Radio Havana Cuba, Friday, April 2, 1999 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit 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, April 2, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- NIGERIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT ENDS VISIT TO CUBA 2.- WASHINGTON IS WORLD'S MAIN VIOLATOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS 3.- IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT PREPARATIONS GET UNDERWAY NEXT WEEK 4.- CUBA HONORS 54 OUTSTANDING LEADERS 5.- BOLIVIA THANKS CUBA FOR COOPERATION 6.- CUBA CONTINUES EXPANDING ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 7.- ITALIAN HOTEL CHAIN INVESTS ON THE ISLAND 8.- VENEZUELAN AIRLINE INCREASES FLIGHTS TO CUBA NIGERIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT ENDS VISIT TO CUBA Havana, April 2(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro today personally saw off Nigerian President-elect Olusengun Obasanjo following a 24-hour visit to Havana. The two leaders held private talks Thursday evening. The visiting dignitary then toured Old Havana and the Cuban capital's Africa Museum -- which has received numerous donations from Nigeria and other African countries. Obasanjo won presidential elections last February 27th, bringing 15 years of military rule to an end. He ran as the candidate for the left-of-center Popular Democratic Party. He officially takes office on May 29th. The visit to Cuba is part of a tour taking the African leader to 26 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Obasanjo's next stop-over will be Venezuela, followed by Brazil and Jamaica. WASHINGTON IS WORLD'S MAIN VIOLATOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS Geneva, April 2(RHC)-- Cuba has accused the United States of being the main violator of human rights in the world, "despite its ambition to be the supreme international judge, handing down verdicts against Third World nations." Speaking before the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva on Thursday, Cuban Ambassador Carlos Amat stated that Washington has a double standard when it comes to condemning poor, underdeveloped countries -- at the same time that flagrant human rights violations are committed in its own territory. Amat noted that the United States has a long history of intervention in the internal affairs of other nations, promoting political crimes, terrorism and violations of international law. He said it was logical that Washington would raise its voice at the UN Human Rights Commission to defend four Cuban citizens recently found guilty of serving U.S. interests. The Cuban diplomat said the evidence presented against the four -- charged and convicted of sedition and being in the pay of the U.S. government -- was overwhelming. Carlos Amat pointed out that Washington recently approved a special fund of two million dollars to foster subversion on the island -- with the goal of destroying the Cuban Revolution. IBEROAMERICAN SUMMIT PREPARATIONS GET UNDERWAY NEXT WEEK Havana, April 2(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Ministry has announced that the national coordinators of the countries that will participate in the 9th Iberoamerican Summit in Havana will begin gathering in the Cuban capital next week. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alejandro Gonzalez said the first such gathering will take place on Wednesday, April 7th, and will be aimed at the creation of a Permanent Cooperation Secretariat. On April 8th and 9th, the coordinators will examine the draft of the final document to be submitted for consideration by Iberoamerican heads of State and government. Gonzalez said all of the Iberoamerican leaders have been invited, while denying rumors that Cuba has received official notification concerning any nation's refusal to participate in next November's Summit. CUBA HONORS 54 OUTSTANDING LEADERS Havana, April 2(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro, Vice President Carlos Lage and Defense Minister Raul Castro presided over a ceremony Thursday honoring 54 of the country's most outstanding government and state officials. The leaders were selected from a group of 100 candidates proposed by government institutions and provincial administrative councils. The simple ceremony, which took place at the Council of State in Havana, was the culmination of a process honoring hundreds of women and men who achieved excellent results during l998. Vice President Carlos Lage told the honored guests that "the country needs and demands leaders that are examples." He also reviewed the main accomplishments of the past ten years -- during a severe economic crisis, known in Cuba as the "Special Period." He noted that the most important of those achievements has been to make the government more efficient. Among those selected as the island's best workers were a government minister, two first deputy ministers, five deputy ministers, the directors of various state and research institutes, heads of provincial parliaments, an ambassador and the historian of the City of Havana. Also honored were the leaders of various construction contingents, presidents and vice presidents of joint ventures and government companies. The brief ceremony ended with the reading of a letter from President Fidel Castro to the families of the 54 outstanding leaders, recognizing the importance of their support and assistance. BOLIVIA THANKS CUBA FOR COOPERATION La Paz, April 2(RHC)-- The Bolivian government has officially expressed its gratitude to Cuba for providing 70 scholarships to young Bolivians who wish to study medicine on the island. Cuban Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Deputy Minister Lazaro Perez, who arrived in La Paz on Thursday, said he was pleased with talks held with Bolivia's Deputy Foreign Minister Jorge Soruco. The Bolivian official thanked Cuba for its support and said that the scholarships will be awarded primarily to young people from rural areas. CUBA CONTINUES EXPANDING ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Havana, April 2(RHC)-- 1999 promises to be another year of growing economic ties with Latin America and the Caribbean. The Regional Director of Cuba's Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Ministry, Roberto Rivas, told reporters in Havana that the island has established mixed economic cooperation commissions in practically every country of the region, with which Cuba now has 30 percent of its trade. Rivas added that in the Caribbean, Cuba will soon establish commissions in Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda. ITALIAN HOTEL CHAIN INVESTS ON THE ISLAND Havana, April 2(RHC)-- One of Italy's most important hotel chains, CASCINA, will soon be building hotels in eastern Cuba. The city of Camaguey will be the site of the Italian company's main office. CASCINA'S Cuban representative, Jesus Muniz, announced that the Italian hotel group will work using mixed capital with Cuba's Cubanacan S.A.. CASCINA plans to invest in Santa Lucia Beach and in various keys off Camaguey's coast, as well as at Cuba's famous beach resort, Varadero. The Italian hotel group will begin business in Cuba with an initial investment of 22 million dollars. VENEZUELAN AIRLINE INCREASES FLIGHTS TO CUBA Havana, April 2(RHC)-- Venezuela's oldest airline, Aeropostal, will increase its flights to Cuba. The airline's local representative, Roberto Perez Bazart, stated that Aeropostal intends to expand flights to the island given the growing number of Venezuelan tourists visiting Cuba. Bazart said that a sixth flight will be added to the existing five weekly. The airline executive explained that two of the flights will land at Varadero Beach resort and others will provide service to additional tourist spots.  [c] 1999, 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. 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