Radio Havana Cuba, Friday, April 30, 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 30, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH MEDICAL PERSONNEL SERVING IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2.- ECUADORANS PROTEST RECENT ANTI-CUBA VOTE AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN GENEVA 3.- LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN U.S. CONGRESS TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON SALE OF FOOD AND MEDICINE TO CUBA 4.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH CHINESE DELEGATION 5.- PRESIDENT OF CUBAN PARLIAMENT WINDS UP OFFICIAL VISIT TO BRITAIN 6.- INTERNATIONAL WORKER'S DAY CELEBRATIONS UNDERWAY CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH MEDICAL PERSONNEL SERVING IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Havana, April 30(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has met in Havana with the heads of the Cuban medical missions in Haiti, Honduras and Guatemala. During the encounters, the Cuban leader expressed interest in knowing about the humanitarian work being done by the island's medical personnel in those countries. Sending health professionals to offer their services in the most remote regions of Central America and the Caribbean is part of a program put in place by Cuban authorities to assist those countries devastated by Hurricanes Georges and Mitch late last year. During their meeting with Fidel Castro, representatives of the Cuban medical teams reaffirmed their colleague's determination to continue offering their services in those countries for as long as necessary. In related news, a group of 70 young Bolivians arrived Friday in Havana to begin their medical studies at the Latin American School of Medicine, located on the outskirts of the Cuban capital. The creation of the education institution is also part of the program implemented by the Cuban government to help develop an integral health care system in Central American and Caribbean nations. The Bolivian youth will join more than 1500 Central American students who are currently studying at the school. During one of the most emotional moments of the farewell ceremony held Thursday in La Paz, the families of the young Bolivians displayed a huge banner reading: "Thanks, Fidel, our brother!" -- expressing their gratitude for what they called Cuba's selfless solidarity. The father of one of the students, who spoke on behalf of all the families, said the gesture is "clear evidence of the internationalism that has always characterized the Cuban Revolution." ECUADORANS PROTEST ANTI-CUBA VOTE AT UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Quito, April 30(RHC)-- Dozens of people from all walks of life gathered at Cuba's embassy in the Ecuadoran capital on Thursday to protest the recent vote cast by Quito at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva. The vote was in favor of an anti-Cuban resolution promoted by Washington. The rally was called by the Ecuadoran Solidarity with Cuba Association to condemn Ecuador's official position in support of U.S. efforts to destroy the Cuban Revolution. Ney Barrionuevo, a leading activist in the solidarity organization, announced a nationwide campaign to collect signatures that will be sent to President Jamil Mahuad. The open letter to the president will express the Ecuadoran people's real feelings with regard to Cuba which, he said, have nothing to do with the position adopted by Quito in Geneva. Volter Medina, an Ecuadoran congressional representative from the Roldosista Party told reporters that he does not rule out the presentation in congress of a resolution against the Ecuadoran government for what he called "treason to the historic ties of friendship that have always united the peoples of Cuba and Ecuador." LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN U.S. CONGRESS TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON SALE OF FOOD AND MEDICINE TO CUBA Washington, April 30(RHC)-- The broad-based coalition "Americans for Humanitarian Trade with Cuba" has joined with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to introduce legislation which would lift restrictions on the sale of food and medicine to Cuba. "The Cuba Food and Medicine Security Act" -- supported by many former Reagan and Bush administration officials -- was announced Thursday by Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd and Republican Senator John Warner and, in the House, by Republican Representative James Leach and Democratic Representative Jose Serrano. The legislation is in response to Washington's easing of sanctions against Iran, Libya and Sudan --giving way to multi-million dollar contracts for U.S. agro producers and pharmaceutical companies. Many of the backers of the legislation do not support the Cuban Revolution and, in fact, believe that the sale of food and medicine to Cuba would undermine the island's political and economic system. The list of supporters includes well-known conservatives like retired-General John J. Sheehan, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO; corporate executive Carla Anderson Hill, former U.S. trade representative under President George Bush; Frank Carlucci, former Secretary of Defense and National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan; and corporate executive and former World Bank president A.W. Clausen. Other supporters believe the move would be correct in a humanitarian sense, would be positive for U.S. economic interests or simply that the blockade is outdated. Dwayne Andreas, Chairman Emeritus of the agro-giant Archer Daniels Midland, stated that "the small group of hardliners that currently supports the food and medicine embargo on Cuba is increasing out-of-step with leaders from the U.S. agricultural, religious, military, business, labor, Cuban- American and medical communities who believe it is in U.S. national interests to sell food and medicine to Cuba." CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO MEETS WITH CHINESE DELEGATION Havana, April 30(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met Thursday evening with Wei Jianxing, member of the Political Bureau of China's Communist Party. Also present at the meeting was Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage and Communist Party Political Bureau member Jose Ramon Balaguer. Following the meeting, which took place at Havana's Palace of the Revolution, the Chinese leader told reporters that it was an honor to speak to the Cuban president. He said they discussed the international situation and issues of bilateral interest. Wei Jianxing and his accompanying delegation ended their official visit to the island on Friday. They left Havana for Uruguay and Argentina as part of a Latin American tour. PRESIDENT OF CUBAN PARLIAMENT WINDS UP OFFICIAL VISIT TO BRITAIN Havana, April 30(RHC)-- The President of the Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, has ended a three-day official visit to Britain. At the invitation of Britain's Foreign Ministry, Alarcon participated in a seminar to exchange information on both parliaments sponsored by the organization "Cuba Initiative" and the Westminster Foundation. During his visit, Ricardo Alarcon met with the President of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd, as well as the President of the House of Lords and Secretary of Justice, Margaret Beckett. The Cuban official also met with British Ministers of Trade, Foreign Relations, International Development and the Interior. INTERNATIONAL WORKER'S DAY CELEBRATIONS UNDERWAY Havana, April 30(RHC)-- "History, Unity, Culture and Revolution" was the slogan during an artistic gala to celebrate International Worker's Day at the Confederation of Cuban Workers' Lazaro Pena Theater. With the participation of outstanding Cuban workers from across the island, foreign delegations and other guests, the event was filled with music and dance. The audience enjoyed a special performance by the renowned Aragon Orchestra. In related news, over 800 representatives from 37 countries met on Thursday with the leaders of the Confederation of Cuban Workers, the CTC. The General Secretary of the CTC, Pedro Ross Leal, and the head of the Department of International Relations, Leonel Gonzalez, welcomed the visitors. Gonzalez explained the characteristics of the economic crisis on the island -- known as the Special Period -- which began with the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the eastern European socialist block. He said the crisis was aggravated due to the tightening of Washington's economic blockade against Cuba. Referring to the island's cooperation with other countries, the Cuban union leader pointed out that there are nearly 1000 health personnel in Central America and the Caribbean offering their services to the victims of Hurricanes Georges and Mitch, adding that more than 1500 students are studying medicine on the island as part of a proposal by the Cuban government. The foreign trade union representatives will participate together with the Cuban people in the massive march at Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion tomorrow, May 1st -- International Worker's Day. [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. 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 rhc-eng-22970 1999-Apr-30 19:14:41