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, September 2, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ADDRESSES INAUGURAL SESSION OF 12th NON-ALIGNED SUMMIT IN SOUTH AFRICA 2.- RESTRUCTURING OF CUBAN ENTERPRISES WILL INCREASE EFFICIENCY 3.- REGISTRATION OF PRODUCT TRADEMARKS IS ESSENTIAL 4.- CUBAROCK '98 SET TO GET UNDERWAY LATER THIS MONTH CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ADDRESSES INAUGURAL SESSION OF 12th NON-ALIGNED SUMMIT IN SOUTH AFRICA Durban, September 2(RHC)-- Addressing the inaugural session of the 12th Non-Aligned Summit in South Africa on Wednesday, Cuban President Fidel Castro warned of the difficult times approaching due to a profound and inevitable economic crisis of unforeseeable consequences. The Cuban leader asserted that a cohesive Non-Aligned Movement is more necessary now than ever, insisting that much more than economic development is at stake. Also under the gun, said President Castro, is our very survival as a species. The leader of the Cuban Revolution delivered a brief speech in representation of Latin America. Fidel Castro spoke following the inaugural address of Colombian President Andres Pastrana -- out-going President of the Non-Aligned Movement -- and the speech delivered by the Movement's new president, Nelson Mandela. Later in the afternoon, the Cuban leader, speaking on behalf of Cuba, stated that if living amid the rivalries of two world powers during the Cold War was difficult and unpleasant, living under the tutelage of one superpower is unbearable. He blasted Washington for protesting whenever someone else wanted to produce nuclear weapons while at the same time not only maintaining its own arsenal, but also converting it into an increasingly deadly means of mass destruction. President Castro said this attitude only encourages nuclear proliferation and will never lead to a true and total nuclear disarmament. Fidel Castro also said that the International Monetary Fund should cease being a universal political destabilizer and financial police officer protecting Washington's interests. He accused industrial powers of only being interested in extracting oil, gold, diamonds and uranium while transnationals do not care about the curable diseases threatening the very existence of Africa's population. Finally, the Cuban President called for an end to hunger, poverty, the lack of schools, teachers, doctors and hospitals -- and an end to what he called the interminable plunder of the foreign debt. He said as more money is earmarked for foreign debt payments, greater are the obstacles for our development. RESTRUCTURING OF CUBAN ENTERPRISES WILL INCREASE EFFICIENCY Havana, September 2(RHC)-- The re-structuring of Cuban enterprises aimed at decentralizing and extending them more autonomy, must be achieved while respecting legal procedures, organization and discipline. The head of a group created by the Cuban government to implement those changes, Armando Perez Betancourt, told reporters that success of the project depends on consultations and collective analysis. He explained that Law 187 which providing for the re- structuring was approved by Cuba's Council of State after an exhaustive process examining suggestions and opinions presented by diverse ministries, enterprises and institutions. In that way, 95 enterprises were chosen to undergo major changes aimed at improving efficiency. Some 115,000 workers will be affected by the new system. Perez Betancourt noted that most of the selected companies come under the Ministries of Basic Industry, Agriculture and Sugar because of their critical importance to the Cuban economy. The new system is based on self-financing through the administration of the companies' own financial resources and labor force. Salaries will be adjusted according to the enterprise's economic results. Since last month, administrators and executives in the selected companies have been attending training seminars to prepare themselves for the new system. REGISTRATION OF PRODUCT TRADEMARKS IS ESSENTIAL Havana, September 2(RHC)-- Cuba's Office of Industrial Property has emphasized the requirement of registering product trademarks before initiating the sales process. The office also stressed the importance of keeping the registration up to date. According to Cuba's Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, from January to July alone, more than 1000 trademark applications were made while over the past seven years, less than 800 were filed. Experts warn of the importance to register national products and to strictly adhere to regulations regarding commercial trademarks which they note, are of vital concern to modern companies. Companies that fail to register trademarks in a timely fashion are in violation of Cuba's Law 68, which governs industrial property. Failure to register when required could also cost the company the right to do so in the future. Cuban experts also warn that products purchased abroad for sale in Cuba should be carefully checked to insure proper registration and use. Properly registered trademarks remain in effect for ten years and must then be renewed. CUBAROCK '98 SET TO GET UNDERWAY LATER THIS MONTH Havana, September 2(RHC)-- Cuban and visiting rock music lovers will have the opportunity to hear some of the island's best groups as well as two Basque rock bands at an upcoming music festival. The CUBAROCK '98 Festival gets underway on September 18th in the city of Vuelta Abajo in the island's western-most province, Pinar del Rio. The CUBAROCK '98 Festival is being sponsored by Cuba's Hermanos Saiz youth cultural organization and the Spanish General Society of Authors and Editors. Featured performers at the opening concert will be local rock groups Tendencia and Pesadilla, who will share the stage with popular Basque rockers, Platero y Tu, Fermin Muruguza and Dut. On the 19th, the festival will move to the Cuban capital with performances at the Marianao Amphitheater where the Basque rockers will be joined by Cuban rock groups Tribal and Zeus. The rock extravaganza will culminate in Havana's Karl Marx Theater on Sunday, September 20th with the Havana groups, Agonizer and Cosanostra, along with their Basque guests. [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