Radio Havana Cuba, November 2, 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, November 2, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO DENOUNCES STEPPED-UP U.S. AGGRESSIONS AGAINST HAVANA 2.- THE NEW YORK TIMES BLASTS WASHINGTON'S CUBA POLICY 3.- HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR, FIHAV '99, GOING STRONG 4.- IBERO-AMERICAN LEADERS WILL BE WELCOMED WITH SPECIAL CEREMONY 5.- VICE PRESIDENT OF CUBAN PARLIAMENT BEGINS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CHINA 6.- MARTINAIR HOLLAND AIRLINES INAUGURATES DIRECT FLIGHTS TO HAVANA 7.- INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OMINIS '99 OPENS IN HAVANA CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO DENOUNCES STEPPED-UP U.S. AGGRESSION AGAINST HAVANA Havana, November 2(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro spoke on national television and radio Monday night to denounce growing campaigns against the island by enemies of the Cuban Revolution. The Cuban leader affirmed that reactionary elements in the United States have been angered by recent victories scored by the Cuban people. Fidel Castro listed a few of the victories which he said precipitated an hysterical reaction by the Revolution's enemies -- the success of the Cuban delegation at the recent United Nations session in New York City; the victory of Cuba at Winnipeg, despite the campaign to discredit Cuban athletes and the island's sports movement; the growing movement in the United States against the economic blockade of the island; the efforts by prominent senators in the U.S. to lift restrictions on the sale of food and medicine to Cuba; the recent visit of Illinois Governor George Ryan and the failure to sabotage the upcoming 9th Ibero-American Summit. During his television appearance Monday night, the Cuban leader referred to ultra-right wing charges on Capitol Hill that the Cuban government is involved in drug-trafficking -- despite the Clinton administration's repeated denial that it has evidence supporting the charge -- as well as the cynical accusation that Cuban officials tortured American prisoners of war i n Vietnam. He also pointed to Washington's campaign against Spain's Sol Melia hotel group, the most important investor in Cuba's thriving tourism industry. The Cuban leader also spoke of the anti-Cuba campaign concerning two Cuban children, about whom media outlets spread the lie that the children could not receive adequate medical care here. He said those behind that campaign are the same that adamantly support a blockade that deprives Cuban children of food and medicine. And he added that the slander campaign was directed against a country capable of carrying out heart and liver transplants as well as performing open-heart surgery on children free-of-charge. President Fidel Castro finally lashed out at the ceaseless anti-Cuba campaigns by officials at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana, including its former chief Michael Kozak and its current chief Vicky Huddleston. He said these officials and many more are constantly organizing, advising and financing the small opposition groups in Cuba, which he called "mercenaries and counterrevolutionaries." The Cuban leader said that he had evidence indicating that the U.S. Interests Section, along with Miami's ultra-right wing Cuban-American National Foundation, continue to do everything possible to sabotage this month's Ibero-American Summit. THE NEW YORK TIMES BLASTS WASHINGTON'S CUBA POLICY New York, November 2(RHC)-- The New York Times has once again blasted Washington's Cuba policy, accusing the Bill Clinton administration of allowing itself to be trapped in the futile policies of the Cold War. According to an editorial in Tuesday's edition of the news daily, even Republican leaders -- like Illinois Governor George Ryan -- are ridding themselves of the old Orthodox ideas with respect to Cuba. The New York Times said that the U.S. State Department's criticism of Ryan's visit to the island last week and his interview with Fidel Castro, only pleased the ultra-right wing Cuban-American community and their equally reactionary allies in the U.S. Congress. The editorial also pointed to the growing number of business and farm leaders opposed to the blockade, and recalled Pope John Paul II's condemnation of a measure that has only brought suffering for the Cuban people. HAVANA'S INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR, FIHAV '99, GOING STRONG Havana, November 2(RHC)-- France's willingness to strengthen bilateral exchange and cooperation with Cuba has been demonstrated during the 17th Havana International Trade Fair, FIHAV '99. French Secretary of State for Housing Luis