Radio Habava Cuba, 28 June 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 Monday, June 28, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO IN RIO DE JANEIRO FOR LATIN AMERICAN-CARIBBEAN-EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SENDS MESSAGE TO PARTICIPANTS OF THE 3RD CONGRESS OF THE DISABLED 3.- SUCCESSFUL TRADE FAIR EXPOCARIBE '99 WRAPS UP IN SANTIAGO DE CUBA 4.- VENEZUELA SHOWS INCREASED INTEREST IN BUSINESS WITH CUBA 5.- REPRESENTATIVES FROM 50 SPANISH COMPANIES WILL ARRIVE IN HAVANA TOMORROW CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO IN RIO DE JANEIRO FOR LATIN AMERICAN-CARIBBEAN-EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT Havana, June 28, RHC -- Cuban President Fidel Castro has arrived in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in the Latin American- Caribbean-European Union Summit. Upon arriving at his hotel Sunday evening at Rio's Copacabana Beach, the Cuban leader's automobilie was surrounded by several thousand Brazilians expressing their solidarity with the Cuban Revolution and their condemnation of Washington's blockade against the island in what was termed as deafening slogans like the traditional "Cuba Si, Yankees No". The solidarity activists reportedly broke through the ring of security surrounding President Castro, who had to be literally dragged into the hotel. The Cuban leader has already held bilateral gatherings with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder and Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar. He also held bilateral encounters with his counterparts from France, Jacques Chirac, and Italy, Massimo D' Alema, and was expected to meet with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. President Castro reportedly has a long list of requests to gather with local authorities, business leaders and members of grassroots organizations. Among those accompanying the Cuban leader is Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, who asserted today that the Summit's final declaration -- to be released on Tuesday -- has taken into account the positions of Latin America and the Caribbean. Terming as positive the final declaration, Perez Roque said that it also reflects a clear rejection of extraterritorial measures like Washington's anti-Cuba Helms-Burton Law. According to observers, the Latin America-Caribbean-European Union Summit is a historic event, since it's the first high-level encounter between the two hemispheres in 507 years. The Summit was slated to open Monday afternoon local time. In related news, the European Union heads of state and the South American regional integration group MERCOSUR began Monday negotiations for a free trade agreement without establishing a specific date for their termination. Besides the 4 MERCOSUR nations -- Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay -- Chile is participating as an invited guest. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SENDS MESSAGE TO PARTICIPANTS OF THE 3RD CONGRESS OF THE DISABLED Havana, June 28(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro sent a message to the closing session of the 3rd Congress of the Disabled in Havana. The leader of the Cuban Revolution affirmed that it is not a secret that our socialist state protects the most vulnerable group of the population, despite the difficult conditions the island has had to face over the past 40 years -- especially Washington's blockade against the island and its efforts to tighten that blockade. In his message to the participants of the congress, the Cuban president said that the only obstacles impeding a quick solution to their problems are material limitations. But, Fidel Castro pointed out, the Cuban people will find formulas to solve their problems and respond to the confidence that the disabled have always shown towards the Revolution. The Cuban leader added that the revolutionary spirit of the disabled has been an inspiration for all. The Vice President of the Council of State, Jose Ramon Fernandez, delivered the closing address, referring to the results of the programs for handicapped people like sports, culture, rehabilitation methods and efforts to fully integrate the disabled into society. The presence of various ministers and their participation in eight working commissions that were held during the congress are further evidence of the Cuban government's support of the island's disabled. SUCCESSFUL TRADE FAIR EXPOCARIBE '99 WRAPS UP IN SANTIAGO DE CUBA Santiago de Cuba, June 28(RHC)-- The International Trade Fair EXPOCARIBE '99 demonstrated the growing interest of Caribbean business executives in this event, according to the fair's organizers in eastern Santiago de Cuba. Representatives of more than 900 companies from 44 countries took part in the trade fair -- setting a record number of participants at the event. Business representatives from Cuban firms located in all 14 provinces of the island also took part. During EXPOCARIBE '99, more than 20 letters of intention were signed and a similar number of agreements for negotiations and financing were initialed -- amounting to a value of over one million dollars. In addition to representatives from the Caribbean, business executives from the European Union and other parts of the world attended the trade fair in Cuba's second largest city. Observers affirmed that EXPOCARIBE '99, which wound up in Santiago de Cuba on Sunday, is one of the island's most important trade fairs -- aimed at accelerating Cuba's insertion into the region's market. VENEZUELA SHOWS INCREASED INTEREST IN BUSINESS WITH CUBA Santiago de Cuba, June 28(RHC)-- The President of the Venezuela-Cuba Branch of the Chamber of Commerce, Jesus Sanchez, said that over 500 Venezuelan companies are interested in doing business with Cuba. In statements to journalists during the EXPOCARIBE '99 trade fair in Santiago de Cuba, Sanchez said that both nation's economies can get together as Cuba has many products that Venezuela needs and vice-versa. Venezuelan representatives attending the trade fair expressed interest in promoting cooperation with the island in the field of agricultural production as well as fishing, basic industry, transportation, sugar and other sectors. Venezuela is currently Cuba's leading trade partner in Latin America and the Caribbean -- with business amounting to more than 359 million dollars last year. REPRESENTATIVES FROM 50 SPANISH COMPANIES WILL ARRIVE IN HAVANA TOMORROW Havana, June 28(RHC)-- Representatives from some 50 Spanish companies are scheduled to begin a visit to Cuba on Tuesday, aimed at strengthening bilateral trade relations. The delegation, organized by the Superior Council of the Chamber of Commerce, brings together representatives from 90 percent of the Spanish investments on the island. The group's agenda in Cuba includes meetings with ministers related to economic issues as well as participation in a seminar sponsored by the Committee for Business Cooperation. They will also discuss financial support of investments and the EURO currency. Food, telecommunications services and the supply of hotel equipment are some of the sectors Cuba offers to Spanish investors. 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