Radio Havana Cuba, Tuesday, March 23, 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 23, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE TO GENEVA FOR 55th SESSION OF UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 2.- SENTENCE HANDED DOWN AGAINST SALVADORAN TERRORIST 3.- RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TOURS HAVANA PROVINCE 4.- PANAMANIAN JOURNALIST'S UNION LEADER IN CUBA 5.- HEALTH PERSONNEL FROM GUANTANAMO OFFER THEIR SERVICES IN HAITI AND CENTRAL AMERICA 6.- CONFERENCE ON BOOKS AND LIBRARIES OPENS IN HAVANA 7.- CUBA SOLIDARITY ACTIVITY HELD IN HOLLAND CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE TO GENEVA FOR 55th SESSION OF UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Havana, March 23(RHC)-- Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage is on his way to Geneva, leading a delegation that will participate in the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. Lage is scheduled to speak before the Commission on Wednesday. This morning's edition of the daily Granma carried a front page story on the opening of the Human Rights Commission, pointing out that an anti-Cuba resolution sponsored by Washington was soundly defeated at last year's session. The article notes that another anti-Cuba maneuver has been initiated for the current UN session -- this time coming from the Czech Republic. According to the newspaper, "it's not difficult to imagine who is really behind the resolution." SENTENCE HANDED DOWN AGAINST SALVADORAN TERRORIST Havana, March 23(RHC)-- A Havana court has imposed the death penalty against confessed Salvadoran terrorist Raul Ernesto Cruz Leon. During a four-day trial earlier this month, Cruz Leon confessed to placing six bombs in Cuban tourist facilities in 1997. The terrorist attacks claimed the life of a young Italian tourist and left 11 others wounded. The convicted terrorist can now appeal to Cuba's Supreme Court. If the sentence is upheld, Cruz Leon can then appeal to Cuba's Council of State -- the island's maximum executive authority. During the trial proceedings, prosecutors presented abundant evidence concerning the involvement of Cuban-American terrorist Luis Posada Carriles and the Miami-based, right-wing Cuban-American National Foundation in the planning and financing of terrorist attacks against Cuba through the use of a Central American mercenary network. RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TOURS HAVANA PROVINCE Havana, March 23(RHC)-- A Russian delegation, headed by Vitali Sevastianov, President of the Lower House of Parliament -- also known as the DUMA -- toured the province of Havana during their third day in Cuba. The Russian delegation will also visit the Cuban-Bulgarian Friendship Production Cooperative in the town of Guines, the National Animal Health Center and the Latin American School of Medicine, located on the outskirts of Havana. During his meeting with the President of the Cuban Parliament's International Relations Commission, Jorge Lezcano, the Russian parliamentarian said that he is satisfied with his stay on the island so far and believes that his delegation's visit will contribute to strengthening bilateral ties between Russia and Cuba. PANAMANIAN JOURNALIST'S UNION LEADER IN CUBA Havana, March 23(RHC)-- The Secretary General of Panama's Journalist's Union, Garrit Genetan, is in Havana to exchange experiences with his Cuban colleagues. The Panamanian labor leader is holding meetings with representatives of the Union of Cuban Journalists (UPEC). Garrit told reporters in Havana on Monday that those who run the press in his country, which is almost completely privately owned, violate a Panamanian law giving journalists the right to advanced professional training and better pay. He called attention to a l993 bill which is being re-introduced in Congress, providing for the training of journalists. The secretary general of the Panamanian journalist's union noted that his country has been the target of ideological penetration by the United States since l903 which, he charged, has crippled the country's cultural development. Finally, labor leader Garrit Genetan called for more cooperation between his union and Cuba's UPEC. HEALTH PERSONNEL FROM GUANTANAMO OFFER THEIR SERVICES IN HAITI AND CENTRAL AMERICA Guantanamo, March 23(RHC)-- The provincial committee of Cuba's Communist Party in Guantanamo sent a message of recognition to the 28 doctors, nurses and health technicians from that eastern province who are offering their services in Haiti. The letter points out that those who are participating in such an honorable internationalist mission "will have an unforgettable experience of the cruel, socio-economic reality that neo-liberal globalization offers humanity." Health personnel from Guantanamo are currently working in different, remote areas -- hundreds of kilometers from the capital, Port Au Prince. There are 12 other health professionals from that eastern part of Cuba offering their services in other countries like Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua -- severely devastated by Hurricane Mitch. CONFERENCE ON BOOKS AND LIBRARIES OPENS IN HAVANA Havana, March 23(RHC)-- An Iberoamerican encounter on the future of books and libraries opened Monday at Havana's Casa de las Americas cultural institution. Representatives from 12 Latin American and European nations are participating in the event which is called "From Papyrus to the Virtual Library." The encounter is focusing on the impact of the "information revolution" on the world of books. In his welcoming speech, the Director of the Casa de las America's Library, Ernesto Sierra, stressed that libraries have changed dramatically since the introduction of the Internet. CUBA SOLIDARITY ACTIVITY HELD IN HOLLAND Amsterdam, March 23(RHC)-- The Dutch city of Ijmuiden held a "Cuba Day" activity for the third straight year on Monday. The event, which was organized by the Cuban embassy to the Scandinavian countries and the Dutch Solidarity with Cuba Foundation, was inaugurated by the Deputy Mayor of the Valsen Region and the head of the Cuban diplomatic mission. Cuban music and dance were part of the activity, as well as a photo exhibit and an arts and craft display from the island. Tourism information stands were set up during the event, while many business executives, journalists, cultural personalities, sports representatives and solidarity activists took part in the day-long activity.  [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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