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, September 1, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ARRIVES IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR 12th NON-ALIGNED SUMMIT 2.- DOMINICAN PRESIDENT LEONEL FERNANDEZ DEFENDS HIS COUNTRY'S RIGHT TO INVITE CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AS GUEST 3.- CUBA OFFERS FULL COOPERATION IN AIRLINE CRASH INVESTIGATION 4.- ECONOMIC REFORMS IN CUBA: SLOW BUT SURE 5.- GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE TO GO 6.- INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OF RADIO WARS AGAINST CUBA 7.- EXPANDING COOPERATION BETWEEN MADRID AND HAVANA 8.- FINNISH SOLIDARITY GROUPS VOW TO INCREASE ASSISTANCE CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ARRIVES IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR 12th NON-ALIGNED SUMMIT Johannesburg, September 1(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has arrived in South Africa to attend the 12th Non-Aligned Summit, slated to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. The Cuban leader first made a two-hour stop-over in Namibia, where he was received by President Sam Nujoma. During the stop-over, President Castro met with survivors of the 1978 Kassinga massacre in Angola. The massacre occurred when apartheid South Africa bombed a refugee camp in the southern Angolan province of Cunene, killing more than 600 mostly women, children and elderly Namibian refugees. Upon arriving in the South African city of Durban, site of the Non-Aligned Summit, the leader of the Cuban Revolution was received by the solidarity coalition Friends of Cuba in South Africa -- known by its acronym FOCUS. The solidarity activists stated that Fidel Castro is the world's only hope for social justice and for an alternative to neo-liberal globalization. FOCUS stated that Africans have been the foremost beneficiaries of the Cuban Revolution's internationalist spirit, pointing to Cuba's aid to Angola to prevent an apartheid occupation, to direct aid to South Africans fighting apartheid at home. The organization also pointed to the South African doctors, nurses and engineers trained in Cuba as well as the 400 Cuban doctors currently working in South Africa. On Monday, Cuba was designated to represent Latin America to respond to the inaugural speech of the Non-Aligned Summit which will be delivered tomorrow by President Nelson Mandela. Following the two-day summit, President Castro will begin an official visit to South Africa. During a technical stop-over in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, en route to South Africa, Cuban President Fidel Castro warned of a coming world-wide economic crisis as a result of neo-liberal globalization. Shortly before taking- off to continue his journey to South Africa, the Cuban leader told reporters in Salvador that the International Monetary Fund is nothing more than -- in his words -- "the kiss of the devil," because it kills those who embrace it. President Fidel Castro also expressed his hopes that the United Nations can be democratized, rebuilding the world body and doing away with the dictatorship of the UN Security Council. He argued that the United Nations should be at the service of the international community and not just the world's most powerful nations. The Cuban leader emphasized that in order to accomplish this, it would be necessary to "rebuild the United Nations brick-by-brick." Before departing from Brazil, Cuban President Fidel Castro met with the Governor of the Brazilian State of Bahia, Cesar Borges, and the Mayor of Salvador, Antonio Imbassahay. DOMINICAN PRESIDENT LEONEL FERNANDEZ DEFENDS HIS COUNTRY'S RIGHT TO INVITE CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO AS GUEST San Juan, September 1(RHC)-- News dailies in the Dominican Republic today highlighted statements by President Leonel Fernandez, who Monday defended his country's right to have Cuban President Fidel Castro as an invited guest. During a meeting in Puerto Rico between Fernandez, Central American presidents and governors from southern U.S. states, the Dominican president firmly stated that his country was a sovereign nation that could invite whomever it wanted. According to the Dominican newspaper "El Siglo," Fernandez stated that Cuba -- which forms part of the Caribbean -- cannot be excluded from the region. The statement came in response to criticisms of the Dominican Republic from a sector of the Cuban exile community -- particularly in Miami. This right-wing sector of the community has threatened to boycott Dominican products in Miami, San Juan -- the Puerto Rican capital -- and other U.S. cities to protest the Cuban leader's recent visit to the neighboring Caribbean nation -- where he was massively and enthusiastically received by both the government and the people. Also present at the Puerto Rico gathering was U.S. Undersecretary of State for Latin America, John Hamilton. Hamilton reportedly again promised that the U.S. Congress would approve laws for greater U.S.