Radio Havana Cuba, Tuesday, May 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 Tuesday, May 25, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- VISITING FOREIGN MINISTER OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, RALPH MARAJ, BEGINS OFFICIAL TALKS IN HAVANA 2.- WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE OF CUBA IMPEDES MORE EFFECTIVE STRUGGLE AGAINST DRUG-TRAFFICKING IN CARIBBEAN 3.- U.S. MEDICAL DELEGATION FROM BALTIMORE VISITS THE ISLAND 4.- CUBANS UNDER 20 YEARS OF AGE WILL BE VACCINATED AGAINST ONE DOZEN DISEASES BY THE YEAR 2000 5.- ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA LATIN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER INAUGURATED IN RIO DE JANEIRO 6.- CUBAN FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION MINISTER MEETS WITH ARGENTINA'S DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN TRADE 7.- CUBA HAS RIGHT TO USE NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR PEACEFUL MEANS VISITING FOREIGN MINISTER OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, RALPH MARAJ, BEGINS OFFICIAL TALKS IN HAVANA Havana, May 25(RHC)-- Visiting Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Ralph Maraj, began official talks today with his Cuban counterpart Roberto Robaina. At the end of those conversations, the two Caribbean nations are planning to sign an investment promotion and protection agreement, two others in the agricultural sector and one anti-drug accord. The Trinitarian foreign minister told local journalists that Cuba and his country already had cooperation agreements in the areas of sports, culture and economy. Trinidad and Tobago is Cuba's major trading partner in the Caribbean, selling primarily oil and steel to Havana. According to Maraj, the private sector in his country is keenly interested in buying construction equipment and materials from Cuba, as well as food products and pharmaceuticals. Besides gathering with members of the Cuban government, the Trinitarian foreign minister is expected to meet with young people from his country studying in Cuba. Upon his arrival in Havana Monday afternoon, Maraj stated that Cuba is an important partner in his country's international, political and trade relations. WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE OF CUBA IMPEDES MORE EFFECTIVE STRUGGLE AGAINST DRUG-TRAFFICKING IN CARIBBEAN Washington, May 25(RHC)-- The U.S. blockade of Cuba impedes a more effective struggle against drug-trafficking in the Caribbean, according to today's edition of The Washington Post. Based on statements from officials at the U.S. Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration who requested anonymity, the influential news daily asserted that U.S. authorities believe that Cuba is doing all it can to fight the use of its waters, uninhabited keys and airspace by South American drug cartels -- but that the island doesn't have sufficient resources and the blockade prevents Washington from providing Havana with such aid. According to U.S. authorities, 30 percent of the cocaine entering the United States passes through drug routes in the Caribbean. Sources who told the Post that U.S. agencies admire Cuba's anti-drug program and would like to provide more cooperation, also said that the influential Cuban-American and other conservative members of Congress block any joint actions. As an example of Havana's willingness to cooperate, the news daily pointed to a 1994 operation in which -- following a tip from the U.S. Coast Guard -- Cuban authorities stopped and boarded a vessel containing 12 tons of cocaine on its way to the U.S. The cargo and its crew were turned over to U.S. authorities. The Washington Post also referred to the cooperation of other countries in Cuba's anti-drug efforts, specifically mentioning France and Great Britain. London has provided Havana with technology, while France sent to Cuba dogs trained to sniff out drugs at airports. In statements to The Washington Post, British ambassador in Havana David Ridgway said that Cuba has "a strong political commitment in the drug war" and that London believes that its annual assistance package of 400,000 dollars to Cuba has been well-invested. U.S. MEDICAL DELEGATION FROM BALTIMORE VISITS THE ISLAND Havana, May 25(RHC)-- A U.S. medical delegation from Baltimore has arrived in Havana with the objective of getting a first-hand look at Cuba's health care system and exchanging experiences with their Cuban counterparts. The Baltimore medical delegation includes gynecologists, psychiatrists and other specialists. This is the second medical delegation from Baltimore that has visited the island in the past two weeks. The U.S. physicians will visit family doctor offices, Havana's Biotechnology Institute and the recently inaugurated Latin American School of Medicine. CUBANS UNDER 20 YEARS OF AGE WILL BE VACCINATED AGAINST ONE DOZEN DISEASES BY THE YEAR 2000 Havana, May 25(RHC)-- All Cubans under 20 years of age will be vaccinated against some one dozen diseases by the year 2000. Diphtheria, tetanus, German measles, polio and mumps have been completely eradicated on the island, according to the Director of Havana's Biotechnology Center, Mario Limonta. He pointed out that Cuban researchers are working hard to produce a vaccine against prostate cancer as well as AIDS and Hepatitis C. Dr. Limonta underlined the achievements attained by Cuban scientists in the fight against disease, recognized by more than 30 foreign markets interested in purchasing Cuban-made products like the anti-meningitis type B vaccine. ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA LATIN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER INAUGURATED IN RIO DE JANEIRO Rio de Janeiro, May 25(RHC)-- The Ernesto Che Guevara Latin American Cultural Center was inaugurated in a working-class neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on Monday. Aleida Guevara March, daughter of the legendary guerrilla, was present at the inaugural ceremony. One of the center's creators, Vera Pineiro, told reporters that the objective of the cultural center is to help broaden bilateral relations between Havana and Brasilia. Socialism and daily life in Cuba and Latin America are the main topics that participants will debate this week during round table discussions scheduled to take place at the new Brazilian cultural center named to honor Ernesto Che Guevara. CUBAN FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION MINISTER MEETS WITH ARGENTINA'S DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN TRADE Havana, May 25(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Ibrahim Ferradaz met with Argentina's Deputy Secretary for Foreign Trade, Felix Pena, who is heading a business delegation from that South American nation. The visit is being sponsored by the Buenos Aires Institute of Business Development and the Investment Development Agency, with the aim of promoting economic ties between Cuba and Argentina as well as to identify joint business opportunities. The Argentinean trade official told journalists in Havana that business executives from his country are interested in investing on the island in tourism, milk production and the mining industry. During the delegation's visit, the Argentinean Institute of Business Development and Cuba's Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Ministry are expected to sign an accord to broaden bilateral investments. CUBA HAS THE RIGHT TO USE NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR PEACEFUL MEANS Havana, May 25(RHC)-- Cuba will not give up its legitimate right to use nuclear energy for peaceful means, according to a spokesperson for Cuba's Foreign Ministry, Rogelio Sierra. In statements to journalists in the Cuban capital, Sierra pointed out that the island is developing various projects related to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, with the knowledge and support of United Nations agencies. Cuba and Russia agreed in Moscow earlier this month to create a joint venture which would finish the construction of the Juragua nuclear plant located in Cienfuegos province. Cuban experts believe that the Juragua plant, whose construction began in 1980, needs 750 million dollars more -- and that the initial investment could be recovered in less than ten years. [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. 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