Radio Havana Cuba, July 14, 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 Wednesday, July 14, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- DOUBLE AGENTS TESTIFY AT HAVANA TRIAL AGAINST WASHINGTON FOR 40 YEARS OF AGGRESSIONS AGAINST CUBA 2.- CUBA AND VIETNAM SIGN JOINT DECLARATION AFFIRMING UNITY 3.- FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE ARRIVES IN PANAMA 4.- PRESIDENT OF U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VISITS HAVANA 5.- JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL GETS GOOD MARKS FOR ITS ENVIRONMENTAL WORK IN THE ESCAMBRAY MOUNTAINS 6.- BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF SAHARAWI STRENGTHENED 7.- SPANISH COURSES FOR FOREIGNERS IN CUBA 8.- CUBA RANKS AMONG THE MOST DEVELOPED NATIONS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN 9.- SUMMER CAMP FOR ASTHMATIC CHILDREN OPENS IN HOLGUIN DOUBLE AGENTS TESTIFY AT HAVANA TRIAL AGAINST WASHINGTON FOR 40 YEARS OF AGGRESSIONS AGAINST CUBA Havana, July 14(RHC)-- Cuban double agents who infiltrated the CIA and terrorist organizations in Florida have provided revealing testimony in the Havana trial against the U.S. government for 40 years of aggressions against Cuba. A founding member of Cuban State Security, Colonel Antonio Pantaleon Hernandez, explained how all the Florida-based terrorist organizations were penetrated by Cuban double agents -- to the point where some came to occupy leadership positions within those groups. One of those double agents, Pedro Escalona, managed to infiltrate the Miami-based Cuban-American National Foundation and maintain close ties with Cuban-American terrorist Orlando Bosch. Escalona explained to the court how Bosch, when threatened with deportation from the United States, warned Washington that he would reveal the U.S. government's role in the sabotage of a Cubana airliner taking off from Barbados in 1976, killing all 73 passengers aboard. Escalona stated that he also witnessed the formation of the Cuban-American National Foundation's military wing and infiltrated the terrorist organizations Commandos L and Alpha 66. Cuban State Security Colonel Antonio Pantaleon Hernandez explained to the court how the CIA began a campaign to recruit Cuban revolutionary government officials -- and how Cuban intelligence placed those officials in the CIA's path. One of them was Juan Luis Acosta Guzman, who in 1967 was an official with Cuba's Tuna Fishing Fleet. Acosta Guzman told the court how the CIA asked him numerous questions concerning every aspect of Cuban leader Fidel Castro's life and movements, in what he called "Washington's obsession to assassinate Fidel." Cuban double agent Orlando Argudin -- a high-ranking member of Cuba's economic planning agencies -- was recruited by the CIA in Madrid. Argudin told the court how the CIA attempted to convert 52 Cuban transportation bases, warehouses and fertilizer installations into time bombs. He said the CIA attempted to persuade him to acquire the needed equipment to build these installations from suppliers selected by the U.S. government. Upon investigating -- but without making any purchase -- Cuban intelligence discovered serious security problems with the equipment, including faulty welding works, inadequate thickness in metal sheets for tanks that would contain dangerous materials, irregularities in thermal treatment and problems in the construction of escape valves, among numerous other defects. In another revealing testimony, double agent Doctor Eduardo Sagaro Gonzalez -- recruited by the CIA in Mozambique in 1980 -- stated that U.S. intelligence confirmed to him its responsibility in the spreading of dengue fever that claimed hundreds of lives in Cuba. He said that shortly after the epidemic, the CIA asked him for an assessment report -- an evaluation of the illness' impact. Sagaro Gonzalez was asked if the figures given by Cuban health authorities were accurate, the effectiveness of treatment, the medicines needed for the treatment and the damage caused to the population. Numerous witnesses have accused the U.S. government of systematic terrorism against Cuba, as the Havana trial enters its eighth day of hearings to gather testimony and documentary evidence against Washington. CUBA AND VIETNAM SIGN JOINT DECLARATION AFFIRMING UNITY Havana, July 14(RHC)-- Cuba and Vietnam have strongly rejected the new strategic conception of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO -- calling it "an attempt to legitimize the right of intervention throughout the world." In a joint declaration signed by the First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, Fidel Castro, and his Vietnamese counterpart, Le Kha Phieu, the two countries reaffirm the importance of respect for the United Nations and the need to democratize the world body. Coming at the end of a week-long visit to Cuba by the General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, the joint declaration expresses both countries' concern over the process of globalization, which imposes conditions on developing nations and provokes great economic and social damage. Cuba and Vietnam agree to work together for economic, commercial and scientific cooperation -- specifically highlighting bilateral ties in agriculture, construction, transportation, industry and biotechnology. The visit to Cuba of the Vietnamese leader was described as "an historic event which opens a new phase in the strengthening of relations between the two governments, parties and peoples." Before leaving Havana Wednesday morning, the General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Le Kha Phieu, invited Cuban President Fidel Castro to visit his country, and the leader of the Cuban Revolution graciously accepted the invitation. FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE ARRIVES IN PANAMA Panama City, July 14(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque arrived in Panama Wednesday morning for a 24-hour visit, invited by his Panamanian counterpart Jorge Eduardo Ritter. Upon his arrival, the Cuban foreign minister said his visit is an expression of the close ties between the two countries and of