Radio Havana Cuba, October 20, 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 Wednesday, October 20, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SAYS MEDICAL COOPERATION TO THIRD WORLD COULD QUADRUPLE 2.- U.S. SENATE SET TO VOTE ON EASING BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA 3.- ILLINOIS GOVERNOR GEORGE RYAN RECEIVES PERMISSION TO VISIT CUBA 4.- CUBAN CULTURE DAY CELEBRATED ACROSS THE ISLAND 5.- TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN HAVANA 6.- DELEGATION FROM EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMISSION IN HAVANA 7.- INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION SAYS IT CAN COUNT ON CUBA 8.- 6th LATIN AMERICAN CONGRESS ON NEURO-PSYCHOLOGY UNDERWAY IN VARADERO CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SAYS MEDICAL COOPERATION TO THIRD WORLD COULD QUADRUPLE Havana, October 20(RHC)-- Cuban medical cooperation to Third World countries could quadruple, stated Cuban President Fidel Castro during the First Ibero-American Health Ministers Meeting which wound up Tuesday night in the Cuban capital. At the end of the meeting, the Cuban official reiterated the island's willingness to expand its health cooperation, which already includes over 1300 health workers offering their services free-of-charge in Central America and the Caribbean. During an exchange with Ibero-American health ministers and representatives, the Cuban leader said that for every three doctors on the island, one could be sent abroad to treat patients in other countries. Even with one-third of its doctors serving in other parts of the world, Cuba would still lead the list of countries with more doctors per inhabitant. Referring to Havana's Latin American School of Medicine, which will be officially inaugurated during the 9th Ibero-American Summit in November, the leader of the Cuban Revolution said that in the next three years, as many as 7000 students from the region will be studying at the school. Created to help train health professionals from countries affected by Hurricane Mitch, scholarships to Havana's School of Medicine have been extended to students of other Latin American countries as well. U.S. SENATE SET TO VOTE ON EASING BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA Washington, October 20(RHC)-- The United States Senate is expected to vote again next week on exempting food and medicine from Washington's blockade of Cuba. Advocates include Senator John Ashcroft, a Missouri Republican, who stated Tuesday that "embargoes shut U.S. businesses out of lucrative markets and do not achieve their objectives." According to Republican Senator Chuck Hagel from Nebraska, the U.S. economy loses 20 billion dollars a year due to economic sanctions. Pat Roberts, a Republican senator from Kansas, stated that food and medicine "should not be used as foreign policy weapons." Similar legislation was approved by the Senate in early August with a 70 to 28 vote. It was killed during House-Senate negotiations -- known as a conference committee -- on a 69 billion dollar agriculture funding bill by ultra-right wing House Republicans from Miami who adamantly oppose any change in sanctions against Cuba. Some three dozen U.S. farm groups and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce support the food and medicine exemption. With recent Clinton administration decisions to ease sanctions on Iran, Libya, Sudan and North Korea, attention has now shifted to Cuba. ILLINOIS GOVERNOR GEORGE RYAN RECEIVES PERMISSION TO VISIT CUBA Chicago, October 20(RHC)-- Illinois Governor George Ryan was given permission Tuesday to lead what he calls a humanitarian mission to Cuba, the first official visit to Cuba by a U.S. governor since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. Ryan, a Republican, thanked the Treasury Department for approving a license for his five-day trip, which will begin Saturday. Besides bringing along one million dollars worth of humanitarian aid, Ryan's 40-member delegation will include representatives from two Illinois-based agricultural conglomerates and a pharmaceutical firm. Among them will be Allen Andreas, Chief Executive Officer of Archer Daniels Midland Corporation and representatives from John Deere Company and the pharmaceutical corporation Schering-Plough. Also travelling to Cuba will be several Illinois lawmakers -- including a Cuban-American state representative who helped convince Ryan to go -- as well as state officials, a contingent of hospital executives and medical experts as well as members of the local media. Governor George Ryan said he hopes that the humanitarian mission "will usher in a new era of cooperation and understanding between the peoples of the two countries." He stated that his delegation hopes to build bridges between the people of Illinois and the people of Cuba, adding that isolating Cuba "is not in the best interests of Illinois or in the best interests of the United States." CUBAN CULTURE DAY CELEBRATED ACROSS THE ISLAND Matanzas, October 20(RHC)-- Today, October 20th, marks Cuban Culture Day. The main activity to celebrate the national day was held in the city of Colon in Matanzas province -- selected for its outstanding work in the field of culture. Other municipalities of Las Tunas and Niquero, in eastern Granma province, also received recognition for their cultural work. A national gala to commemorate important historical figures related to Cuban culture took place in the eastern city of Bayamo. TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVES IN HAVANA Havana, October 20(RHC)-- Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem arrived in Havana on Wednesday at the invitation of his Cuban counterpart, Felipe Perez Roque. The visit is aimed at increasing bilateral relations between both countries. During his visit, the Turkish foreign minister will also meet with the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon and tour places of economic, social and historic interest in the Cuban capital and Matanzas province. According to Cuba's Foreign Ministry, Ismail Cem is the first high-ranking Turkish official to visit Cuba and is expected to sign different bilateral agreements. DELEGATION FROM EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMISSION IN HAVANA Havana, October 20(RHC)-- A six-member delegation from the European Parliament's Development and Cooperation Commission is in Havana with the objective of evaluating the cooperation policy of the European Union with Cuba. British, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese parliamentarians will examine different aspects of the island's socio-economic development, mainly in the areas of education and health. The European parliamentarians have already meet with Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas, President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon and Deputy Foreign Minister Maria de los Angeles Flores. INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION SAYS IT CAN COUNT ON CUBA Berlin, October 20(RHC)-- The Inter-Parliamentary Union has been able to count on Cuba because the island has complied with its responsibilities, according to Miguel Angel Martinez, a deputy to the European Parliament. Martinez spoke at the conclusion of the 102nd Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, held in Berlin. He said that the European Parliament has reiterated its condemnation of Washington's blockade against Cuba, imposed nearly 40 years ago. Cuba has expressed its interest in becoming a member of the international parliamentary organization's Executive Committee and the island has already been selected to host the institution's 105th Conference in April of the year 2001. 6th LATIN AMERICAN CONGRESS ON NEURO-PSYCHOLOGY UNDERWAY IN VARADERO Varadero, October 20(RHC)-- The 6th Latin American Congress on Neuro-Psychology is underway in Varadero with the participation of 70 delegates from 26 countries. Outstanding research experts are meeting at the Plaza America Convention Center to analyze recent scientific and technical advances in the study of mental health. Cuban professionals attending the Congress will debate issues and present scientific works aimed at contributing to the exchange of experiences among the participants. [c] 1999, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. 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