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, February 5, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE SIGNS MORE THAN 20 ECONOMIC ACCORDS IN SPAIN 2.- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PEDAGOGY '99: CUBA AND MEXICO SIGN AGREEMENT ON PUBLISHING TEXTBOOKS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 3.- CUBA IS AN EXAMPLE OF A COUNTRY WITH FEW RESOURCES BUT GUARANTEES FREE EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE 4.- EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS END VISIT TO CUBA 5.- INTERNATIONAL ORBIS PROJECT IMPRESSED WITH THE PREPARATION OF CUBAN OPHTHALMOLOGISTS 6.- "BICYCLISTS AGAINST THE BLOCKADE" PEDDLE ACROSS THE ISLAND CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE SIGNS MORE THAN 20 ECONOMIC ACCORDS IN SPAIN Madrid, February 5(RHC)-- Visiting Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage signed more than 20 economic accords with his Spanish counterpart, Rodrigo Rato. The agreements between Cuba and Spain include contracts for new joint ventures as well as letters of intent. Speaking with reporters in the Spanish capital Thursday evening, the Cuban vice president said that in addition to the newly signed agreements, his visit has been important in the context of what he called "a fraternal and friendly dialogue" with Spanish officials. Responding to a reporter's question regarding Cuba's social system, Carlos Lage stressed that the Cuban people are determined to continue defending their socialist project because it is "more just, more pluralistic and more democratic." The Cuban vice president added that the island will enter the 21st century -- in his words -- "not with a project, but with a socialist reality that it defends today." Carlos Lage is continuing his visit by touring the autonomous regions of Cataluna, Galicia and the Canary Islands this weekend -- before meeting with King Juan Carlos and Spanish President Jose Maria Asnar on Monday. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PEDAGOGY '99: CUBA AND MEXICO SIGN AGREEMENT ON PUBLISHING TEXTBOOKS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Havana, February 5(RHC)-- The International Conference Pedagogy '99 wraps up today in the Cuban capital after five days of sessions at Havana's Convention Center. On Friday morning, during a break in one of the sessions, top educational authorities from Cuba and Mexico renewed their commitment on bilateral cooperation. Over the last four years and at the request of Cuba's Education Ministry, an agreement was established for some of the textbooks used in the island's elementary schools and printed at the same publishing house that prints textbooks used by Mexican children. Cuba will provide the original materials and paper while the Mexican printing house will be in charge of printing them. The books will then be shipped from the port of Veracruz to Havana. The goal for this year is to publish one million one hundred thousand copies, including ten different titles. The accord was signed by Cuba's Education Minister Luis Ignacio Gomez and the representative of Mexico's Department for Public Education, Antonio Mesa Estrada. CUBA IS AN EXAMPLE OF A COUNTRY WITH FEW RESOURCES BUT GUARANTEES FREE EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE Havana, February 5(RHC)-- The Deputy Regional Director of UNICEF's office for Latin America and the Caribbean, Cecilio Adorna, said that Cuba is an example of a country with few economic resources which can still guarantee free education and health care. During a news conference at Havana's International Convention Center, the official of the United Nations Children's Fund said that it is not important how much you invest, but how the amount earmarked for social spending is used. He pointed out that there are countries where the results do not justify the investment. The deputy regional director for UNICEF's Latin American and Caribbean office -- in Cuba for the International Conference Pedagogy '99 taking place in Havana -- pointed out that the conference is an important contribution of the Cuban people to Latin America, education and regional integration as well as UNICEF's fight in defense of children. The UN official stressed that to prioritize education means to invest in the future, defend human rights, assure scientific-technical advances and economic development to guarantee a happy childhood for the men and women of tomorrow. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS END VISIT TO CUBA Havana, February 5(RHC)-- A group of Euro-parliamentarians concluded a five-day visit to Cuba and returned home on Thursday, reaffirming their commitment to continue pressuring Washington into ending its nearly 40 year blockade against the island. Headed by Italian Reinaldi Bontempi, the delegation included representatives from Italy, France and Spain. The group met with the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon and Havana's Archbishop Cardinal Jaime Ortega, visiting economic, social and cultural places of interest. During a news conference in Havana shortly before leaving the Cuban capital, a lawmaker from Spain, Laura Gonzalez, said she could see the advances of the Cuban people in the areas of health and education and witnessed the affects of the U.S. blockade on those sectors. INTERNATIONAL ORBIS PROJECT IMPRESSED WITH THE PREPARATION OF CUBAN OPHTHALMOLOGISTS Havana, February 5(RHC)-- Specialists from the International ORBIS Project said they are very impressed with the preparation and knowledge of ophthalmologists from Cuba's central province of Ciego de Avila where the non-governmental organization is currently working. The head of the ORBIS mission, Roberto Whitty, and Cuban ophthalmologists from Ciego de Avila agreed that foreign and Cuban specialists have mutually benefitted from the exchange of ideas. ORBIS physicians have treated patients with glaucoma and other eye ailments, although their main objective is to train doctors, nurses and other specialists in the field. "BICYCLISTS AGAINST THE BLOCKADE" PEDDLE ACROSS THE ISLAND Cienfuegos, February 5(RHC)-- A sports expedition called "Bicyclists against the Blockade" has arrived to the central city of Cienfuegos after having toured 525 kilometers. The bicycle tour is being organized by the Gran Caribe Cyclotourist Club. The club's President, Ignacio Valladares, told journalists that the tour began at Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion last January 28th, continued to western Pinar del Rio province and from Cienfuegos will continue to the eastern city of Guantanamo. There, they will go the gate of the illegal U.S. naval base and hold an activity protesting Washington's economic blockade against the island. 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