Radio Havana Cuba, 8 november 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 Monday, November 8, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS WASHINGTON IS NOT PLEASED WITH IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMITS... PARTICULARLY THE ONE SLATED FOR NEXT WEEK IN HAVANA 2.- CUBA AND PARAGUAY ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS 3.- VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ CALLS ON WASHINGTON TO LIFT SAVAGE AND UNJUSTIFIABLE BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA 4.- CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT EXPRESSES OPTIMISM IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY VOTE ON WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE OF THE ISLAND 5.- MINISTERS AND HIGH-RANKING REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUTH AND CHILDREN OF IBERO-AMERICA MEET IN HAVANA 6.- PRESIDENTS OF SURINAM AND HAITI CONFIRM PARTICIPATION AT 9TH IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT 7.- HAVANA'S 17th INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR WINDS UP IN HAVANA CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS WASHINGTON IS NOT PLEASED WITH IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMITS... PARTICULARLY THE ONE SLATED FOR NEXT WEEK IN HAVANA Havana, November 8(RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque asserted today that Washington is not pleased with Ibero-American Summits, particularly the one to be held next week in Havana. In statements to local media outlets, Perez Roque said that due precisely to the Ibero-American Summits, the U.S. government invented the Summits of the Americas -- excluding Cuba. He said Washington is uncomfortable with respect to the growing relations between Latin America and European countries. But the Ibero-American Summits, said the Cuban foreign minister, will play an increasingly important role in a world whose future resides in regional blocks and globalization. In Madrid, Spain, visiting Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage also spoke of the Ibero-American Summit and the U.S. government's efforts to sabotage the gathering. In an interview with the influential Madrid news daily "El Pais," Lage said it was common knowledge in Cuba that the U.S. Interests Section in Havana is organizing, advising and financing small groups of so-called "dissidents" who have been ordered to disrupt the Ibero-American Summit. Lage said Cuba "is not a country of four or five dissidents, but rather, of 11 million people who have suffered Washington's economic blockade for the past 40 years." He said no Ibero-American head of state or government will be prevented from speaking with the small groups of opposition on the island, but that -- like in any country -- those groups will not be allowed to disrupt the Summit. CUBA AND PARAGUAY ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS Asuncion, November 8(RHC)-- Cuba and Paraguay have established diplomatic relations. The announcement was made in the Paraguayan capital by that nation's Foreign Minister Jose Felix Fernandez and Cuba's visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Jorge Bolanos. Both Fernandez and Bolanos insisted that this was not the time to speak of the past, but rather, to build the future. The former Paraguayan dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner was one of the first regimes to break diplomatic relations with Cuba following the 1959 revolutionary triumph. Paraguay was the only South American nation that did not have diplomatic relations with Cuba. The two countries established trade relations following Stroessner's overthrow in 1989 and consular relations in 1995. The Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister stated that the process of enhancing bilateral ties will culminate during Havana's Ibero-American Summit, during which Cuban President Fidel Castro will hold what Bolanos termed as a special gathering with Paraguayan President Luis Gonzalez Macchi. VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ CALLS ON WASHINGTON TO LIFT SAVAGE AND UNJUSTIFIABLE BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA Caracas, November 8(RHC)-- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called on the United States government to lift what he termed "the savage and unjustifiable blockade against Cuba." In his weekly radio program "Alo Presidente," Chavez stated that the blockade is hurting the Cuban people. But despite the suffering, said the Venezuelan president, Cuba has made noteworthy advances in medicine and biotechnology. This is why, he added, Cuba last week received 14 Venezuelan children with diverse illnesses that can't be treated in their country. Chavez said Venezuela must thank the Cuban people for this solidarity. The Venezuelan president will pay an official visit to Cuba following his participation in Havana's Ibero-American Summit. It's believed that during the Summit, the two countries could reach an agreement by which Venezuela would supply Cuba with oil. CUBAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT EXPRESSES OPTIMISM IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY VOTE ON WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE OF THE ISLAND New York, November 8(RHC)-- Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon told reporters at the United Nations that this year's UN General Assembly resolution condemning Washington's economic blockade against Cuba will be overwhelmingly approved. The Cuban official, who will present the resolution to the General Assembly tomorrow, Tuesday, revealed that Cuba has copies of letters sent by Washington to different governments, demanding that they not support the Cuban resolution. The president of the Cuban Parliament pointed out that the United States threatens underdeveloped nations with reducing or cutting economic aid -- pressuring them to go along with Washington during United Nations debates. Ricardo Alarcon also stated that a number of countries have recently lost their voting rights in the UN General Assembly, due to debts owed to the United Nations. MINISTERS AND HIGH-RANKING REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUTH AND CHILDREN OF IBERO-AMERICA MEET IN HAVANA Havana, November 8(RHC)-- Ministers and high-ranking representatives of youth and children from Ibero-American nations are in Havana to analyze the current situation of young people in the region. The meeting, which will be the last ministerial meeting prior to the 9th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government next week, will prepare a document to be submitted to the leaders in Havana November 15th and 16th. The main speakers at Monday's meeting of youth representatives are the Regional Director of UNICEF, Per Engebak, and the President of the Permanent Commission for Youth and the Rights of Women in the Cuban Parliament, Vilma Espin. PRESIDENTS OF SURINAM AND HAITI CONFIRM PARTICIPATION AT 9TH IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT Havana, November 8(RHC)-- The President of Surinam, Jules Albert Winjdenbosch, and Haitian President Rene Preval will take part in the 9th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, which opens next Monday, November 15th, in the Cuban capital. The regional meeting's main theme will be the international financial situation in a globalized economy. Sixteen heads of state and government have confirmed their participation, along with 19 foreign ministers of the 21 Ibero-American nations. Nearly 1200 foreign journalists have requested accreditation to cover the Summit. HAVANA'S 17th INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR WINDS UP IN HAVANA Havana, November 8(RHC)-- Havana's 17th International Trade Fair, which wound up on Sunday, was an example of growing interest in the Cuban market, according to business representatives from Spain, Canada and Russia. Business executives from some 60 countries participated in the island's most important trade fair -- considered to be the most important in Latin America. Canada's ambassador in Cuba, Keith Christie, told reporters that Havana's International Trade Fair had more participants from his country than ever before. During the awards ceremony, Spain and Germany were given the Grand Prize and Cuba topped the list of gold medals with 12 of the 40. Meanwhile, Cuban President Fidel Castro received a gold medal from the organizing committee for his work to promote the this year's Havana Trade Fair. [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-7300 1999-Nov-08 18:03:47