Radio Havana Cuba, Thursday, February 25, 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, February 25, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN TELEPHONE COMPANY SUSPENDS SERVICE WITH FIVE U.S. TELECOMMUNICATIONS FIRMS DUE TO LACK OF PAYMENT 2.- CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT DISCUSSES LAW FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND THE CUBAN ECONOMY 3.- INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON HABANO CIGAR WINDS UP IN HAVANA 4.- BRITISH AIRWAYS BEGINS DIRECT FLIGHTS TO HAVANA IN APRIL 5.- GOVERNOR OF THE MEXICAN STATE OF GUANAJUATO WINDS UP VISIT 6.- PRESIDENT OF THE SPANISH AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY OF CASTILLA Y LEON ARRIVES IN CUBA ON SUNDAY CUBAN TELEPHONE COMPANY SUSPENDS SERVICE WITH FIVE U.S. TELECOMMUNICATIONS FIRMS DUE TO LACK OF PAYMENT Havana, February 25(RHC)-- At one minute past 12 midnight this morning, February 25th, the Cuban telephone company ETECSA suspended telephone service with the U.S. telecommunications firms AT&T, MCI, LDDS, IDB and WILTEL. The Cuban news daily Granma today published a front-page article, reminding its readers that Cuban authorities warned on several occasions of the pretensions of a federal judge in Miami to satisfy the financial ambitions of a group of Cuban-Americans and their attorneys. The federal judge ordered the five U.S. firms to freeze payment to Cuba's telephone company, which is a mixed enterprise with Italy. In light of ETECSA's claims -- and those of the five U.S. firms themselves -- on February 16th, the federal judge convened a hearing, but decided to postpone his decision. The Cuban news daily pointed out that both the U.S. firms and the U.S. government have repeatedly appealed to the federal judge to not enter into this course of action. The article in this morning's edition of Granma states that, in this way, the contract between the firms of Cuba and the United States -- with the support of both nations' governments -- has been openly and grossly violated. It was pointed out that services have not been cut with the U.S. firm SPRINT nor with the Puerto Rico-based company TLDI, which have complied with their financial obligations with ETECSA. CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT DISCUSSES LAW FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND THE CUBAN ECONOMY Havana, February 25(RHC)-- The President of Cuba's Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, affirmed that the island's new Law for the Protection of National Independence and the Cuban Economy is "a measure which will allow Cuba to comply with its responsibilities to its trading partners." The new law provides tough sentences for those convicted of conspiring against the country's economy or national sovereignty. Alarcon, after delivering the closing address at the three-day seminar on business opportunities on the island, sponsored by "The Economist" magazine, asked how a business person interested in investing in a sovereign nation in accordance with its laws could be sanctioned by a third country. The Cuban official spoke to some 100 participants from ten countries at the 5th Round Table on Business Opportunities in Cuba, addressing U.S. policy toward the island and Cuba's new legislation. Ricardo Alarcon explained that the new law was conceived to protect national sovereignty against such extraterritorial measures as the U.S. blockade against Cuba, codified in the Helms-Burton Law -- aimed, in part, at discouraging foreign investment in Cuba. According to the president of Cuba's Parliament, the U.S. blockade was created specifically against Cuba and is designed not only to exert pressure on the island from abroad, but also to foment internal subversion. Those purposes, he said, are explicitly contained in the Helms-Burton and Torricelli Laws. Alarcon said that Cuba was forced to confront those measures -- listing Canada, Mexico, Holland, Britain and other European Union countries that have similar laws on the books. INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON HABANO CIGAR WINDS UP IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, February 25(RHC)-- The Third International Seminar on the Habano Cigar wound up on Thursday at Havana's Convention Center. The seminar and trade fair, inaugurated on Tuesday, were two of the most important activities of the event entitled "The Habano on the Threshold of the Year 2000." The fair, which will remain open until Friday, has become an important point for the purchase of cigars, humidors and their accessories. Habanos S.A. promoted the event with the participation of almost 1000 participants all parts of the world. BRITISH AIRWAYS BEGINS DIRECT FLIGHTS TO HAVANA IN APRIL Havana, February 25(RHC)-- British Airways will begin direct flights to Havana beginning in April, according to Britain's Ambassador to Cuba, David Frederick Charles Ridgeway. The British diplomat made the announcement during the International Livestock Fair, in which Britain has the largest representation in the commercial exposition which began on Wednesday. He said that relations between London and Havana are expanding in many areas, pointing out that his country's business executives will soon meet with Cuban cattle representatives. GOVERNOR OF THE MEXICAN STATE OF GUANAJUATO WINDS UP VISIT TO CUBA Havana, February 25(RHC)-- The Governor of the Mexican state of Guanajuato, Vicente Fox Quesada, said he is satisfied with the results of his visit to Cuba. During his tour of the island, the governor of Guanajuato met with Cuban President Fidel Castro -- whom he characterized as "an exceptional man" -- the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon and the Ministers of Education, Ignacio Gomez; Culture, Abel Prieto; and Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation, Ibrahim Ferradaz. The Mexican official was accompanied by three business executives with the objective of doing business on the island. The Mexican delegation also visited Havana's Biotechnology Center, the Almeijeiras Hospital and the Havana municipality of Batabano. PRESIDENT OF THE SPANISH AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY OF CASTILLA Y LEON ARRIVES IN CUBA ON SUNDAY Havana, February 25(RHC)-- The President of the Spanish autonomous community of Castilla y Leon, Juan Jose Lucas, is scheduled to arrive in Cuba on Sunday. The Spanish official is expected to meet with high ranking Cuban government officials during his five-day official visit. His program includes a visit to the Castilla and Leon Centers in Cuba, where he will meet with immigrants of that community and their descendants. In recent statements to reporters, the president of the autonomous community of Castilla y Leon said that his visit to Cuba will help improve relations with representatives of the industrial, tourist and business sectors. Castilla y Leon includes nine provinces and is the largest autonomous community in Spain. [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-8491 1999-Feb-25 19:42:54