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 Friday, November 20, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SEES OFF PRINCE AND GRAND MASTER OF SOVEREIGN ORDER OF MALTA, FRA ANDREW BERTIE 2.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA ARRIVES IN GUATEMALA 3.- CUBA AND ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS 4.- BRAZIL AND CUBA SIGN OIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION CONTRACT 5.- CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S FEDERATION GETS UNDERWAY TOMORROW IN FRANCE 6.- RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH CUBAN PRESIDENT BEFORE ENDING HIS OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE ISLAND 7.- EUROPEAN UNION NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS SEMINAR TAKING PLACE ON THE ISLAND 8.- MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES CONFIRM THEIR PARTICIPATION AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE 9.- CD-ROM ON HABANO CIGAR SOON TO BE RELEASED CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SEES OFF PRINCE AND GRAND MASTER OF SOVEREIGN ORDER OF MALTA, FRA ANDREW BERTIE Havana, November 20(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro personally saw off the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Fra Andrew Bertie, following a five-day official visit to the island. During the visit, the leader of this institution was awarded with Cuba's Jose Marti Order -- the island's highest distinction. At the same time Prince Fra Andrew Bertie donated to Cuba eight million dollars in medicines and medical equipment. The Sovereign Order of Malta has diplomatic relations with 75 countries, and operates some 70 hospitals and clinics in refugee camps in nearly 100 countries. In relation to the Order's humanitarian work, the Cuban leader made reference to Cuba's humanitarian assistance to the Central American victims of Hurricane Mitch. In a conversation with reporters after seeing off the visiting dignitary at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport, President Castro expressed the hope that Cuba's example would encourage others to provide the medical assistance so badly needed in Central America. CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROBERTO ROBAINA ARRIVES IN GUATEMALA Guatemala City, November 20(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina arrived this afternoon in Guatemala, following a visit to Honduras to offer more medical aid to victims of Hurricane Mitch. Robaina was received by Guatemalan President Alvaro Arzu. During his visit, the Cuban foreign minister is expected to evaluate the public health scenario in Guatemala, where two Cuban medical brigades are already offering assistance. While in Honduras, Robaina announced Cuba's willingness to immediately send 2000 Cuban health specialists to Central America free of charge as part of an effort to annually save the same number of lives lost due to the hurricane -- approximately 30,000 dead or disappeared. He also said that Cuba would provide 500 scholarships a year to Central Americans wishing to study medicine in Cuba. According to Guatemalan Foreign Minister Eduardo Stein, the Guatemalan government is also interested in receiving from Robaina an update on the three Guatemalan mercenaries recently arrested in Havana, accused of planning terrorist activities against the island. The mercenaries admitted to having been organized and financed by members of the Miami-based Cuban-American National Foundation. The Guatemalan foreign minister reiterated that his country is conducting an investigation into the matter aimed at preventing his country being used as a base for terrorism. In other news, six Cuban medical brigades are slated to arrive in Nicaragua on Saturday. The brigades will bring their own medical supplies, for a duration of 40 days, and their own food and tents. The Cuban doctors will also bring their own power generators, which will allow them to work in remote areas where there is no electricity. After having initially turned down Cuba's offer to send medical specialists, the local press in Nicaragua attributes the about-face to the alarming spread of epidemics in that Central American nation. CUBA AND ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS Havana, November 20(RHC)-- Cuba and Antigua and Barbuda have signed several cooperation accords, as part of the official visit to the island of Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Lester Bird. Among the agreements is a basic convention of technical and economic cooperation, including scholarships to study in Cuba and the exchange of medical personnel and technicians in bio-medical engineering. During the signing ceremony, the visiting prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Cuba's Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations Jorge Bolanos penned an agreement which allows for bilateral cooperation in the exchange of sports experts, athletes and trainers. Prime Minister Lester Bird expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality he and his visiting delegation have received here in Cuba, which he described as "marvelous." The Caribbean leader went on to say that his experiences over the past several days in Cuba have shown that - - in his words -- "we are family." The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda and his accompanying delegation are expected to wrap up their official visit to Cuba tomorrow, Saturday. BRAZIL AND CUBA SIGN IMPORTANT OIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION