Radio Havana Cuba, Wednesday, March 17, 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 Wednesday, March 17, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO BLASTS WASHINGTON'S TOLERANCE OF TERRORIST ACTIONS PLANNED IN U.S. TERRITORY 2.- SEVENTH CONGRESS OF UNION OF CUBAN JOURNALISTS: SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE 3.- CENTRAL AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENTS BEGIN PREPARATORY COURSE IN HAVANA 4.- U.S. METEOROLOGISTS VISIT THE ISLAND 5.- CUBA WILL BE REPRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT FAIR IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO BLASTS WASHINGTON'S TOLERANCE OF TERRORIST ACTIONS PLANNED AND FINANCED IN U.S. TERRITORY Havana, March 17(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has blasted Washington's tolerance of terrorist actions against Cuba, planned and financed in the United States. During the fourth and final session of the 7th Congress of the Union of Cuban Journalists -- which wound up in the early morning hours of Wednesday -- the Cuban leader said revelations in the trial of Salvadoran citizen Otto Rene Rodriguez Llerena demonstrate the role of the Miami-based Cuban-American National Foundation in those terrorist actions. Fidel Castro said that ironically, U.S. President Bill Clinton recently held another meeting with the leadership of that ultra-right wing group. As occurred in the trial of Salvadoran citizen Raul Ernesto Cruz Leon, one of the witnesses for the prosecution in this week's trial of Rodriguez Llerna identified himself in court as an agent for Cuban State Security who had infiltrated several counterrevolutionary organizations in Miami. Juan Francisco Fernandez Gomez revealed the names, addresses and telephone numbers of Cuban-American National Foundation members, including leaders of the group, who personally recruited him for terrorist actions against the Cuban Revolution. Fernandez Gomez was the contact designated to receive the bombs that Rodriguez Llerena attempted to smuggle into Cuba -- explosives that had been given to him by well- known Cuban-American terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. In his comments to delegates at the 7th Congress of the Union of Cuban Journalists Wednesday night, Fidel Castro said that Cuba has many more undercover agents both on the island and inside the United States. Following revelations that the terrorist network had also planned to place bombs at Havana's Museum of the Revolution and at the Ernesto Che Guevara Mausoleum in Santa Clara, the prosecution modified its original petition of 30 years in prison, calling for the death penalty against Otto Rene Rodriguez Llerena. SEVENTH CONGRESS OF UNION OF CUBAN JOURNALISTS: SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE Havana, March 17(RHC)-- The 7th Congress of the Union of Cuban Journalists wrapped up early Wednesday morning in the Cuban capital. The meeting began on Saturday at Havana's International Convention Center and was to have closed Sunday evening, but was extended an extra two days -- at the request of participants -- to more fully discuss vital issues. For four days, more than 200 delegates discussed ways to bring news reporting closer to the needs of the Cuban people, improve editorial policies and face new challenges resulting from the globalization of information and communications. Delegates also debated ways to bring the Cuban media in tune with the current technological trend and to improve journalist training on the island. Addressing participants at the closing session of the Journalists' Congress, Cuban President Fidel Castro said the Revolution has two main tools: the Communist Party -- with its extraordinary strength; and the Cuban media -- that despite current limitations and difficulties has remained loyal to the cause of the revolutionary process on the island. Fidel urged the Communist Party and the Cuban media to join forces. During the congress, participants reiterated their unconditional support of the Revolution and condemned the terrorist actions organized and financed by the ultra right- wing Miami-based Cuban-American National Foundation, aimed at destabilizing the nation and undermining the Revolution from within. The delegates to the 7th Congress of the Union of Cuban Journalists approved on Wednesday a Code of Professional Ethics, new statutes and a five-year action plan. At the request of the Cuban president, participants agreed to call for another meeting in six months in order to review compliance with the agreements that were reached. CENTRAL AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENTS BEGIN PREPARATORY COURSE IN HAVANA Havana, March 17(RHC)-- The Latin American Medical School opened its doors in the Cuban capital this week to receive students from Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. The young people will take a preparatory course to later begin medical studies in doctor training centers island-wide. The arrival of Honduran youth brings the number of medical students to 1500. The purpose of the preliminary course is to bring the students' educational level up to pre-med standards. The arrival in Havana of Central American students is in response to Cuba's offer of 500 annual scholarships over the next ten years for students who which to study medicine on the island. U.S. METEOROLOGISTS VISIT THE ISLAND Havana, March 17(RHC)-- A group of 13 U.S. experts from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration arrived in Havana Tuesday for a two-day visit, as part of a tour of Central American and Caribbean nations affected by Hurricanes Georges and Mitch. The head of Cuba's Meteorology Institute, Tomas Gutierrez, told reporters in Havana that the visit -- the first of its type since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution -- will serve to strengthen bilateral, professional ties between Cuban and U.S. experts in the field. The visit of the U.S. meteorologists is in the context of a regional exchange and cooperation program promoted by the World Meteorology Organization, of which Cuba and the United States are both members. CUBA WILL BE REPRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT FAIR IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Havana, March 17(RHC)-- Cuba will participate in an International Trade and Investment Fair which gets underway tomorrow, Thursday, in the Dominican Republic. Sources from Cuba's Chamber of Commerce said that the trade fair, which runs through Sunday the 21st, will help the island explore and enter the Dominican market. The last part of the trade fair will be dedicated to Cuba. Among some of the Cuban companies that will be represented are firms dealing in agricultural equipment, car sales, arts and crafts and Havana's Free Trade Zones.  [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. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org rhc-eng-15777 1999-Mar-17 18:38:59