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, September 4, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ADDRESSES SOUTH AFRICAN PARLIAMENT 2.- U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT DENIES PERMISSION TO HOLD U.S.- CUBA BUSINESS SUMMIT IN HAVANA 3.- GROUP OF ILLEGAL CUBAN IMMIGRANTS CAPTURED AT SEA 4.- LEGENDARY U.S. BOXING CHAMPION MOHAMMED ALI AND ACTOR ED ASNER BRING HUMANITARIAN AID TO CUBA 5.- DESPITE OCCASIONAL RAINS, EASTERN CUBAN PROVINCES CONTINUE TO BE AFFECTED BY THE SEVERE DROUGHT 6.- TOP CUBAN SINGER AND SONGWRITER SILVIO RODRIGUEZ UNVEILS NEW ALBUM 7.- FIRST SIGHTSEEING SUBMARINE FOR TOURISTS IN CUBA 8.- CUBA MARKS THE CENTENNIAL OF JAPANESE IMMIGRATION CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ADDRESSES SOUTH AFRICAN PARLIAMENT Havana, September 4(RHC)-- On the first day of his official visit to South Africa, Cuban President Fidel Castro addressed the nation's parliament in an extemporaneous speech that was interrupted with applause on 33 occasions. The Cuban leader expressed the hope that his visit would be fundamentally remembered as "a fervent and sincere desire to support the enormous efforts of South Africans to heal the deep wounds that were opened during centuries." President Castro said it was his hope that the traditional two South Africas -- one white and one black -- would be forgotten, to make way for the elimination of the other two South Africas -- the rich and the poor. This was necessary, he continued, so that some families don't have incomes 12 times higher than others and some sectors don't have infant mortality rates of 13 per one thousand live births, while others have a rate of 57. The leader of the Cuban Revolution stressed, nevertheless, that many other nations have similar problems derived from colonialism, slavery, exploitation and the unequal distribution of wealth. The Cuban President said those who call themselves `the Christian and civilized West,' have committed many crimes and that apartheid was "just one of them." The Cuban leader recalled the selfless solidarity with the African continent demonstrated by tens of thousands of Cuban teachers, doctors and soldiers. And, contrasting the western nations' exploitation of Africa, he said those Cubans who worked and fought alongside Africans "only took back home the remains of their fallen comrades and the honor of having complied with their duty." In reference to the international situation, Cuban President Fidel Castro expressed his pain at seeing fratricidal wars, so much economic underdevelopment and poverty, famines, the lack of hospitals, schools and communications and the curable diseases causing so much devastation. He said the world has been converted into a gambling casino, where multi-million dollar speculative operations take place which have no relation to economic reality. Finally, in reference to South African leader Nelson Mandela, President Castro said the man condemned to the dungeons of apartheid for 27 years was much more than a political prisoner. He was a political prophet, said the Cuban leader, "who today is recognized by those who hated him and punished him." Fidel said that Mandela will not go down in history for the 27 years he spent behind bars without giving up his ideals, but rather, "because he was capable of tearing from his heart the venom that such an unjust punishment could have created." Cuban President Fidel Castro also visited Robben Island Prison this afternoon, where Nelson Mandela spent most of those 27 years. Later in the evening, he attended a banquet in his honor at Capetown's presidential palace. The Cuban leader is expected to wrap up his visit to South Africa late Sunday. U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT DENIES PERMISSION TO HOLD U.S.-CUBA BUSINESS SUMMIT IN HAVANA Washington, September 4(RHC)-- The U.S. Treasury Department today confirmed its denial of a license to hold the Second U.S.-Cuba Business Summit in Havana. The consulting firm Alamar Associates -- organizer of the event -- and the organization USA Engage were informed on Thursday that the license was denied because the summit is "not consistent with Washington's Cuba policy." Hundreds of business executives had reportedly planned to travel to Cancun on September 9th and then to Havana the next day to look into investment possibilities in Cuba. The Summit is now expected to be only held in Cancun, with Cuban officials meeting with the business representatives in Mexico. Other U.S. organizations expected to participate in the summit are the National Foreign Trade Council and the Medical Equipment Manufacturers Association. Alamar Associates organized the first summit last March, during which participants spent one day in Cancun and another in the Cuban capital. GROUP OF ILLEGAL CUBAN IMMIGRANTS CAPTURED AT SEA Havana, September 4(RHC)-- A new illegal departure of Cuban immigrants to Florida -- reportedly organized from the United States -- has been frustrated, thanks to the joint efforts of U.S. and Cuban Coast Guard authorities. The action ended with the repatriation of ten people to Cuba. After their return to Cuba by the U.S. Coast Guard, the illegal immigrants returned to their homes in central Villa Clara province. This U.S.