Cuba's support of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties -- returning the Panama Canal to Panamanian sovereignty. The visiting Cuban dignitary paid courtesy visits to Panamanian President Ernesto Perez Balladares and to President-elect Mireya Mocoso -- with whom he discussed the upcoming Iberoamerican Summit in Havana. Panama will be site of the following Summit in the year 2000, while President- elect Mocoso -- who assumes office on September 1st -- will be in Havana for this year's gathering. Foreign Minister Perez Roque wrapped up a two-day visit to Venezuela Tuesday evening with his participation at a Cuba solidarity gathering in the Venezuelan capital's Central Park. Venezuelan solidarity activists gave the Cuban foreign minister a document with thousands of signatures supporting the Havana court proceedings against the United States government for 40 years of aggressions against the island. Perez Roque also expressed Cuba's vote in favor of the success of the Constituent Assembly promoted by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. In reference to Venezuela's offer of oil to Cuba, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jose Vicente Rangel said the gesture was not charity, but rather a political decision within the context of his country's strategy towards the Caribbean -- which he called a privileged region in terms of Venezuela's geo-political interests. PRESIDENT OF U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VISITS HAVANA Havana, July 14(RHC)-- The visiting president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donahue, said his gathering with Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon was "interesting and satisfactory." The first visit to Cuba in 40 years of the largest business organization in the world comes amid increasing calls in the United States to end, or at least ease, Washington's blockade against Cuba. Donahue has also visited Cuba's Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center and the medical research center Finlay Institute. He expressed his organization's interest in looking into the possibility of bilateral exchanges and joint projects with these Cuban institutions. The visiting president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was expected to meet today with high-ranking officials in Cuba's Basic Industry, Public Health and Tourism Ministries. He was also expected to gather with professors and students from the University of Havana's Schools of Economy and Law. Donahue called his visit "the beginning of a dialogue." The U.S. Chamber of Commerce played a key role in the January 1998 formation of the broad-based coalition "Americans For Humanitarian Trade With Cuba." JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL GETS GOOD MARKS FOR ITS ENVIRONMENTAL WORK IN THE ESCAMBRAY MOUNTAINS Sancti Spiritus, July 14(RHC)-- Students and teachers of a junior high school in the central Escambray Mountains received good marks from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for their environmental conservation program. Students at the Martires de la Familia Romeo Junior High School exchanged experiences with UNESCO representatives and discussed their reforestation program and the school's efforts to preserve animal and plant species. BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CUBA AND PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF SAHARAWI STRENGTHENED Havana, July 14(RHC)-- Cuba and the People's Democratic Republic of Saharawi will strengthen bilateral cooperation as a result of the 6th Session of the Economic and Scientific-Technical Joint Commission which opens today in the Cuban capital. Saharawi Education Minister Salek Dodih, who is heading the Arab delegation, will discuss cooperation in the field of education, health and other sectors. Cuban Deputy Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Noemi Benitez told reporters in Havana that 479 Cubans have worked in the People's Democratic Republic of Saharawi and over 1200 Saharawi students have graduated from Cuban universities. SPANISH COURSES FOR FOREIGNERS IN CUBA Havana, July 14(RHC)-- Spanish is the official language of more than 20 countries around the world and is spoken by nearly 400 million people. To meet the growing demand for fluent speakers, Cuba is offering Spanish language courses for foreigners. The Director of Havana's Literature and Linguistics Institute, Nuria Gregori, outlined the characteristics of the summer and winter courses that the institution has been offering for the past several years. She noted that Spanish is taught to students from Martinique, Guadeloupe, the Bahamas and Canada. The linguistics institute also offers courses in literature, music, and Cuban culture. CUBA RANKS AMONG THE MOST DEVELOPED NATIONS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN Havana, July 14(RHC)-- Cuba ranks among the most developed nations in education to handicapped children, according to Special Education experts. Cuba earmarks some 45 million pesos a year to Special Education, which represents three percent of the country's education budget. Cuban Director of Special Education Carmen Lidia Cobas told reporters that there are some 58,000 handicapped children in 427 centers located across the island. She pointed out that there are more than 14 million handicapped children in the world today and that most of them do not receive special education. SUMMER CAMP FOR ASTHMATIC CHILDREN OPENS IN HOLGUIN Holguin, July 14(RHC)-- The annual summer camp for children that suffer from asthma opened on Tuesday at the Estero Ciego Beach in eastern Holguin province. A total of 150 asthmatic children will spend ten days at the beach as part of the medical treatment they receive in clinics and hospitals in Holguin. One of the objectives of the treatment is to physically and psychologically prepare the children to overcome their asthma, allowing them to take part in normal, everyday activities. The asthma camp has the support not only of the Cuban Health Ministry but also of the provincial government of Holguin. 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