Radio Havana Cuba, Thursday, March 25, 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, March 25, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBA STRONGLY CONDEMNS NATO BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA 2.- GRANMA: CUBA EXPRESSES WHAT MANY FEEL, BUT CANNOT SAY 3.- PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT VISITS CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADES IN COLOMBIA 4.- CUBA WILL WIN THE BATTLE AGAINST U.S. LIES 5.- THE ISLAND'S FILM INSTITUTE CELEBRATES ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY 6.- CUBA: ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES TO ELIMINATE PREVENTABLE DISEASES 7.- NICARAGUAN STUDENT THANKS THE CUBAN PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT FOR OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY MEDICINE 8.- HAVANA'S INDUSTRIALES BASEBALL TEAM DEFEATS ISLE OF YOUTH CUBA STRONGLY CONDEMNS NATO BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA Havana, March 25(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Thursday, strongly condemning the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's bombing of Yugoslavia. According to the statement, this action -- conceived as punishment against the Yugoslav government -- is taking place outside of the UN Security Council, in which the United States, the principle promoter of the aggression, would have come up against strong opposition from Council members. Cuba's Foreign Ministry stated that the attacks launched by NATO "rekindle humanity's justifiable fears with respect to the emergence of an insulting unipolar world, guided by an empire prone to war." That empire has proclaimed itself the policeman of the planet "and is capable of forcing its political allies into the most deranged actions -- as occurred during the beginning and middle of this century with the creation of military blocks that covered Europe with death, destruction and misery, dividing it and weakening it while the United States strengthened it's own economic, political and military powers." It is worth asking, stated the Cuban Foreign Ministry note, if the use and abuse of force will solve humanity's problems and defend the human rights of innocent people who are today dying beneath the missiles and bombs falling over a small country in civilized Europe. "Cuba's Foreign Ministry strongly condemns this NATO aggression and denounces the obscure dealings that allowed such uncivilized practices to continue their imposition on the international political scenario with the aim of satisfying the interest of those who defend a contemptible new world order, designed in their image and likeness. "During this moment of suffering and pain for the peoples of Yugoslavia, Cuba calls on the international community to mobilize forces for an immediate end to this unjustified aggression, avoid more loss of innocent lives and allow Yugoslavia to resume peaceful negotiations for the solution to its internal problems -- which are of the exclusive domain of the sovereignty and self-determination of the Yugoslav people. "Cuba expresses its concern that the aggression could spread in an unpredictable way to other countries in the region. The ridiculous pretension of imposing solutions by force is incompatible with all civilized reasoning and the essential principles of international law." The Cuban Foreign Ministry statement concludes by saying that "the positions adopted in an effort to justify this new crime merely reflect the moral inability to sustain ideas and policies in favor of the peoples involved in the conflict, instead of resorting to the imposition of an imperial mandate." GRANMA: CUBA EXPRESSES WHAT MANY FEEL, BUT CANNOT SAY Havana, March 25(RHC)-- Thursday's edition of the Cuban newspaper Granma says that at the United Nations Human Rights Commission, "Cuba -- as always -- can say what many feel, but are unable to say." In a front-page article this morning, Granma introduces the speech delivered Wednesday to the UN agency's 55th Session by Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage. The article points to the stepped-up human rights campaign against Cuba with the drastic change in the correlation of forces following the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the eastern European socialist camp -- leading to an extremely politicized UN Human Rights Commission. But, says the article, Cuba has survived those attacks, just as it survived the demise of the socialist camp despite widespread predictions that the days of the Cuban Revolution were numbered. The introduction quotes an exchange between Vice President Lage and the chairperson of the session, who interrupted Lage before he finished his speech. The Cuban delegation was informed of a new 15-minute time limit for speeches upon arriving in Geneva -- contrasting with a long tradition in this agency -- and made efforts to trim down what it considered a very important message at a time when Washington is stepping-up its anti-Cuba campaign. Lage responded to the chair by saying that he would have only needed two more minutes to end his speech, deploring a rule that prevents a besieged and blockaded country -- subjected to criminal and genocidal policies -- from concluding an address to the UN Human Rights Commission. PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT VISITS CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADES IN COLOMBIA Bogota, March 25(RHC)-- The President of the Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, visited Cuban medical brigades in Colombia, currently offering their services in four municipalities of the city of Armenia, heavily damaged by a recent earthquake. Accompanied by Cuba's ambassador to Colombia, Jesus Martinez, Alarcon visited the devastated region