Radio Havana Cuba, October 22, 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 22, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO TERMS DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY HURRICANE IRENE AS SUBSTANTIAL 2.- VISITING FOREIGN MINISTER OF TURKEY SAYS BILATERAL CUBA-TURKEY TRADE ON THE RISE 3.- CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADE ON ITS WAY TO KOSOVO 4.- HAVANA: SITE OF NUMEROUS INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS ON HEALTH 5.- OVER 40,000 HOUSES BUILT BY YEAR'S END CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO TERMS DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY HURRICANE IRENE AS SUBSTANTIAL Havana, October 22(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has termed the destruction caused by Hurricane Irene as "substantial" -- greater than initial estimates. The Cuban leader met Thursday evening with members of his cabinet and local authorities in Havana-- a meeting that was broadcast live on national television. President Fidel Castro said the Cuban government has earmarked more than one-third of its reserves in construction materials to repair damaged homes. Economy Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez reported that Irene left four people dead and more than 228,000 evacuated. More than 28,000 homes were damaged, of which 630 were totally destroyed -- without including educational, industrial, health and other types of installations that suffered damage. Nearly 480,000 acres of sugar cane were affected, as well as more than 42,000 acres of other crops. Estimates of losses in agriculture, however, are still partial since numerous zones continue to be flooded -- particularly in the central provinces. Authorities reported that many hurricane victims have been given mattresses, televisions, radios, refrigerators and other household items. Cuban President Fidel Castro called on government agencies and business firms to replace these items as quickly as possible since the country could face another similar catastrophe at any moment. During the live TV broadcast, authorities reiterated the outstanding examples of unity and solidarity demonstrated by the Cuban people during last week's natural disaster. VISITING FOREIGN MINISTER OF TURKEY SAYS BILATERAL CUBA-TURKEY TRADE ON THE RISE Havana, October 22(RHC)-- During a news conference in the Cuban capital, visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem stated that bilateral Cuba-Turkey trade and cooperation is on the rise. Cem reported that the advances in the Cuban economy over the past several years has significantly stimulated economic relations between the two countries. The visiting dignitary and his Cuban counterpart, Felipe Perez Roque, signed an investment protection accord and another bilateral agreement in agriculture. Both governments plan to establish regular flights between Havana and Ankara. Turkey has also given Cuba a 20 million dollar line of credit for the textile and tourism sectors, which will soon see joint venture operations. Since his arrival in Havana on Wednesday, the Turkish foreign minister has met with Cuban government officials and toured places of social and economic interest. He wraps up his official visit to the island on Saturday. This is the first visit to Cuba of a Turkish foreign minister since the two countries re-established diplomatic relations in 1978 -- broken in 1961. CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADE ON ITS WAY TO KOSOVO Havana, October 22(RHC)-- A Cuban medical brigade is on its way to Yugoslavia to offer its services free-of-charge to victims of the U.S.-led NATO invasion. Sources from the Cuban Foreign Ministry said in Havana that the medical aid was organized in coordination with United Nations agencies working in Yugoslavia and reiterated Cuba's willingness to send 1000 doctors to the war-torn regions of Kosovo. HAVANA: SITE OF NUMEROUS INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS ON HEALTH Havana, October 22(RHC)-- This has been a very busy and productive week for the Cuban capital in the field of health. During a series of meetings held this week in Havana, top Ibero-American health officials and professionals have had the opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss new strategies for the future. One of the most important meetings held here in Havana this past week was the First Ibero-American Meeting of Health Ministers. There was also a special activity to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Cuban Health Ministry -- the first governmental-level health ministry created in the world. Havana was also the site of an international conference to mark the 75th anniversary of the Pan-American Health Code; the Second International Conference on Health and Sustainable Development, which wound up on Thursday; and the 7th International Seminar on Primary Health Care which winds up Friday night. During the week, 21 projects and letters of intent worth 17.5 million dollars were signed in the field of health between the Cuban Health Ministry and 12 non-governmental organizations from Europe and Latin America. OVER 40,000 HOUSES BUILT BY YEAR'S END Havana, October 22(RHC)-- Cuban Construction Minister Juan Mario Junco del Pino told reporters on Thursday that over 40,000 houses will be constructed on the island before the end of this year. In statements to reporters, the Cuban official pointed out that housing construction has been most successful in the eastern provinces of Las Tunas, Holguin, Sancti Spiritus, Villa Clara and Matanzas. The Cuban construction minister said that the experience of refurbishing houses in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood of Havana has been taken to other parts of the island with the hope of preventing erosion and deterioration. [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-26906 1999-Oct-22 19:19:42