Radio Havana Cuba, March 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 Tuesday, March 30, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- U.S. SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY VISITS CUBA; CALLS ON WASHINGTON TO LIFT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS 2.- HAVANA COURT SENTENCES SALVADORAN TERRORIST TO DEATH 3.- WASHINGTON'S HOSTILE POLICY TOWARD CUBA IS MAIN OBSTACLE TO NORMAL BILATERAL TIES 4.- CUBAN AND BRAZILIAN EXPERTS MEET IN HAVANA 5.- ITALY'S TRANSPORTATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER VISITS THE ISLAND 6.- CUBA AND PRINCIPALITY OF ASTURIAS SIGN COOPERATION ACCORD 7.- INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TROPICO '99 UNDERWAY IN HAVANA U.S. SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY VISITS CUBA; CALLS ON WASHINGTON TO LIFT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS Havana, March 30(RHC)-- Visiting U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, has urged his government to lift restrictions on travel to and from Cuba in order to normalize bilateral exchanges. Leahy was in Havana to attend Sunday's baseball game between the Cuban National Team and the U.S. Major League team the Baltimore Orioles. He also met with Cuban President Fidel Castro Sunday evening, along with another visiting U.S. Democratic Senator -- Jack Reed of Rhode Island. While the senator from Vermont described this weekend's historic sports event in Havana as "a good thing," he added that he did not expect that by itself would lead to any immediate improvement in U.S.-Cuba relations. The visiting U.S. legislator strongly urged an end to Washington's restrictions on travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens. Leahy was quoted as saying that "it [the travel restrictions] just doesn't make sense; it is an anomaly." HAVANA COURT SENTENCES SALVADORAN TERRORIST TO DEATH Havana, March 30(RHC)-- Judicial authorities in the Cuban capital have sentenced Salvadoran terrorist Otto Rene Rodriguez Llerena, convicted of two counts of terrorism, to death. During his trial earlier this month, Rodriguez Llerena confessed to having placed a bomb in Havana's Melia-Cohiba Hotel in August 1997 and of attempting to smuggle explosives into Cuba when he was arrested in June 1998. The two bombs that the accused attempted to smuggle into Havana's Jose Marti International Airport were powerful enough to blow up two planes with 350 passengers each. Prosecutors had originally requested a sentence of 30 years -- since none of Rodriguez Llerena's activities resulted in deaths or injuries. But upon learning of further terrorist plans against objectives that represent the pride and dignity of the Cuban Revolution, the district attorney's office changed that petition to capital punishment by firing squad. A Cuban State Security agent who infiltrated Cuban-American terrorist organizations in the United States -- particularly in Florida and New Jersey -- testified that Rodriguez Llerena also had instructions to place bombs at the Ernesto Che Guevara Mausoleum in Santa Clara and Havana's Museum of the Revolution. The Cuban State Security agent had been designated by terrorists in the United States and Central America as the contact for Rodriguez Llerena. Last week, Salvadoran Raul Ernesto Cruz Leon was also condemned to death on six counts of terrorism. One of the bombs he placed during the Summer of 1997 killed an Italian tourist. Both cases will now go to Cuba's Supreme Court. If the death penalty is upheld by the court, the case will go before Cuba's 31-member Council of State, presided over by President Fidel Castro. The Council of State can either ratify the sentence or issue a pardon and order 30 years to life in prison. WASHINGTON'S HOSTILE POLICY TOWARD CUBA IS MAIN OBSTACLE TO NORMAL BILATERAL TIES Havana, March 30(RHC)-- The President of Cuba's Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, said that Washington's hostile policy toward Cuba is the main obstacle to normal relations between the two countries. During a news conference in Havana on Monday, Alarcon stated that U.S. hostility makes it difficult for cultural exchanges, including sports events -- referring to Sunday's baseball game between the Cuban National Team and the Baltimore Orioles. Fielding questions from reporters gathered at the Havana Libre-Tryp Hotel, the president of the Cuban Parliament was asked why Cuban baseball players could not play in the Major Leagues and then return to the island and vice versa for U.S. players. Alarcon said that the answer to that question is over 35 years old. He explained that according to U.S. law, an American player would have to spend ten years in jail and pay a fine of 250,000 dollars. The Cuban official recalled that before Washington's anti-Cuba policies went into effect, U.S. players and Major League teams regularly played the island's baseball diamonds. The president of the Cuban Parliament referred to current agreements between Cuba and Japan -- where Cuban baseball players play in Japan's professional games. Alarcon pointed to Cuban outfielder Victor Mesa, who is currently preparing to return to the Asian nation for its baseball season. Ricardo Alarcon told reporters that Havana is committed to facilitate cultural and sports exchanges like the game between the Baltimore Orioles and Cuban National Team, but that Washington's policy towards the island places obstacles in the way. He reminded the journalists that U.S. law even prohibits travel to Cuba and that each U.S. reporter had to have special permission from Washington to be here. Alarcon referred to the healthy sports environment and the excitement of both the Cuban and American people over the Baltimore and Cuba game. He underscored that this was a clear example that the abnormality of Washington's Cuba policy is the main obstacle for bilateral ties between both countries. CUBAN AND BRAZILIAN EXPERTS MEET IN HAVANA Havana, March 30(RHC)-- Experts from Cuba and Brazil continue examining ways to develop bilateral cooperation in areas like health, agriculture, fishing, mining, technical exchange and personnel training. Participating in the Havana meeting are delegates from Cuba's Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Ministry as well as representatives from the Brazilian Cooperation Agency and the Brazilian Central Bank. The meeting will wind up on Thursday with the signing of a bilateral cooperation accord covering 1999 through the year 2000. ITALY'S TRANSPORTATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER VISITS THE ISLAND Havana, March 30(RHC)-- Italian Transportation and Social Security Minister Tiziano Treu met with Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Isabel Allende on Monday to discuss issues of bilateral interest. Tiziano Treu also met with his Cuban counterpart, Alvaro Perez Morales, as well as the President of Cuba's Civil Aeronautics Institute, Rogelio Acevedo. The Italian transportation and social security minister, currently on a working visit to Cuba, will also tour a cruise ship docked at Havana Bay, the Fiat bus terminal and places of cultural and historic interest. CUBA AND PRINCIPALITY OF ASTURIAS SIGN COOPERATION ACCORD Havana, March 30(RHC)-- Cuba and the Spanish autonomous region of the Principality of Asturias have signed a cooperation agreement in the area of health -- providing for the exchange of experiences and professionals. This first step of bilateral health cooperation is aimed at broadening contacts between the two countries, which began with the recent visit to the island of the President of the Principality of Asurias, Sergio Marquez. The agreement was signed by Cuba's Health Minister Carlos Dotres and the Social Services Advisor of Asturias, Antonio Cueto. INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION TROPICO '99 UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, March 30(RHC)-- The International Convention Tropico '99 kicked off on Monday in Havana with the participation of over 250 researchers from 15 countries. The scientific event includes issues related to geography, meteorology and agriculture in the tropical region. The main objective of the Tropico '99 Convention is to begin a systematic and profound multi-disciplinary study of the tropical environment. Delegates to the convention will present their research work in more than 200 workshops and five plenary sessions, chaired by recognized Latin American and European specialists.  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