Radio Havana Cuba, Tuesday, Apr 20, 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 Tuesday, April 20, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- VENEZUELAN FOREIGN MINISTER BLASTS U.S. BLOCKADE OF CUBA 2.- 38th ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST U.S. MILITARY DEFEAT IN LATIN AMERICA 3.- ARGENTINEANS SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN REVOLUTION 4.- BIORAT PRODUCTION PLANT OPENS IN VIETNAM 5.- CUBA SELECTED TO HOST 105th INTERPARLIAMENTARY UNION CONFERENCE 6.- HAVANA IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH AGREEMENTS ADOPTED DURING 1992 EARTH SUMMIT 7.- CUBA AND FAO SIGN PROGRAM OF TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN FORESTRY VENEZUELAN FOREIGN MINISTER BLASTS U.S. BLOCKADE OF CUBA Caracas, April 20(RHC)-- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jose Vicente Rangel has blasted Washington's nearly 40 year blockade against Cuba. Rangel said that while there is a blockade against a small country -- which he called "the greatest human rights violation" -- no one can demand respect for human rights. Speaking Monday evening at the First National Assembly of the Patriotic Coalition -- the alliance supporting President Hugo Chavez -- the Venezuelan foreign minister also characterized Washington's blockade as "stupid and a failure." Rangel strongly criticized what he called "the savage NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia," charging that the military alliance is attempting to police the world. And he asserted that he has rejected all types of pressures in defense of Venezuela's sovereignty, beginning with pressures from the U.S. embassy in Caracas. The Venezuelan foreign minister said that with his country's full sovereignty -- which he said is best protected by the current government -- his office is going to instruct the country's diplomatic representation in Geneva to vote in favor of China, Iran and Cuba in human rights issues. With respect to Cuba, Venezuela has opted to abstain in the annual United Nations General Assembly votes on Cuba's anti-blockade resolutions. 38th ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST U.S. MILITARY DEFEAT IN LATIN AMERICA Havana, April 20(RHC)-- Cubans across the island commemorated the 38th anniversary of the first military defeat of the United States in Latin America. On April 19th, 1961, U.S.-supported mercenaries were defeated at the Bay of Pigs -- known in Cuba as Playa Giron. Numerous political activities were held over the weekend to pay tribute to those killed during the mercenary invasion. On Sunday -- Militia Day -- tens of thousands took part in air-raid drills, shooting practice and defense exercises. Militia members and civilians alike rehearsed what to do in case of a military attack or natural disaster. ARGENTINEANS SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN REVOLUTION Buenos Aires, April 20(RHC)-- Hundreds of Argentineans attended the International Book Fair in Buenos Aires to show their support for the Cuban Revolution and commemorate Cuba~s victory at the Bay of Pigs. During the event, Cuba's ambassador in Argentina, Nicolas Fernandez, gave an historical account of the U.S.-organized and financed mercenary invasion of the island in 1961. BIORAT PRODUCTION PLANT OPENS IN VIETNAM Hanoi, April 20(RHC)-- A modern Biorat production plant has been inaugurated in Vietnam thanks to a joint venture between the British firm Beta Fund and the Cuban biological-pharmaceutical laboratory LABIOFAM, S.A. The plant, constructed with Cuban technology and the first of its kind outside Cuba, is valued at over 7 million dollars and has an annual production capacity of over 2000 tons of the rat killer. Although the initial production will cover Vietnam's internal demand, representatives of the joint venture said that in the near future they would be able to satisfy the entire Southeast Asian market. Observers noted that rats have caused a great deal of damage to rice and sugar plantations, pointing out that 60 percent of the world's rice and 25 percent of the sugar cane is produced in the Asia-Pacific region. CUBA SELECTED TO HOST 105th INTERPARLIAMENTARY UNION CONFERENCE Brussels, April 20(RHC)-- Cuba has been selected to host the 105th Interparliamentary Union Conference, scheduled to take place in Havana in April 2001. The Cuban capital was selected as the site of the conference by member-nations during a meeting of the Interparliamentary Union in Brussels, Belgium. Cuba's delegation to the gathering was headed by Jaime Crombet, Vice President of the Cuban Parliament. During the meeting in Brussels, international political, economic and social issues were discussed. The Cuban delegation strongly condemned the ongoing U.S.-led NATO attacks against Yugoslavia and referred to a declaration made by the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO) in support of self-determination and sovereignty. Jaime Crombet also argued for the debt cancellation of those countries with the largest foreign debt and called on parliaments around the world to pass legislation prohibiting future testing of nuclear weapons. HAVANA IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH AGREEMENTS ADOPTED DURING 1992 EARTH SUMMIT Havana, April 20(RHC)-- Cuban specialists have confirmed that the island is in compliance with the agreements adopted during the 1992 World Earth Summit, aimed at stopping the deterioration and contamination of water and soil. The Cuban Ministries of Science, Technology and the Environment, Agriculture and Sugar are working on reforestation projects in areas close to the island's most important rivers. Cuban specialists are also busy working on improving the treatment of sewage. CUBA AND FAO SIGN PROGRAM OF TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN FORESTRY Havana, April 20(RHC)-- Cuba and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have signed a program of technical cooperation in forestry -- aimed at the rational, efficient and sustainable development of bio-energy resources. The project, valued at some 240,000 dollars and approved by the FAO, will be in effect until the year 2001. It is hoped that this plan for the development of sustainable energy in Cuba will help provide an alternative to the use of coal and firewood. [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-27599 1999-Apr-20 20:29:22