "the hurricane of poverty and underdevelopment kills tens of thousands of people every year, whose bodies do not appear on TV newscasts." He said they are silently buried by their families without anyone ever knowing about it. Foreign Minister Robaina said that he hoped Cuba's modest example "will stimulate others with many more resources to contribute to Central America's reconstruction." Upon his arrival, Robaina was received by Honduran Foreign Minister Fernando Martinez, with whom the Cuban official toured devastated zones of Tegucigalpa, the capital. The Cuban foreign minister said that Cuba does not have vast material resources, but does have enormous human resources. Robaina also met with the Archbishop of Tegucigalpa and President of the Latin American Episcopal Council, Oscar Rodriguez, who thanked Cuba for being the first nation to send medical aid to Honduras. The Cuban foreign minister will be received today by Honduran President Carlos Flores, and between today and tomorrow will also travel to other regions of the Central American nation affected by the recent devastating storm. Cuba and Honduras do not have diplomatic relations, though the two countries maintain bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade, sports, culture and health. Last January, Cuba opened an interests section in Tegucigalpa. VISITING PRIME MINISTER OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA EXPRESSES INTEREST IN CUBA'S COLLABORATION IN THE HEALTH FIELD Havana, November 18(RHC)-- The visiting Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Lester Bird, has expressed interest in receiving Cuban health specialists to work on that small Caribbean island. In the first round of official bilateral talks with Cuban President Fidel Castro, Prime Minister Bird also requested assistance from Cuban experts in the planting and curing of tobacco leaves and from Cuban sports specialists. The Caribbean dignitary termed as very interesting his discussions with the Cuban leader, stating that more forms of cooperation between the two countries and the region should be developed. President Castro offered a reception for the prime minister on Tuesday evening, with the participation of students from Antigua and Barbuda who have been granted scholarships in Cuba. FORUM ON THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, November 18(RHC)-- Delegates from the United States, Canada, Argentina, Spain, Italy and Switzerland are participating in a forum on the 40th anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. Sponsored by the Fernando Ortiz House at the University of Havana, the international symposium entitled "The Cuban Revolution in Power: 1959-1998" will run through Saturday. In related news, a broad preparatory committee will be organized in La Paz, Bolivia to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution with the participation of Cuba solidarity organizations. RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS CUBA Havana, November 18(RHC)-- Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gueorgui Mamedov is in Cuba on a three-day official visit. The Russian deputy minister's visit is aimed at reviewing bilateral relations between the two sides. Mamedov met with his Cuban counterpart, Maria de los Angeles Flores, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Rodrigo Malmierca and representatives from other ministries and Cuban Parliament. The Russian deputy minister's visit is part of regular exchanges between Havana and Moscow's foreign ministries. INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL SCIENCES '98 CONGRESS TAKING PLACE AT HAVANA'S CONVENTION CENTER Havana, November 18(RHC)-- The Cuban Revolution will not tolerate enemies of the people and will defend the tranquility of its citizens, according to Attorney General Juan Escalona. Speaking during a session of the International Criminal Sciences '98 Congress, taking place at Havana's Convention Center, Escalona urged more than 400 delegates to establish a fruitful exchange of experiences. He added that such an exchange would be beneficial from a scientific point of view and in accordance with the needs of today's world. Escalona characterized the conference as an ideal forum to condemn Washington's economic blockade against Cuba -- calling it a violation of human rights, international law and countless treaties on trade among nations. He pointed out that foreign economic aggressions also give rise to crime and gave as an example the U.S. blockade against the island, which has deprived the Cuban people of a better way of life. The International Criminal Sciences '98 Congress will run through Friday. TELE-CONFERENCE IN HAVANA SPONSORED BY THE ROTTERDAM BUSINESS CLUB Havana, November 18 (RHC)-- Business executives in the Cuban capital showed their counterparts in the United States, South Africa and the Netherlands investment opportunities on the island by way of a tele-conference sponsored by the Rotterdam Business Club. By means of a satellite conference which linked Havana with the cities of Baltimore, in the U.S., Durban, South Africa, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, possibilities of business cooperation were discussed. During the tele-conference, the Mayor of Havana Conrado Martinez Corona, thanked the Rotterdam Business Club for having selected Havana for its annual event. The mayor outlined the island's achievements in the sectors of health and education as well as the progress made in tourism. The tele-conference took place in the recently opened Golden Tulip Parque Central Hotel with the attendance of Dutch business executives, diplomatic personnel and high-ranking officials of Cuba's foreign and foreign trade ministries. BRAZIL AND CUBA SIGN IMPORTANT OIL COOPERATION ACCORD Brasilia, November 18(RHC)-- Cuba and Brazil have signed a cooperation agreement for the exploration and drilling of oil on the island. According to the contract, BRASPETRO -- a subsidiary of the Brazilian state firm PETROBRAS -- will explore the island's northern coast over the next six years. Experts estimate that there is a potential reserve of 500 million barrels of oil off the island's northern region. GREECE AND CUBA PEN COOPERATION AGREEMENT Athens, November 18(RHC)-- Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Isabel Allende and her Greek counterpart Yano Kranidiostis signed an important air transportation accord in the Greek capital on Tuesday. Both sides characterized the agreement as excellent. The accord will strengthen cultural cooperation and bilateral relations. The Cuban deputy foreign minister, who is visiting Greece for the first time, will also meet with Greek government officials and discuss commercial, cultural and political issues. According to sources, both sides are also discussing an agreement on maritime transportation. The Greek deputy foreign minister reiterated his country's support of Cuba's participation in the summit between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean, slated to take place next year in Brazil. [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. 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