Radio Havana Cuba, Thursday, June 10, 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 Thursday, June 10, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- PRIME MINISTER OWEN ARTHUR OF BARBADOS SLATED TO VISIT CUBA 2.- IBEROAMERICAN CULTURAL MINISTER'S MEETING OPENS IN HAVANA 3.- COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT APPRECIATES CUBA'S MEDICAL ASSISTANCE 4.- SALVADORANS THANK CUBA FOR OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY MEDICINE 5.- RIO DE JANEIRO CITY COUNCIL AWARDS CUBAN PRESIDENT WITH TITLE OF HONORARY CITIZEN PRIME MINISTER OWEN ARTHUR OF BARBADOS SLATED TO VISIT CUBA Havana, June 10(RHC)-- The Cuban Foreign Ministry today announced that Barbadian Prime Minister Owen Arthur will begin an official visit to the island next Monday. During his three-day visit, the Caribbean leader will be accompanied by members of his cabinet and representatives from the business community of Barbados. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alejandro Gonzalez made the announcement during Thursday's regular press briefing -- the first since Felipe Perez Roque was appointed foreign minister on May 28th. During his exchange with local and foreign journalists, the foreign ministry spokesman commented on the charges filed against the U.S. government by several Cuban grassroots, labor and social organizations. The legal action seeks compensation of some 181 billion dollars for the deaths of 3478 Cuban citizens and 2099 others who have been disabled as a direct result of U.S. actions against the island over the past 40 years. Gonzalez said that to date, the U.S. government has not reacted officially. He added that if Washington ignores the case, "it would come as no surprise, since Washington ignores the UN Security Council, the will of the international community and shows contempt for the principles of sovereignty." Turning to other issues, the Cuban Foreign Ministry spokesman dismissed rumors that an anti-corruption campaign is presumably underway in the domestic tourism sector and confirmed that disciplinary actions have been taken against some officials of the Rumbos tourism chain -- describing Western media coverage of the issue as blown out of proportion. Finally, fielding questions about former Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina, Gonzalez said that Robaina is on vacation, awaiting a new assignment, and that he was still a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party. IBEROAMERICAN CULTURAL MINISTER'S MEETING OPENS IN HAVANA Havana, June 10(RHC)-- Under the slogan, "An Iberoamerican Cultural Space in a Globalized World," the Third Meeting of the region's culture ministers got underway at Havana's Convention Center today. The gathering takes place as part of a series of meetings prior to the 9th Iberoamerican Summit, scheduled for later this year in Havana -- focussing on the serious risks of a globalized economic crisis for the region. On this gathering's agenda are forums for the promotion and sale of products in line with the region's cultural needs and the presentation of cooperation projects such as that of an Iberoamerican public administration cultural guide, a public library project, a luncheon-meeting of the Iberoamerican cultural magazine and a visit to the film school in San Antonio de los Banos. Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto opened the ministerial meeting, noting that the region is "a model of resistance in the face of the invasion of U.S. symbols and designs," as there are few cultural regions in the world, other than Iberoamerica, where popular cultures are still alive. He regretted that the region's cultural wealth is scattered and fragmented much of the time and is recreated only through isolated efforts. He said that sometimes we do not give the proper value to the artistic and cultural wealth that the region could contribute to humanity. Cuba's minister of culture expressed his hope that the meeting will promote the consolidation of new integration projects or those currently underway and called on the region's governments to "save Iberoamerican culture at all costs." Nine ministers and cultural representatives are attending the Third Meeting of Culture Ministers from 20 countries and seven international and regional organizations and institutions. COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT APPRECIATES CUBA'S MEDICAL ASSISTANCE Bogota, June 10(RHC)-- Colombian President Andres Pastrana thanked Cuban President Fidel Castro for the island's humanitarian work in his country following a devastating earthquake that hit the country's coffee region last January. Pastrana said that the Colombian people sincerely appreciated the work of a Cuban medical brigade, which offered its services free- of-charge. He added that Cuba not only sent medical personnel to the affected areas, but also contributed with housing construction, despite the island's own economic situation. Cuba's Ambassador to Colombia, Jesus Martinez, stated in Bogota that the Cuban medical brigade returns to Havana with the satisfaction of having aided the Colombian people and the commitment to continue working wherever their services are needed. The Cuban medical brigade worked in the Colombian Department of Quindio for a period of four months. SALVADORANS THANK CUBA FOR OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY MEDICINE San Salvador, June 10(RHC)-- The parents of a number of Salvadoran students that are currently studying on the island sent a letter to the magazine El Universitario, expressing their appreciation to the Cuban government for giving their sons and daughters the opportunity of studying medicine. The letter emphasizes that Cuba stands out for offering its people the best education and health care in the Americas. It urges the Cuban Revolution to continue to be "a living example of fraternity and solidarity for all the peoples of the world." As part of Cuba's aid to Central American nations affected by Hurricane Mitch, the government has offered over 1000 scholarships to young people interested in studying medicine on the island. The letter of the parents of Salvadoran medical students contrasts dramatically with the attitude taken recently by the Honduran School of Medicine, requesting the return of the Cuban medical brigade to Havana that had been operating in Honduras. The stated reason was that the Cuban professionals are replacing Honduran doctors, an allegation that has been refuted by Cuban Health Minister Carlos Dotres and numerous sectors in other Central American countries. RIO DE JANEIRO CITY COUNCIL AWARDS CUBAN PRESIDENT WITH TITLE OF HONORARY CITIZEN Rio de Janeiro, June 10(RHC)-- The Rio de Janeiro City Council has awarded Cuban President Fidel Castro the title of "Honorary Citizen" -- one of the most politically and economically important awards in that South American country. During an extraordinary session of Rio's city council, 34 of the 35 council members present voted in favor of awarding the Cuban president with the honorary title. 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