and met with the Cuban medical personnel. During Alarcon's meeting with the Cuban health professionals, who have been assisting the residents since last month, they explained how they are working in the prevention of epidemiological diseases in the municipalities of Cordoba, Buenavista, Pijao and Calarca. The president of the Cuban parliament is also scheduled to visit the Colombian city of Medellin, where he will meet with journalists from the daily "El Colombiano," the University of Medellin and the mayor's office. Ricardo Alarcon began his official visit to Colombia on Tuesday at the invitation of the President of the Colombian Congress, Pablo Valencia. CUBA WILL WIN THE BATTLE AGAINST U.S. LIES Bayamo, March 25(RHC)-- The President of the Cuban Parliament's International Relations Commission, Jorge Lezcano, stated that "truth will prevail and Cuba will win the battle against the lies of the United States government. Lezcano spoke with local reporters during a visit to the eastern Cuban city of Bayamo. Lezcano added that the island's parliament -- also known as the National Assembly of People's Power -- is informing the rest of the world's parliaments about the false campaign that Washington has launched -- trying to make it seem that the U.S. is easing its criminal blockade against Cuba when, in reality, Washington is actually tightening it. The Cuban official added that the recent approval of laws aimed at maintaining order and sovereignty on the island have been intentionally manipulated by the historical enemies of the Cuban people. The president of the Cuban Parliament's International Relations Commission pointed out that the truth will be exposed during the upcoming Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting which includes 130 countries. Meanwhile, the Cuban parliament will continue its close contacts with international legislative bodies and political parties. Jorge Lezcano pointed out Cuba's right to defend its independence and to unmask Washington's cruel blockade against the island. Each year, stated the Cuban official, the land of Jose Marti welcomes some 250 foreign delegations, whose members recognize the Cuban Revolution's social achievements -- including medical attention, education, housing and security for all its citizens. THE ISLAND'S FILM INSTITUTE CELEBRATES ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY Havana, March 25(RHC)-- The President of the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC), Alfredo Guevara, said that the country's artists will continue to defend the Cuban Revolution. Guevara spoke during an activity commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Film Institute at the Charlie Chaplin Theater. Guevara paid homage to some of the founders of ICAIC -- Tony Briones, Saul Yelin, Tomas Gutierrez Alea and Santiago Alvarez as well as Julio Garcia Espinosa. Alfredo Guevara said that Cuban President Fidel Castro "has taught the people how to win battles and overcome difficulties" in the construction of a socialist society. The Cuban Minister of Culture, Abel Prieto -- also on hand for the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Film Institute -- said that "without the Cuban Revolution, there would not have an authentic national film movement." He added that in the face of neo-liberal globalization, the Cuban film industry has enormous challenges ahead. But Abel Preito expressed his confidence in the revolutionary spirit and talent that characterizes its artists and other workers. CUBA: ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES TO ELIMINATE PREVENTABLE DISEASES Havana, March 25(RHC)-- The elimination of German measles and mumps in Cuba last year places the island among the first in the prevention of preventable diseases through its vaccination campaign. During a meeting in Havana, the head of the National Epidemiology Center, Dr. Manuel Santin, said that these achievements are due to the commitment of Cuban health workers. He pointed out that Cuba also eliminated measles in 1993 and whooping cough in 1994. NICARAGUAN STUDENT THANKS THE CUBAN PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT FOR OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY MEDICINE Havana, March 25(RHC)-- Felix Geronimo Machado Aguirre, a Nicaraguan youth currently studying at the Latin American School of Medicine in Havana, told Radio Havana Cuba that he is grateful to the Cuban people and government for the cooperation program that will permit him to help his country. Machado, who comes from the Nicaraguan department of Rio San Juan on the country's Pacific coast, expressed his family's joy for the opportunity Cuba is giving him to study medicine as well as covering his basic needs during his five-year stay on the island. Over 800 students from Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala are already in Cuba to study medicine as part of a scholarship program offered by the Cuban government to the Central American nations severely affected by Hurricane Mitch. HAVANA'S INDUSTRIALES BASEBALL TEAM DEFEATS ISLE OF YOUTH Havana, March 25(RHC)-- Havana's Industriales team defeated the Isle of Youth in a tight score of three to two. Wednesday night's game was tied until the bottom of the 8th inning. Now, the Industriales face their main rivals -- the eastern division team from Santiago de Cuba -- in what many believe will be a tight series for the National Championship.  [c] 1999, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. This prohibition includes the distribution of this material via Usenet News, "bulletin board" services, e-mail lists, print media, radio and television. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. We welcome your comments and suggestions. 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