CONTRACT Havana, November 20(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro attended the signing ceremony of a contract between Brazil's PETROBRAS oil company and Cuba's oil enterprise CUPET, for the exploration and production of oil on the island. The agreement was signed by Joel Renno, President of the Brazilian firm -- one of the 15 largest oil firms in the world and the General Director of CUPET, Tomas Benitez. The contract establishes an exploration program in five stages over a six-year period. The agreement includes geological studies, seismological research and the drilling of an oil well at an estimated cost of 23 million dollars, among other work that will be carried out in different phases. According to experts, there is a potential oil reserve estimated at 500 million barrels on Cuba's northern coast. Also present at the signing ceremony were the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation, Marta Lomas, Cuba's business attache in Brazil, Ney Fernandes, Cuba's ambassador to Brazil, Ramon Sanchez Parodi, and other Cuban government officials. CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S FEDERATION GETS UNDERWAY TOMORROW IN FRANCE Paris, November 20(RHC)-- Cuba will denounce Washington's economic blockade against the island and its effects on women during the Congress of the International Democratic Women's Federation scheduled to begin tomorrow, Saturday, in Paris. Heading the island's delegation is the President of the Federation of Cuban Women, Vilma Espin. The Cuban leader will refer to the violence that the U.S. blockade has subjected women to for over 35 years and the aggressions of Washington's bacteriologic war against the island. Participants at the Paris event will denounce the violence suffered by women due to political discrimination, armed conflicts, occupation and blockades. Delegates will also discuss the development of the International Democratic Women's Federation. Before arriving in Paris, Vilma Espin visited Ghana, where she met with members of the December 21st Women's Movement from that African nation. RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH CUBAN PRESIDENT BEFORE ENDING HIS OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE ISLAND Havana, November 20(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Georgui Mamedov, who ended his official visit to Cuba. The Cuban leader and Russian official discussed current and future bilateral relations as well as other issues of mutual interest. Before ending his three-day visit, the Russian deputy foreign minister praised the friendship between the Cuban and Russian people and reiterated Moscow's willingness to continue its partnership in all spheres. Mamedov insisted that Havana and Moscow will dedicate themselves to working for international stability, an end to Washington's blockade against Cuba and for the development of improved bilateral relations. EUROPEAN UNION NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS SEMINAR TAKING PLACE ON THE ISLAND Havana, November 20(RHC)-- Austria's ambassador in Havana, Yuri Standenat, has called for increased relations between the European Union and Cuba, during the inauguration of a cooperation with Cuba seminar with non-governmental organizations taking place in Havana. Representatives from 40 European groups and Cuban associations are participating in the three-day meeting aimed at analyzing the priorities for cooperation with the island and the promotion of new projects. The Austrian diplomat recalled that between 1992 and 1997, bilateral cooperation with the members of the European Union was estimated at 125 million dollars and that 55 percent of the active economic associations on the island are established with nations from the European continent. Addressing participants at the seminar, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Rodrigo Malmierca pointed out that Cuba has ties with 300 foreign, non-governmental organizations and is developing projects with other nations. MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES CONFIRM THEIR PARTICIPATION AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE Havana, November 20(RHC)-- The President of the Cuban Movement for Peace and Sovereignty with the Peoples, Orlando Fundora, has confirmed the participation of over 20 countries to the International Conference on Human Rights and Peace, scheduled to take place November 23rd through the 25th in Havana. Fundora pointed out that the forum will examine, among other issues, the serious situation of poverty and unemployment in the world and the profound crisis of human rights. The conference will take place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- approved by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. CD-ROM ON HABANO CIGAR SOON TO BE RELEASED Havana, November 20(RHC)-- Cuba will soon launch its first multi-media CD-ROM on Habano Cigars. The multi-media presentation was developed by the Center for Automated Systems Design, officially sponsored by the Habano S.A. Corporation. The CD-ROM is divided into seven chapters which includes texts, videos, music and a map which marks the location of each of the Habano Houses in the world and their telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and official representative in the country. Thirty-two different video segments are included on the CD-ROM, explaining the process of tobacco production, one of the island's five main export products. 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