Radio Havana Cuba, Thu Apr 29, 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 Thursday, April 29, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE UPSET BY EXCLUSION OF CUBA IN PARTIAL LIFTING OF SANCTIONS 2.- SOUTH SUMMIT 2000 TO BE HELD IN CUBA 3.- PRESIDENT OF CUBAN PARLIAMENT VISITS BRITAIN 4.- U.S. FOLKSINGER PETE SEEGER RECEIVES TOP CULTURAL AWARD 5.- GUATEMALAN PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTER ON A VISIT TO CUBA 6.- CUBAN MINISTER OF BASIC INDUSTRY WINDS UP VISIT TO BRITAIN 7.- CUBA DESIGNATES NEW AMBASSADOR TO VIETNAM U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE UPSET BY EXCLUSION OF CUBA IN PARTIAL LIFTING OF SANCTIONS Washington, April 29(RHC)-- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has criticized President Bill Clinton's decision to exclude Cuba from the lifting of a prohibition on the sale of food and medicines that will benefit Iran, Libya and Sudan. Thomas Donohue, president of the world's largest federation of business firms, said Wednesday's decision to partially lift sanctions against the three countries is an important step towards moving away from unilateral measures that harm U.S. interests and don't resolve the problems for which they were designed. Donohue asserted that the last four decades have clearly demonstrated the failure of Washington's blockade against Cuba, insisting that the principle victims of that policy are U.S. business interests. For the past two years, U.S. wheat and grain producers have taken an increasing interest in the Cuban market due to a fall in the prices of basic products and stepped-up international competition. Executives of the two largest grain producers in the U.S. -- Archer Daniels Midland Company and Continental Grain Company -- visited Havana last December. In January this year, the U.S. Federation of Agricultural Organizations -- which represents the largest group of American agro producers -- gave its support of negotiations to end the blockade of Cuba. According to Alan Tracy, President of the export firm U.S. Wheat Associates, wheat producers have too long been denied access to a potentially vigorous market. Tracy stated Wednesday that it is time for Congress to change that policy. According to some U.S. experts in the industrial sector, Cuba represents a market of almost one million tons of wheat a year and due to the island's proximity, the cost for U.S. exporters would be much less than suppliers from Europe or Canada. SOUTH SUMMIT 2000 TO BE HELD IN CUBA New York, April 29(RHC)-- Cuba will host the South Summit 2000 to be held in April next year, according to a decision made by the Group 77 and China. Addressing a preparatory committee at the United Nations on Wednesday, the President of Cuba's Central Bank, Francisco Soberon, set forth what Cuban authorities consider should be the three main subjects for discussion during the South Summit 2000: globalization, North-South relations and South-South cooperation. The president of Cuba's Central Bank said the South Summit 2000 will be a unique opportunity to discuss pressing issues like multilateralism versus bilateralism in economic relations, protectionism versus liberalism in the market and the application of unilateral sanctions to obtain political goals. The high-ranking Cuban official emphasized the importance that the G-77 --made up of 132 underdeveloped nations and China-- take an active role in reforms to the international financial system. Soberon pointed out that this would be a way to guarantee the groups' participation in the decision-making process in the field. In previous meetings on the issue, he said, the G-77 has held a very weak negotiating position. He stressed that the time has come for member nations to join forces in order to reverse the current marginalization of Third World countries. PRESIDENT OF CUBAN PARLIAMENT VISITS BRITAIN London, April 29(RHC)-- On the second day of an official visit to the British capital, the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon met with Lord Irving, President of the British House of Lords and Britain's Justice Secretary. Alarcon also met with Margaret Beckett, ruling Labor Party parliamentary leader and member of the cabinet of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. During both meetings, dignitaries reviewed the current state of bilateral ties between Cuba and Britain, and discussed ways to improve bilateral economic relations. U.S. FOLKSINGER PETE SEEGER RECEIVES TOP CULTURAL AWARD Havana, April 29(RHC)-- Cuban Vice President Juan Almeida Bosque awarded the Felix Varela Order to legendary U.S. folksigner Pete Seeger Wednesday evening at Havana's Casa de las Americas. With this award --Cuba's highest cultural distinction -- Cuba recognizes Seeger's contributions to revive the best U.S. musical values and to the causes of peace, the environment and the struggle against racism. During the 1960's, Pete Seeger helped make the Cuban song "Guantanamera" famous around the world by singing the tune with the verses of Cuban national hero Jose Marti. Pete Seeger performed for his Cuban friends last night at a special concert at Casa de las Americas. GUATEMALAN PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTER ON A VISIT TO CUBA Havana, April 29(RHC)-- The Guatemalan Minister of Public Health and Social Security, Marco Tulio Sosa Ramirez, has arrived in Havana for a four-day official visit. Speaking with reporters in the Cuban capital, the high- ranking Guatemalan official termed as "exceptionally remarkable" the work being done by Cuban health professionals in that Central American nation, devastated by Hurricane Mitch last October. Sosa Ramirez met Thursday with his Cuban counterpart, Dr. Carlos Dotres, with whom he signed a cooperation agreement that includes the permanent basing of Cuban medical personnel in Guatemala and the transfer of technology. Sosa Ramirez and the delegation accompanying him will also tour centers of scientific interest and the Latin American School of Medicine. CUBAN MINISTER OF BASIC INDUSTRY WINDS UP VISIT TO BRITAIN Havana, April 29(RHC)-- Cuba's Minister of Basic Industry Marcos Portal has wound up a working visit to Britain. During his stay in London, Portal met separately with Stephen Bayers, British Secretary of Science, Commerce and the Industry, and with Brian Wilson, British Secretary of Foreign Trade. The encounters dealt with new British-Cuban joint cooperation projects in the field and prospects for the future. The high-ranking Cuban government official also met with representatives of British banks and firms doing business with the island. CUBA DESIGNATES NEW AMBASSADOR TO VIETNAM Havana, April 29(RHC)-- Cuba's Council of State has named Fredesman Turro Gonzalez as the island's new Ambassador to Vietnam. At the time of his designation, Turro Gonzalez was the head of the Cuban Foreign Ministry's Asia and Oceania Department. [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-12351 1999-Apr-29 19:56:01