CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's newsservice for Friday, 11 September 1998 . Today's stories: 1. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS PRESIDENT OF BASQUE REGION 2. CUBAN VICE-PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE TOURS REGIONS MOST AFFECTED BY DROUGHT 3. CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RICARDO ALARCON IN CANCUN FOR ONFERENCE WITH US BUSINESS LEADERS 4. CUBA AND ROMANIA EXPLORE WAYS TO EXPAND COOPERATION 5. ARGENTINIAN SENATE WELCOMES DECISION ON HUMAN RIGHTS 6. GUATEMALAN VICE-PRESIDENT SCHEDULED TO VISIT CUBA NEXT WEEK CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS PRESIDENT OF BASQUEREGION Havana, September 11 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castromet with the President of the northeastern Spanish region of the Basque country, Jose Antonio Ardanza. During a press conference after the mee ng with Ardanza, President Castro said that relations between Spain and Cuba are excellent. The Cuban leader told the press about the industrial development of the Basque country and the struggles of its people. For his part, the President of the Basque region refered to his encounter with his Cuban counterpart as a constructive, friendly meeting. On Thursday, Ardanza inaugurated a school for technicians related to the restoration of old buildings and furniture.The school was opened with the cooperation of the Basque government Also on Thursday, Ardanza met with Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina, where both leaders refered to the good relations between Spain and Cuba. The President of the Autonomous Community of the Basque country told the press that cooperation between his region and Cuba will continue and that a series of bilateral projects was underway with others pending in several areas Ardanza is heading a delegation of Basque government officials, journalists and business people interested in doing business on the island and getting to know the island first-hand. Ardanza and his gation return home Saturday.O Havana, September 11 (RHC)-- The Vice-President of the Cuban Council of State, Carlos Lage, on Thursday visited three mountain municipalities in eastern Guantanamo province severely affected by the drought. During his tour of Maisi, Imias and San Antonio del Sur, theCuban Vice-President evaluated steps taken to counteract the negative impact of the lack of rainfall in the island's eastern regions. Lage id that though it has already started to rain, it's not yet enough to improve the water level in resevoirs and solve the serious shortage of waterto the population and agriculture in those areas. The island's central government has sent trucks and tractors to distribute water in various ommunities. Some of the steps taken at the central government level have been the upcoming construction of five new rural acueducts and a pipeline to aleviate the situation. Other measures include new irrigation systems and the accelerated construction of La Esperanza dam, which is already 79 percent complete. The dam, which is being built at a cost of 20.5 million pesos will irrigate crops and protect the city of Guantanamo from river floods and provide a gravitational water supply to the city's residents. The central government also approved a food aid package for the population, the distribution of which Lage was able to witness during his tour of the region. CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RICARDO ALARCON IN CANCUN FORCONFERENCE WITH US BUSINESS LEADERS. Cancun, September 11 (RHC)-- The President of Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power, Ricardo Alarcon, traveled to the Mexican beach resort of Cancun to participate in a second meeting between US and Cuban business representatives. Alarcon will make a special presentation and speak with US entrepreneurs. At the meeting scheduled to wind up on Friday, Cuban Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister, Ibrahim Ferradaz, and that Cuba represents an alternative for the development of enterprises and that US business leaders are interested in establishing their businesses on the island The meeting, sponsored by the consulting company Alamar Associates, was to have been held in Havana as on the previous occasion, but the US government rejected a license for the US business executives to travel to Cuba - a decision criticized by the Cuban Foreign Ministry. CUBA AND ROMANIA EXPLORE WAYS TO EXPAND COOPERATION Havana, September 11 (RHC)-- Cuba's Deputy Foreign Investment Minister, Noemi Benitez, met in Bucharest with Romanian business executives interested in expanding economic and trade relations with their counterparts on the island. On the occasion of the Second Mixed Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Trade and Technical Cooperation, Benitez offered detailed information on the current state of the Cuban economy and talked about the possibilities for making secure investments on the island. During the sessions, both sides evaluated bilateral economic and trade relations and prospects for continuing their expansion. They also identified new areas for cooperation in the areas of science, education and health. At the end, a protocol was signed as well as an agreement between the Foreign Trade Promotion Centers from the two countries ARGENTINIAN SENATE WELCOMES DECISION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Havana, September 11 (RHC)-- The Argentinian Senate has welcomed the decision by the UN Human Rights Commission to reject a resolution against Cuba introduced by the United States The statement, made public this week, is contained in a bill introduced by the Vice-Speaker of the Senate, Mario Losada,and approved by unanimous consent last week. The bill's text condemns the position adopted by the Argentinian government in Geneva, siding with the US, which legislators said reflects the government's unacceptable and unconditional identification with Washington. The UN Human Rights Commission rejected on April 21st a resolution condemning Cuba introduced by the United States, with 19 votes against the US initiative, 16 in favor and 18 abstentions GUATEMALAN VICE-PRESIDENT SCHEDULED TO VISIT CUBA NEXT WEEK Guatemala City, September 11 (RHC)-- The Vice-President of Guatemala, Luis Flores Asturias, will arrive in Cuba next Wednesday with the country's Foreign Minister Eduardo Steinand a business delega While in Cuba, Flores Asturias will open a business conference between Cuban and Guatemalan entepreneurs, visit sites of social and economic interest and deal with issues that will allow expansion of operation in the areas of culture, health, sports and air transportaion. [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