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 Monday, September 7, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ARRIVES HOME FROM OFFICIAL VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA, FOLLOWING BRIEF STOP-OVER IN BRAZIL 2.- UN UNDER SECRETARY GENERAL ANGELA KING VISITS CUBA 3.- CUBA WILL PRESIDE OVER REGIONAL FORESTRY MEETING 4.- JAPANESE COMMUNITY IN CUBA RECEIVES DONATION 5.- CUBA MARKS 90th BIRTHDAY OF COMPOSER JOSEITO FERNANDEZ 6.- U.S. JAZZ GIANTS WILL TAKE PART IN HAVANA FESTIVAL 7.- HAVANA HOSTS MEETING OF FEDERATION OF ARAB ENTITIES IN THE AMERICAS CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ARRIVES HOME FROM OFFICIAL VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA, FOLLOWING BRIEF STOP-OVER IN BRAZIL Havana, September 7(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro arrived home today from an official visit to South Africa, following a brief stop-over in Brasilia, capital of Brazil. During a 12-hour visit to the Brazilian capital, the Cuban leader dined with Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and also met with opposition presidential candidate Luis Inacio Lula da Silva. In an encounter with press correspondents in Brasilia, President Castro said his private discussions with Cardoso, which lasted into the early morning hours of Monday, were centered on the current worldwide financial crisis. Asked by reporters about how the crisis was affecting Cuba, Fidel Castro said Cuba's economy has been under the gun for the past 40 years due to the U.S. blockade and its expulsion from multi-lateral lending agencies. The Cuban leader said Cuba has absolutely no commitments with those agencies, which, he said, "cannot impose anything on the island." He said in his country, not one dollar flees from the economy, adding that Cuba is not Russia -- where capital flight amounts to billions of dollars. During the last day of his official visit to South Africa, following the Non-Aligned Summit, President Castro gathered in Johannesburg with more than 300 of the 400 Cuban doctors offering their services in that African nation. He told the Cuban professionals that what Cuba is doing for South Africa could never be done for money. The leader of the Cuban Revolution said South Africa's role in the world "is much more important than money." He also said that the doors of Cuba's medical schools are open for the poor people of South Africa. UN UNDER SECRETARY GENERAL ANGELA KING VISITS CUBA Havana, September 7(RHC)-- United Nations Under Secretary General Angela King arrived in Havana on Sunday. She told reporters at Jose Marti International Airport that the purpose of her visit is to learn more about the achievements of Cuban women -- made in spite of Washington's blockade against the island. King, who is from Jamaica, is Special Advisor on Women's Issues to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. During her stay, the UN official will visit health care centers and focus on issues such as women and the mass media, the environment, agriculture and violence. King's agenda also includes meetings with Cuban officials in the Ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs, Education, Justice and Labor and Social Security. The UN official will also meet with leaders of the Federation of Cuban Women, who organized her visit. CUBA WILL PRESIDE OVER REGIONAL FORESTRY MEETING Havana, September 7(RHC)-- Cuba will be the site of and preside over the 20th meeting of the Forestry Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Sponsored by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the event will be held from September 10th through the 14th. Attending the gathering -- held every two years -- will be representatives of international organizations, regional indigenous communities, financial and banking entities and business representatives of the forestry industry. On the agenda will focus on, among other things, the situation of forestry in the region, propositions of an intergovernmental panel on forestry and a report on technical cooperation networks. JAPANESE COMMUNITY IN CUBA RECEIVES DONATION Havana, September 7(RHC)-- The Japanese government has donated some 57,000 dollars worth of machinery to a group of Cuban agriculture workers of Japanese origin. The equipment will go to the Japanese community of the Camilo Cienfuegos Credit and Services Cooperative, located on the Isle of Youth. A contract to assist community projects was signed on Sunday in Havana by the Japanese Ambassador in Cuba, Saburo Tanaka, and Jose Uyena, president of the Japanese community in Cuba. Cuba is currently marking the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the island. CUBA MARKS 90th BIRTHDAY OF COMPOSER JOSEITO FERNANDEZ Havana, September 7(RHC)--Friends and family of the late Cuban composer and singer Joseito Fernandez, author of the internationally-known song "Guantanamera" marked the 90th anniversary of his birth with a pilgrimage to the musicians's grave in Havana. Other activities were also held in the Cuban capital to mark the date, as well as the 70th anniversary of the creation of the popular song "Guantanamera." Events included a conference on the life and work of the popular artist and special recitals. Scheduled for September 26th is an musical gala celebrating the contributions of Cuban composer and singer Joseito Fernandez. "Guantanamera" was made even more popular in 1967, when U.S. folk singer Pete Seeger recorded the song, incorporating verses written by Cuba's National Hero Jose Marti. U.S. JAZZ GIANTS WILL TAKE PART IN HAVANA FESTIVAL Havana, September 7(RHC)-- Renowned Cuban Latin jazz pianist Chucho Valdes has announced the participation of several U.S. musicians in the upcoming Jazz Plaza Festival, set for December in Havana. Vocalists Dianne Reeves and Dee Dee Bridgewater top the list of U.S. jazz stars. Shortly before departing last week for the United States to take part in the 20th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival. Valdes told reporters that from October through December of this year, he'll tour more than 30 U.S. and European cities. The outstanding Cuban musician will give solo piano concerts and will also join his superband Irakere and his quartet in other presentations. HAVANA HOSTS MEETING OF FEDERATION OF ARAB ENTITIES IN THE AMERICAS Havana, September 7(RHC)-- A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Federation of Arab Entities in the Americas is underway in Havana through Tuesday. According to the President of Cuba's Arab Union Alfredo Deriche, the II Symposium on the Arab Presence in the Americas has been scheduled for September 8th through the 12th. Cuban and international experts on the topic are expected to participate. [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