Radio Havana Cuba, October 1st, 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 Friday, October 1, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT ATTENDS RECEPTION COMMEMORATING 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA 2.- GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT ALVARO ARZU BEGINS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA ON MONDAY 3.- INTERNATIONAL GERONTOLOGY CONGRESS WRAPS UP IN HAVANA 4.- GENERAL DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VISITS CUBA LATER THIS MONTH 5.- CUBAN CULTURE MINISTER ENDS VISIT TO JAPAN 6.- CUBA NOMINIATED FOR SPECIAL UNESCO AWARD CUBAN PRESIDENT ATTENDS RECEPTION COMMEMORATING 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Havana, October 1(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro attended a reception offered by the Chinese embassy in Havana on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. The Cuban leader and special invited guests watched a television broadcast of the military parade and rally, transmitted live from Beijing. On Wednesday, the Cuban president attended another activity in Havana commemorating the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and outlined the achievements of the Asian nation. GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT ALVARO ARZU BEGINS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA ON MONDAY Havana, October 1(RHC)-- Guatemalan President Alvaro Arzu will begin an official visit to Cuba on Monday -- termed as "historic" by numerous international media outlets. Cuba's Foreign Ministry stated that the visit is another demonstration of the willingness of both countries to leave behind the conflicts of the past. The mercenaries who launched the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion against Cuba were trained in Guatemala, while during the 1960s and 70s, Cuba provided support for the leftist guerrilla movement that arose following the CIA's overthrow of constitutionally-elected Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz in 1954. President Arzu will be at the head of a large delegation made up of several of his ministers and some 50 business representatives. Bilateral conversations and agreements will focus on the areas of trade and tourism. The two nations will reportedly sign a maritime transportation agreement to facilitate the exchange of products and will also pen a bilateral accord in the fight against drug-trafficking. Cuba and Guatemala renewed diplomatic relations last year. INTERNATIONAL GERONTOLOGY CONGRESS WRAPS UP IN HAVANA Havana, October 1(RHC)-- Today, October 1st, is the International Day of the Elderly and a number of activities were scheduled for Geronto-Vida 99. The international event on gerontology and geriatrics winds up tonight at Havana's International Convention Center. The social integration of the elderly and the importance of improving the lives of older adults were among the issues on the agenda for participants at Geronto-Vita 99. The international event included the Third Congress of the Latin American Committee of the International Association of Gerontology and the Fourth National Congress on Gerontology and Geriatrics. Scheduled for Friday night are a series of lectures and panel discussions on the issue of an aging world population. Pedro Ross Leal, the head of the Confederation of Cuban Workers, will lead a panel on the role of the unions in providing care for the elderly. And Cuban health authorities will discuss care for the elderly within the island's health care system. GENERAL DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY VISITS CUBA LATER THIS MONTH Havana, October 1(RHC)-- The General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed Elbaradei, is scheduled to visit Cuba from October 14th through the 17th. During his stay, the head of the international agency will sign an agreement with Cuban authorities. The accord will permit greater access to information on Cuba's nuclear facility in Juragua, currently under construction -- in order to assure the International Atomic Energy Agency that no nuclear materials will be used for military purposes. With this agreement, Cuba becomes the first non-signatory country of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to adopt an additional protocol and ratifies its commitment to use nuclear energy for peaceful means. CUBAN CULTURE MINISTER ENDS VISIT TO JAPAN Tokyo, October 1(RHC)-- Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto told reporters in Tokyo that his visit to Japan has been excellent. Prieto reaffirmed Cuba's hopes of developing stronger cultural ties with the Asian nation. Before ending his official visit to Japan, the Cuban official met in Tokyo with the President of the Friendship Parliamentary League, Jiroshi Mityzuzuka, whom he thanked for his organization's contribution to strengthening bilateral relations. On Thursday, Cuba's culture minister received the University of Soka's highest distinction for his artistic career and his valuable contribution to society. At the university, the Cuban official offered a lecture on Cuban culture before an audience of intellectuals, academics, artists, business executives and friends of Cuba. The visit of the Cuban culture minister to Japan ends an Asian tour which also included China and Vietnam. CUBA NOMINIATED FOR SPECIAL UNESCO AWARD Havana, October 1(RHC)-- The work carried out in the eastern province of Guantanamo in the fight against land erosion is one of the candidates to win the 1999 "Saving the Land" Award, presented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO. Officials from the Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment reported that more than 3000 hectares of land were recovered after being threatened with erosion. Cuba has a national environmental education program for flat and mountainous regions which has had very positive results. [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-32684 1999-Oct-01 19:44:51