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 Monday, February 1, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PEDAGOGY '99 UNDERWAY 2.- SIXTH SOUTH AMERICAN BRIGADE STRONGLY CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S ECONOMIC BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA 3.- CUBA AND COSTA RICA READY TO RE-ESTABLISH CONSULAR RELATIONS 4.- GUATEMALAN ECONOMY MINISTER CHARACTERIZED HIS VISIT TO CUBA AS VERY POSITIVE 5.- CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET WILL TOUR THE UNITED STATES 6.- TRADE UNIONS JOIN RECRUITMENT DRIVE FOR NEW POLICE OFFICERS 7.- CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO SPAIN ON TUESDAY 8.- PRESIDENT OF MIAMI-BASED WORKER'S ALLIANCE OF THE CUBAN- AMERICAN COMMUNITY DIES IN HAVANA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PEDAGOGY '99 UNDERWAY Havana, February 1(RHC)-- Over 5000 Cuban and foreign educators from Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Canada have inaugurated the International Conference Pedagogy '99 at Havana's Karl Marx Theater. The conference, which is sponsored by UNICEF and UNESCO, will run through Friday. More than 1000 lectures will be presented and Cuban teachers and educational experts alone will give nearly 960 presentations. Among some of the issues to be discussed are teacher training at all levels of education, fundamental studies and research in pedagogical sciences, the development of intelligence and creativity, as well as the influence of family, society and schools. It is hoped that the International Conference Pedagogy '99 will serve as a response to UNESCO's warning about a pending educational catastrophe. Experts fear that by the year 2010, there will be more than 152 million people in the world without access to classrooms. SIXTH SOUTH AMERICAN BRIGADE STRONGLY CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S ECONOMIC BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA Havana, February 1(RHC)-- The first group of the Sixth South American Brigade has strongly condemned Washington's nearly 40-year-old blockade against Cuba. In a gesture of solidarity with the island, members of the contingent took part in a Latin American and Caribbean solidarity conference held recently in Havana. The President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People's (ICAP), Sergio Corrieri, spoke to members of the South American Brigade -- made up of more than 260 brigadistas from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. CUBA AND COSTA RICA READY TO RE-ESTABLISH CONSULAR RELATIONS Caracas, February 1(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and his Costa Rican counterpart Roberto Rojas are scheduled to met on Tuesday in the Venezuelan capital to iron out last-minute details for the re-establishment of consular relations. Both officials are in Caracas to attend tomorrow's swearing-in ceremony of Venezuelan President-elect Hugo Chavez. Costa Rica broke diplomatic ties with Cuba in 1961 and re-established consular ties in 1977 during the government of President Daniel Oduber, but his successor unilaterally suspended consular relations between both nations in 1981. GUATEMALAN ECONOMY MINISTER CHARACTERIZED HIS VISIT TO CUBA AS VERY POSITIVE Havana, February 1(RHC)-- Guatemala's Economy Minister Juan Jose Serra characterized his visit to Cuba as "very positive." During his stay, Serra signed an agreement on preferential trade with Cuban authorities -- only one year after the re-establishment of relations between the two countries. The accord includes 1200 manufactured agricultural products, including textiles, shoes, medicines, liquors and other products which are now tariff-free. During his three-day visit to Cuba, Guatemala's economy minister met with Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina, Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas and Tourism Minister Osmany Cienfuegos. CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET WILL TOUR THE UNITED STATES Havana, February 1(RHC)-- Cuba's National Ballet will begin a U.S. tour on Wednesday and is scheduled to offer 17 performances in several cities of Arizona and California. During their upcoming tour, Cuban dancers will perform "Gisselle" with the choreography of Alicia Alonso, founder and Director of Cuba's National Ballet Company. TRADE UNIONS JOIN RECRUITMENT DRIVE FOR NEW POLICE OFFICERS Havana, February 1(RHC)-- The Confederation of Cuban Workers (CTC) has urged trade unions in the country to help recruit new police officers in Havana, taking into account the importance of the security of its citizens, economic progress and the country's defense. In an editorial published in Monday's weekly Trabajadores newspaper, the CTC underscores that during the activity commemorating the 40th anniversary of the National Revolutionary Police, Cuban President Fidel Castro warned of the dangers of crime and anti-social elements in the Cuban capital. The Confederation of Cuban Workers pointed out that in Havana, like most capitals of the world, crime is increasing and constitutes the main front of a new battle for the Cuban people. CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT TRAVELS TO SPAIN ON TUESDAY Havana, February 1(RHC)-- Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage will travel to Spain tomorrow, Tuesday, for an official visit with an economic agenda. Lage will meet with Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar as well as leaders of autonomous Spanish regions and representatives of the country's business community. Spain purchases tobacco, seafood, nickel and coffee from Cuba, while the island buys machinery and manufactured goods from Spain. PRESIDENT OF MIAMI-BASED WORKER'S ALLIANCE OF THE CUBAN- AMERICAN COMMUNITY DIES IN HAVANA Havana, February 1(RHC)-- The Miami-based Antonio Maceo Brigade has expressed sadness over the death of the President of the Worker's Alliance of the Cuban-American Community (ATC), Walfrido Moreno, who died on Sunday in Havana. Moreno, who was 83 years old, immigrated to the United States from Cuba in the 1940's and was a founding member of the Cuban pro-independence 26th of July Movement in New York City. He worked in solidarity with the Cuban Revolution in the United States and on numerous occasions faced threats and attacks from the ultra right-wing Cuban-American mafia in Miami where he lived. In addition to serving as President of the ATC, Walfrido Moreno also worked with other solidarity organizations such as Pastors for Peace, organizing humanitarian aid for the Cuban people. The Antonio Maceo Brigade, a Miami-based organization in favor of an unconditional end to Washington's economic blockade against Cuba, recalled that Moreno had been the main promoter of humanitarian aid to Cuba from the U.S. over the last ten years. [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