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, January 5, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER TRAVELS TO HAITI TO EVALUATE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY CUBAN HEALTH SPECIALISTS 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT ATTENDS INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP "CULTURE AND REVOLUTION: 40 YEARS AFTER 1959" 3.- U.S. PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES CHANGES IN CUBA POLICY WHILE MAINTAINING BLOCKADE 4.- INTERPARLIMENTARY UNION PRESIDENT CURRENTLY IN CUBA 5.- CUBA EXTRACTS MORE OIL DURING 1998 THAN PREVIOUS YEAR 6.- CUBA'S TECNOAZUCAR CONTINUES TO GROW 7.- THIRD IBEROAMERICAN ENCOUNTER OF MUSIC PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS UNDERWAY IN HAVANA CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER TRAVELS TO HAITI TO EVALUATE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY CUBAN HEALTH SPECIALISTS Port-au-Prince, January 5(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina travelled to Haiti on Tuesday to evaluate the medical assistance currently provided by Cuban health specialists. Cuban health authorities have announced that during the month of January, the number of Cuban health specialists providing assistance in Central America and Haiti will more than double. As of December 31st, 406 Cuban health specialists were working in these countries, and that number will reach 880 by the end of this month. Last Sunday, another medical brigade comprised of 23 specialists headed for Haiti, while this month more brigades will arrive in Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti and Nicaragua. Cuba's Health Ministry has pointed out that besides the doctors and health specialists working in Haiti, Cuba has also sent to that Caribbean nation experienced professors in fields like biochemistry, microbiology, anesthesiology and intensive care, who are currently giving classes at the University Hospital in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Also this month, the first 1000 Central American and Haitian students will arrive in Cuba to study medicine, as part of a plan to train 5500 doctors from these countries over the next ten years. The Cuban Health Ministry recalled that Cuba has another 1400 health workers providing assistance in 50 different countries. CUBAN PRESIDENT ATTENDS INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP "CULTURE AND REVOLUTION: 40 YEARS AFTER 1959" Havana, January 5(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro met on Monday with the participants of the International Workshop "Culture and Revolution 40 Years After 1959," currently taking place at Havana's Casa de las Americas. During the opening session of the workshop on Monday, Havana's Historian Eusebio Leal spoke on the qualities of the Cuban people; Brazilian poet Thiago de Melo said that the Cuban Revolution was the most important event of this century and his life and writer Enrique Nunez Rodriguez addressed the issue of culture in Cuba over the past 40 years. The President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon analyzed four decades of Revolution. He pointed out the profoundly democratic character of Cuban cultural policy as "a decisive factor in the continuation of the socialist project of the Revolution." Cuban President Fidel Castro responded to statements made by Haitian intellectual Gerard Pierre Charles when he said that the Cuban Revolution also belonged to the people of his country and compared the Cuban leader to Dessalines, leader of the Haitian revolution. The Cuban president recalled that on January 1st, 1804, the first revolution in Latin America triumphed in Haiti -- coinciding with January 1st, 1959 -- the date of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. He also pointed to the significance of the four Cuban medical brigades that are currently offering its services to that sister nation. During the International Workshop "Culture and Revolution: 40 Years After 1959," currently taking place in Havana, the Cuban leader said that the cultural achievements on the island are based on the solidarity and internationalist consciousness of the Cuban people. U.S. PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES CHANGES IN CUBA POLICY WHILE MAINTAINING BLOCKADE Washington, January 5(RHC)-- U.S. President Bill Clinton today announced changes in Washington's Cuba policy while, at the same time, maintaining the blockade. The measures include an expansion of money remittances to Cuba, allowing any U.S. citizen to send up to 1200 dollars a year, even if he or she does not have family ties on the island. While also announcing an increase in financial support to the anti-Cuban Radio and TV Marti, Clinton authorized the expansion of private contacts and exchanges between academics, athletes and scientists in the two countries, the sale of agricultural products to non-governmental agencies in Cuba, the expansion of charter flights to other Cuban cities besides Havana and the establishment of direct postal services between Cuba and the United States. The new measures also include the rejection of a proposal to set up a bipartisan commission to revise Washington's Cuba policy. The proposal was promoted by some 20 U.S. Senators, former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and Lawrence Eagleburger and other former government officials. INTERPARLIMENTARY UNION PRESIDENT CURRENTLY IN CUBA Havana, January 5(RHC)-- The President of the Interparliamentary Union, Miguel Angel Martinez, is currently in Cuba at the invitation of the Cuban National Assembly. The representative of the world's oldest international organization, created in 1889, told the Prensa Latina News Agency that it was an honor to be in Cuba. Martinez, a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, said he hopes to get a first-hand look at the work of the Cuban Parliament. The president of the Interpaliamentary Union is scheduled to meet with the President of the Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, Vice President Carlos Lage and other government officials. He will also visit Havana's Biotechnology Center, Varadero Beach Resort and other places of interest. CUBA EXTRACTS MORE OIL DURING 1998 THAN PREVIOUS YEAR Havana, January 5(RHC)-- Cuba extracted one million 678,000 tons of oil this past year, according to sources from the CUBAPETROLEO company. According to the company, Cuba extracted 128,000 tons more than the previous year with the cooperation of foreign firms from France, Canada, Britain and Sweden. There are currently 270 oil wells across the island which produce more than 35,000 barrels of oil daily. CUBA'S TECNOAZUCAR CONTINUES TO GROW Havana, January 5(RHC)-- The President of Cuba's TECNOAZUCAR Company, Victor Hernandez, announced that during 1998, the firm contributed 18 million dollars to the island's economy through sales of sugarcane derivatives and the technical services it offers. Hernandez added that during the same period, there were more earnings in sales, in the domestic hard currency market as well as in exports and technical assistance to some 20 countries with which Cuba has relations. The president of TECHNOAZUCAR pointed out that important contracts have been signed in which Cuba will offer technical assistance to Vietnam and Burma in the construction of three sugar mills this year. TECNOAZUCAR, created in 1982, has maintained important growth over the last several years and expects to improve its earnings in 1999. THIRD IBEROAMERICAN ENCOUNTER OF MUSIC PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, January 5(RHC)-- The Third Iberoamerican Encounter of Music Professors and Students is underway in Havana with the participation of 260 delegates from 11 countries. Havan's National Theater is hosting the event which will run until the 13th of this month. Sponsored by the National Center of Art Schools and the National Music School, the event will promote the exchange of experiences and will show the advances of Cuban pianists in concerts, open classes, conferences and workshops. [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