Beson pointed out that the participation in the Havana fair of more than 80 firms from sectors like energy, transportation and telecommunications constitutes irrefutable evidence that Paris is very interested in this kind of trade event. During Monday's session of the fair, which was dedicated to France, the Picasso model of the CITROEN car was unveiled. The British Business Minister for Scotland, Brian Wilson, cut the ribbon on the British exhibition pavilion. The high-ranking British official pointed to the good relations between Cuba and Britain, demonstrated by the increased number of British firms present at Havana's International Trade Fair, mainly from the agricultural sector as well as the fishing and food industries. This year's edition of the Havana trade fair is attended by some 2000 firms from 60 nations around the world -- including France, Britain, Mexico, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Among the most significant events of FIHAV '99 on Monday was the signing of cooperation accords between the Cuban Chamber of Commerce and those of Mexico, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Latin America's most important trade fair runs through Sunday, November 7th, at Havana's EXPOCUBA exhibition hall. IBERO-AMERICAN LEADERS WILL BE WELCOMED WITH SPECIAL CEREMONY Havana, November 2(RHC)-- Heads of state and government who arrive in Havana for the 9th Ibero-American Summit will be welcomed with a special protocol ceremony, according to Cuba's Foreign Relations Ministry. Speaking with journalists in the Cuban capital, Angel Reigosa de la Cruz, from the Protocol Office of the Cuban Foreign Relations Ministry, explained that each Ibero-American leader will be welcomed at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport by a high-ranking Cuban government official. Reigosa de la Cruz added that due to the brief intervals of time between the arrival of each leader, the welcoming ceremonies will not include any speeches or public events. The Cuban Foreign Ministry official stressed that everything is ready to guarantee that participants of the upcoming Ibero-American Summit feel at home on the Caribbean island. VICE PRESIDENT OF CUBAN PARLIAMENT BEGINS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CHINA Beijing, November 2(RHC)-- Cuban Parliament Vice President Jaime Crombet arrived in China on Tuesday at the head of a delegation from the island's National Assembly. The visit is in the framework of an Asian tour which has also included Vietnam and Laos. During their nine-day stay in China, the Cuban delegation will meet with high-ranking Chinese government officials and tour centers of economic as well as cultural interest. MARTINAIR HOLLAND AIRLINES INAUGURATES DIRECT FLIGHTS TO HAVANA Havana, November 2(RHC)-- The Dutch airline company Martinair Holland has inaugurated direct flights between Amsterdam and Havana -- aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Holland and Cuba. A Boeing 767, filled with tourists and business executives from the European country, arrived in Havana Monday afternoon. Caroline Ditvoorst, a representative from the Martinair Holland Airlines Foreign Relations Office, told reporters that although the airlines has had flights to Cuba since 1992, the company has now established air bridges to Havana and central Ciego de Avila province, both important tourism sites in Cuba. Martinair Holland Airlines was created in 1958 and has direct flights to over 60 cities around the world. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OMINIS '99 OPENS IN HAVANA Havana, November 2(RHC)-- Ominis '99, an international congress attended by over 300 delegates from 12 nations, was officially opened at Havana's Convention Center on Tuesday morning by Dr. Juan Vila Valdez, Rector of the University of Havana. During his welcoming speech, Vila said that people working in this field "have the opportunity to contribute to the hope of better days in a world that has an uncertain future." Those who work in the field, continued Vila, have the privilege of getting into human subjectivity, of going deeper into the origins of our behavior and of getting to motivation, which implies great responsibility when carrying out actions for the benefit of humanity. Over the next three days, delegates at the event -- teachers, psychologists, sociologists and other specialists -- will have the opportunity to exchange experiences on such issues as illiteracy learning, past, current and future uses of activity theory and psychological research. Ominis '99 is scheduled to wind up on Friday, November 5th. [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. 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