CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items of Cuban news were broadcast in English by Radio Havana Cuba on the 1st October 1998: 1. JAPAN DONATES EMERGENCY MATERIALS FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS 2. FIRST CUBAN-FRENCH FILM PRODUCTION 3. CUBANS AND VIETNAMESE COMMEMORATE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CUBAN COMMITTEE IN SOLIDARITY WITH SOUTH VIETNAM 4. DISCUSSIONS IN PREPARATION FOR CUBAN WRITERS AND ARTISTS UNION CONGRESS 5. CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADE WORKING IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 6. THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO'S GOVERNING INSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTIONARY PARTY, PRI, IN CUBA JAPAN DONATES EMERGENCY MATERIALS FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS Havana, October 1 (RHC) The Japanese embassy in Havana has donated emergency materials valued at some 173 thousand dollars to help victims of Hurricane Georges. According to a declaration issued by the Japanese embassy,the aid came through the International Agency of Japanese Cooperation and includes medicines, plastic water tanks and water filters. FIRST CUBAN-FRENCH FILM PRODUCTION Havana, October 1 (RHC) Cuban film maker, Humberto Solas,will direct the first joint Cuba-French film production. The production is part of an agreement signed in Biarritz,during the Latin Americ Culture and Film Festival currently underway in the French city. The press reports that the film which is called, "The Cuban past of Line Borges", will be based on an unpublished novel by Paula del Sol. The movie will be produced by the French Film company, Compagnie des Films and the Cuban Film Institute. "The Cuban Past of Line Borges" which will be shot next January and February on location both in Cuba and France, tells the story of Line, a woman in the late l950's who is suddenly separated from he first love, Rolando, a Cuban. While in France, a few years later, she realizes how important the relationship had been to her and decides to return to Cuba, where she discovers the circumstances that d forced her to break off with Rolando. CUBANS AND VIETNAMESE COMMEMORATE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CUBAN COMMITTEE IN SOLIDARITY WITH SOUTH VIETNAM Havana, October 1 (RHC) Cuban Communist Party Political Bureau member, Jose Ramon Balaguer, delivered the closing speech at a Havana event marking the 35th anniversary of the Cuban Committee in Solidarity with South Vietnam. Balaguer stressed the role played by the Committee in the political and ideological development of the Cuban people. Founding members of the Committee, leaders of political andgrassc roots organizations and members of Havana's Vietnamese community gathered at the capital's Cuban Friendship Institute to close a week f commemorations marking the date. Also addressing the event was the President of the Committee in Solidarity with South Vietnam, Melba Hernandez,who was awarded the Friendship Medal bestowed upon her by the Cuban Council of State. The President of the Cuba-Vietnam Friendship Association,Yolanda Ferrer, said the medal was awarded in recognition ofthe person who has best promoted the feelings of love and solidarity that Cubans el toward Vietnam. Finally, the President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, Tran Thi Thanh Thanh, read a message from Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong, stressing the close ties of friendship between the two peoples. DISCUSSIONS IN PREPARATION FOR CUBAN WRITERS AND ARTISTS UNION CONGRESS Havana, October 1 (RHC) The need to reflect upon architecture as part and parcel of the country's fine arts; the current deterioration of environmental culture and the need to recover graphic design for the good of art and society, were among the issues discussed at a plenary meeting held this week in Havana by the Association of Fine Artists of the Union of Cuban Writers and Artists, UNEA The meeting was part of a nationwide process of discussions leading up to the UNEAC Congress scheduled for November. The encounter was chaired by Cuba's Culture Minister, Abel Prieto and other personalities in the field. The session dealt with the island's growing production of painting, engraving, sculpture and other fine arts, their recognition on the international scene, and the difficultiesin selling art on the iernational market or to private collectors. The President of the Fine Artists Association, Jose Vila,called for the creation of a system by which art would be better promoted and sold. CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADE WORKING IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Havana, October 1 (RHC) A Cuban medical brigade is currently working in the city of Vicente Noble some 180 kilometers southeast of the Dominican capital, Santo Domingo. The area was reportedly hard hit by Hurricane Georges, whose torrential rains caused the Yaque del Sur River and San Juan Rivers to flood their banks. The Cuban medical brigade's main task in the Dominican Republic is to give medical aid to people living in the area which was heavily damaged by floods which have created dangerous mud slides. The medical brigade will give free vaccines and distribute pharmaceutical products to the poor. The Cuban medical professionals also took with them an electrical generator and two giant tents containing 10 beds each to be used as field hospitals. The group, which is headed by Dr. Elias Chavez, the director of hospitals of Cuba's Health Ministry, includes an epidemiologist, general practitioners, specialists and surgeon The Dominican Health Ministry has provided use of the Vicente Noble Hospital for both Cuban and Dominican doctors to attend patients injured in the Hurricane THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO'S GOVERNING INSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTIONARY PARTY, PRI, IN CUBA Havana, October 1 (RHC) The President of Mexico's governing Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI, Mariano Palacios Alcocer, met in Havana's Jose Marti Airport on Wednesday with the president of Cuba's Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon. The two parliamentarians exchanged views on bilateral ties and discussed the international situation. The Mexican leader, who is also the President of the Permanent Conference of Latin American Political Parties,was invited to the island by the Cuban Communist Party [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. We welcome your comments and suggestions. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org