Radio Havana Cuba, November 4, 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 Thursday, November 4, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN DEFENSE MINISTER INAUGURATES MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO REVOLUTIONARY FIGHTERS 2.- CUBA WILL ANNOUNCE ANTI-DRUG POLICY AT REGIONAL FORUM 3.- IBERO-AMERICAN SEMINAR ON URBAN PLANNING WRAPS UP IN HAVANA 4.- CUBAN CIGAR COMPANY HABANOS S.A. LAUNCHES A NEW CIGAR BRAND 5.- HABANOS CIGAR CONTINUES REACHING NEW MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD CUBAN DEFENSE MINISTER INAUGURATES MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO REVOLUTIONARY FIGHTERS Pinar del Rio, November 4(RHC)-- Cuba's Defense Minister Raul Castro inaugurated a memorial dedicated to 12 revolutionary fighters, known as Los Malagones, who fought counterrevolutionary mercenaries during the early years of the Cuban Revolution. The monument holds the mortal remains of four of the 12 Malagones, who inspired the creation of the first National Revolutionary Army. Speaking with journalists, Raul Castro -- who is also the Second Secretary of Cuba's Communist Party -- said the monument is in honor of the 12 Malagones and of all revolutionary fighters who have given their lives in the struggle against counterrevolutionary mercenaries, trying to undermine the Cuban Revolution. CUBA WILL ANNOUNCE ANTI-DRUG POLICY AT REGIONAL FORUM Las Tunas, November 4(RHC)-- Cuban Minister of Justice Roberto Diaz Sotolongo announced Thursday that the island will offer detailed information on its anti-drug policies during an upcoming regional forum. The meeting, scheduled for late November in Chile, will deal with cooperation in the fight against drugs and drug-trafficking. Speaking with journalists in eastern Las Tunas province, Diaz Sotolongo stressed that Cuba is neither a drug-consumer nor a producer. The Cuban minister of justice explained that as a consequence of the island's opening to international tourism and foreign investment, new illegal activities have emerged. He pointed to stronger punitive measures concerning drug-related crimes which were recently added to the island's criminal code. The high-ranking Cuban government official pointed to the island's full compliance with anti-drug cooperation agreements, signed with 24 nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as cooperation with other European nations such as Britain, Italy and France. IBERO-AMERICAN SEMINAR ON URBAN PLANNING WRAPS UP IN HAVANA Havana, November 4(RHC)-- The 6th Ibero-American Seminar on Urban Planning wrapped up in Havana on Thursday. This year's event was dedicated to the 480th anniversary of Havana -- then known as the Village of San Cristobal de la Habana. For four days, 100 delegates and guests from Spain, Mexico, Paraguay and Venezuela discussed issues related to architecture, urban planning in the face of neo-liberal globalization and post-modern influence on urban development as well as public awareness concerning urban planning and control in big cities. The 6th Ibero-American Seminar on Urban Planning was sponsored by Havana's Urban Planning Office and was part of activities in preparation for the 9th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, slated for November 15th and 16th in the Cuban capital. CUBAN CIGAR COMPANY HABANOS S.A. LAUNCHES A NEW CIGAR BRAND Havana, November 4(RHC)-- The Cuban company which sells the famous hand-rolled cigars worldwide, Habanos S.A., announced Thursday that it will unveil a new cigar brand -- San Cristobal de la Habana -- on November 20th. The launching is part of activities marking the 480th anniversary of the establishment of Havana, celebrated on November 16th. The new brand includes four types of cigars with different sizes, named after the city's oldest fortresses -- El Principe, La Punta, La Fuerza and El Morro. The new cigars will be hand-rolled by the tobacco workers of the Miguel Fernandez Roig factory, also known as La Corona. The official launching will take place in Old Havana with a program that includes a concert by the Cuban Women's Chamber Orchestra "Camerata Romeu" at the San Francisco de Assisi Basilica and a gala-cocktail at the City Museum. HABANOS CIGAR CONTINUES REACHING NEW MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD Havana, November 4(RHC)-- The world famous Habanos cigar continues reaching the most distant areas and markets around the globe. During a Havana news conference, Manuel Garcia, the vice president of Habanos S.A. -- the company that sells the Cuban product worldwide -- told reporters that the firm will export between 150 and 160 million cigars by the end of the year. Garcia said this confirms the country's sustained efforts to export more and more cigars every year. He said, however, that the initial plan of exporting 200 million cigars this year has not been reached due to bad weather conditions that affected the island throughout the year, especially constant rain in Cuba's western-most province of Pinar del Rio. Garcia added that despite such difficulties, exports will grow between 19 and 27 percent over last year, when the island exported more than 125 million cigars. Main markets for the Habanos continue to be Spain and France and the company recently began selling their product in China, with an initial shipment of 100,000 cigars. [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-19458 1999-Nov-05 09:31:27