-Caribbean trade opportunities in light of the competition of the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA. But the laws have not prospered since President Clinton promised the measures several years ago. According to El Siglo, President Fernandez bitterly complained about the U.S. trade restrictions. CUBA OFFERS FULL COOPERATION IN AIRLINE CRASH INVESTIGATION Quito, September 1(RHC)-- Ecuadoran President Jamil Mahuad reported that he has received the personal assurances of Cuban President Fidel Castro that Havana will cooperate fully in the investigation of Saturday's tragic accident of a Cubana airliner in Quito. During a news conference in the Ecuadoran capital, President Mahuad said he would create a commission to investigate the crash, made up of representatives of the Ecuadoran Civil Aviation Agency, Cubana de Aviacion and the International Organization of Civil Aviation. In addition, the Ecuadoran president told reporters that the investigation commission will also be composed of three representatives of family members of the victims. Cubana Flight 389, from Quito to Guayaquil and Havana, crashed on take-off at the Ecuadoran capital's Mariscal Sucre de Quito International Airport on Saturday, August 29th. Eight-two people were killed, among them, the entire 14-member crew. Twenty-one passengers survived the tragic crash. ECONOMIC REFORMS IN CUBA: SLOW BUT SURE Havana, September 1(RHC)-- The president of Cuba's Central Bank says that the island's economic reforms are permanent, but are being made gradually. Francisco Soberon told reporters in Havana that Cuba is going forward cautiously in order to avoid chaos. Soberon pointed to the Southeast Asian and Russian crisis created by the devaluation of the ruble as examples of the dramatic consequences of speeding-up processes before preparing the proper conditions. He noted that in making the necessary reforms, Cuba must insure that the measures adopted do not create a situation that the island's enemies could take advantage of. Alluding to the United States, the president of Cuba's Central Bank recalled that the enemies of the Revolution have reiterated their desire to topple the government, noting that "our duty is to avoid facilitating that task." Among the fundamental aims of Cuba's economic policy are to maintain a healthy economy that does not present any abrupt change but that moves ahead gradually. He recalled that with the collapse of socialism in Europe, Cuba was obliged to completely overhaul its accounting system as well as its economy from a socialist-based system to one that was compatible with the rest of the world. The president of Cuba's Central Bank predicts a growth rate this year of approximately three percent, an inflation rate of a little more than two percent, seven percent unemployment and a parity exchange between 19 and 20 pesos to one U.S. dollar. According to the banking official, the island's most difficult task is obtaining foreign financing. Referring to the living conditions of the average Cuban, Francisco Soberon pointed out that when the Western press talks about salaries in Cuba, it notes that the average wage of a professional is ten to 15 dollars a month -- without also mentioning that the price of the monthly food basket is around $1.25. GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE TO GO Havana, September 1(RHC)-- Cuba is increasing the number of its innovative senior day centers, or Casas de los Abuelos. The institutions, of which there are now 70 island-wide, offer complete daytime services to seniors, including geriatric health care. The centers -- often housed in lovely house and even mansions -- offer cultural activities, meals, medical care, outings and companionship to older Cubans who either need supervision or who simply like to get out of the house during the day. Having a pleasant and secure place to leave elderly family members for eight house during the day allows many Cubans to work and go to school without worrying about their loved ones. It also gives retired Cubans the opportunity to get together with their peers for a game of dominoes or cards or to form singing and drama groups, to learn crafts and other skills and to attend concerts, movie screenings and a variety of other events. On Monday, Cuban Health Minister Dr. Carlos Dotres inaugurated the island's 70th senior day center in the town of Nuevitas, located in the eastern province of Camaguey. Dr. Dotres praised the institution but noted that there are still problems plaguing the elderly in Cuba, including a shortage of medicines. INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OF RADIO WARS AGAINST CUBA Rome, September 1(RHC)-- The World Association of Community Radio Stations has called for an end to U.S. electronic aggression against Cuba. Representatives of more than 2400 community radio stations around the world issued a declaration in Rome, where the international organization is meeting. The document condemns the more than 2000 hours of anti-Cuba transmissions broadcast weekly to the island from the United States. The World Association of Community Radio Stations also condemns Washington's economic blockade against the island, calling the U.S. Helms-Burton Law "illegal." EXPANDING COOPERATION BETWEEN MADRID AND HAVANA Havana, September 1(RHC)-- Spain is willing to increase its cooperation with Cuba, according to a visiting Spanish legislator from the governing Popular Party. Deputy Pablo Izquierdo, who is visiting Cuba at the invitation of the Catholic Charities organization CARITAS, stated that he expects Spanish aid to Cuba to increase. Spain currently earmarks six million dollars of government aid to Cuba -- four million of which comes from Spain's autonomous regions and cities. FINNISH SOLIDARITY GROUPS VOW TO INCREASE ASSISTANCE Helsinki, September 1(RHC)-- The Finland-Cuba Friendship Association has reiterated its decision to increase assistance to the Cuban people. Marku Tapio, President of the Association, announced that an international conference will be held in Helsinki next April, gathering representatives of Cuba solidarity organizations from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Finland. [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. 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