Radio Havana Cuba, July 30, 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 Friday, July 30, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- WASHINGTON'S APPROVAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL COOPERATION WITH CUBA IS A JUST DECISION 2.- MATANZAS CELEBRATES 25th ANNIVERSARY OF PEOPLE'S POWER 3.- CUBA TAKES PART IN 69th SESSION OF LOME CONVENTION'S COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 4.- 8th CONTINGENT OF JUAN RIUS RIVERA BRIGADE ENDS STAY IN CUBA 5.- RENOWNED CUBAN AND SPANISH MUSICIANS BEGIN INTERNATIONAL TOUR 6.- BENIN'S BUSINESS ATTACHE IN CUBA STRESSES BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP WASHINGTON'S APPROVAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL COOPERATION WITH CUBA IS A JUST DECISION Havana, July 30(RHC)-- Cuban Health Minister Carlos Dotres has asserted that Washington's approval of pharmaceutical cooperation between Cuba and a British-U.S. firm is a just decision. Dotres referred to the U.S. Treasury Department license granted to the Smith-Kline Beecham firm to buy and market Cuba's meningitis-B vaccine. Dotres said that "Cuba has never blockaded the United States" and that Washington's decision benefits children -- the principal victims of this illness. Many U.S. health authorities have asserted since last year that the Cuban vaccine could prevent as many as 2000 cases a year of meningitis-B in the United States. The vaccine was developed by Havana's Finlay medical research institute in 1985 amid a meningitis-B epidemic in Cuba and is considered by many scientists around the world as the most advanced type of its kind. Finlay Institute official Franklin Sotolongo said that Brazil is the main consumer, currently carrying out 15 massive vaccination campaigns in 12 Brazilian states. The Smith-Kline Beecham firm plans to produce 750 million doses a year. MATANZAS CELEBRATES 25th ANNIVERSARY OF PEOPLE'S POWER Matanzas, July 30(RHC)-- Cuban participatory democracy is marking an important celebration. In 1974, the province of Matanzas set up the first local government of People's Power through direct vote. The experience of the province later spread all over the island. On Thursday, 25 years later, Matanzas Sauto Theater was the site of a solemn ceremony. The current president of that government body, Victor Ramirez, focused on the role played by the people of Matanzas throughout history in the various independence struggles. He also spoke about the role of Matanzas after the triumph of the Revolution, during the invasion of the Bay of Pigs and its struggle against sabotage and other criminal actions planned and funded by Washington to destroy the Cuban Revolution. Ramirez also focused on the province's achievements, which made it possible for Matanzas to share with Cienfuegos the venue for this year's 26th of July celebrations. Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon also addressed participants during the solemn session. After congratulating the founders of People's Power in Matanzas -- some of them awarded during the ceremony -- and highlighting the work of this organization in the province, Alarcon focused on the issues of democracy and elections in Cuba and on the case of the Cuban people against the U.S. government for human damages over the past 40 years. CUBA TAKES PART IN 69th SESSION OF LOME CONVENTION'S COUNCIL OF MINISTERS Brussels, July 30(RHC)-- Seventy-one countries from the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Group are participating this week in the 69th session of the Lome Convention's Council of Ministers in Brussels, Belgium. Cuba is participating as an observer with a delegation headed by the island's Minister of Foreign Trade, Ricardo Cabrisas. Participants are discussing some of the issues they will take to the Second Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Africa- Caribbean-Pacific Group, to be held next November in the Dominican Republic. Participating nations have also emphasized the need to preserve solidarity and a common position of members of the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Group in negotiations with the European Union, as a way to face globalization and the new rules of foreign trade. 8th CONTINGENT OF JUAN RIUS RIVERA BRIGADE ENDS STAY IN CUBA Havana, July 30(RHC)-- The 8th Contingent of the Juan Rius Rivera Brigade from Puerto Rico wound up their stay in Cuba on Friday. The 80 members of the Cuba solidarity brigade were guests of honor during the July 26th celebration last Monday in south- central Cienfuegos province. The Rius Rivera Brigade arrived in Havana two weeks ago, defying Washington's travel ban to the largest Caribbean island. During their stay in Cuba, the brigadistas worked alongside Cuban agricultural workers and also toured centers of economic, social and historic interest. RENOWNED CUBAN AND SPANISH MUSICIANS BEGIN INTERNATIONAL TOUR Havana, July 30(RHC)-- Renowned singers and song-writers, Cuban Silvio Rodriguez and Spanish Luis Eduardo Aute, will give two concerts this weekend at Havana's Karl Marx Theater. The two presentations in the Cuban capital mark the beginning of an international tour of Latin American and European nations, as well as the Philippines. Both artists will be accompanied by a group of other talented Cuban as well as Spanish musicians, among them guitarist Rey Guerra, sax-player Yiosvany Terry and pianist Ernan Lopez Nussa. Spain was chosen for the presentation of Silvio Rodriguez' latest CD called "Mariposa," which includes a song dealing with the recent U.S.-led NATO aggression against Yugoslavia. Spanish Luis Eduardo Aute, for his part, will premier two new songs, as well as new musical arrangements of some well-known songs written by both musicians. BENIN'S BUSINESS ATTACHE IN CUBA STRESSES BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP Havana, July 30(RHC)-- The business attache of Benin's Embassy in Cuba, Simplice Snanguessy, has highlighted the bonds of friendship that unite the peoples of Cuba and Benin. During a press conference given at the Beninese diplomatic mission in Havana, Snanguessy termed bilateral Cuba-Benin relations as very positive, pointing to existing cooperation agreements in spheres like culture, science, health and sports. The African diplomat also referred to his country's foreign policy -- based on respect for each nation's sovereignty, as well as support in the struggle for peace, justice, freedom, and development. [c] 1999, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. 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