-Cuba joint operation confirms the commitment of both countries to contribute to legal, safe, and organized immigration, as established by the bilateral agreements signed in May 1995. Since that time, more than 1200 illegal Cuban immigrants have been returned to the island, while another 318 were repatriated after trying to leave Cuba through the illegal U.S. Naval Base located in eastern Guantanamo province. LEGENDARY U.S. BOXING CHAMPION MOHAMMED ALI AND ACTOR ED ASNER BRING HUMANITARIAN AID TO CUBA Havana, September 4(RHC)-- World renowned U.S. boxing champion Mohammed Ali and U.S. screen star Ed Asner will travel to Cuba next week to bring medicines and medical equipment worth some 20 million dollars. The trip and donations have been authorized by the U.S. Treasury Department. Sponsoring the visit are the U.S. Disarm Education Fund and the organization Direct Relief International. DESPITE OCCASIONAL RAINS, EASTERN CUBAN PROVINCES CONTINUE TO BE AFFECTED BY THE SEVERE DROUGHT Holguin, September 4(RHC)-- Despite occasional rains, the severe drought affecting Cuba's eastern provinces continues -- with Holguin province the most affected. According to official reports, damages in Holguin amount some 40,000 hectares of sugar cane, hundreds of tons of vegetables and meat have been lost and over 1500 head of cattle have been deprived of grassy pasture land. Local authorities have implemented a program to guarantee drinking water and food supplies to the over 350,000 area residents. The plan also allows for the functioning of factories and health services. The drought has also caused severe loses in the provinces of Las Tunas and Guantanamo, as well as in the rest of Cuba's eastern region. TOP CUBAN SINGER AND SONGWRITER SILVIO RODRIGUEZ UNVEILS NEW ALBUM Madrid, September 4(RHC)-- Accompanied by Spanish artist Luis Eduardo Aute, Cuban composer and singer Silvio Rodriguez presented a new album at Madrid's General Society of Authors. Called "Descartes," the album includes 5 new titles that the outstanding troubadour could not include, due to lack of time, in the trilogy he concluded two years ago. Silvio told reporters in Madrid that one of the new songs is called "Rosana," dedicated to famed Cuban composer Francisco Repilado, known as Compay Segundo. CUBA TAKES PART IN URUGUAYAN INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR Montevideo, September 4(RHC)-- Cuba is taking part in the International Book Fair underway in Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital. Uruguayan President Julio Maria Sanguinetti was present at the fair's opening ceremony Thursday evening. On Friday, a new Cuban book was presented: "Cuba Querida -- Un Viaje que Hizo Historia" (Dear Cuba -- A Trip That Made History) -- on the visit to Cuba of Pope John Paul II. On hand for the book launching was the Cuban ambassador to Uruguay, Manuel Aguilera de la Paz, and a representative of the Cuban Book Council. FIRST SIGHTSEEING SUBMARINE FOR TOURISTS IN CUBA Varadero, September 4(RHC)-- The first submarine for sightseeing in Cuban waters was presented today at the dock of the Puntarenas Hotel, located in central Varadero beach. The submarine, with a capacity for 44 people, has state-of- the-art technology, huge portholes and comfortable rooms from which they can enjoy underwater views. The vessel can descend to 70 meters and is part of a joint project carried out by the local Puerto Sol Marinas S.A., and the English-Spanish Sulford Ltd. Companies. CUBA MARKS THE CENTENNIAL OF JAPANESE IMMIGRATION Havana, September 4(RHC)-- A delegation of important poets from Japan will visit Cuba on September 7th to meet with their Cuban counterparts. The visit forms part of the activities to mark the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant to the island one hundred years ago. The Cuban Union of Artists and Writers, Havana's Casa de las Americas cultural institution and the Palacio del Segundo Cabo will be the sites for the encounters. [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