Radio Havana Cuba, September 1, 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, September 1, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE MEETS WITH NEW PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT MIREYA MOSCOSO 2.- BACK TO SCHOOL FOR CUBAN STUDENTS 3.- IBEROAMERICAN MEETING OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE MINISTERS GETS UNDERWAY TOMORROW IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 4.- CUBA'S FINANCE MINISTER REPORTS THAT THIS YEAR'S GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT WILL REACH AT LEAST FOUR PERCENT CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE MEETS WITH NEW PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT MIREYA MOSCOSO Panama City, September 1(RHC)-- Visiting Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque met today with new Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso. Perez Roque said his conversation with Panama's first woman president was excellent, adding that Moscoso expressed interest in the social achievements of the Cuban Revolution. The Cuban foreign minister said President Moscoso also asked about Havana's Latin American Medical School, where 80 indigenous Panamanian youths are studying. Perez Roque gave the new Panamanian president a letter from Cuban President Fidel Castro, inviting her to Havana's upcoming Iberoamerican Summit and Moscoso confirmed her attendance. The Cuban foreign minister also met with other political leaders attending the swearing-in ceremony, including his Colombian couterpart Guillermo Fernandez de Soto, Costa Rican Foreign Minister Roberto Rojas and Panamanian opposition leader Martin Torrijos Espino. Felipe Perez Roque expressed his conviction that Panama will be capable of professionally operating the Panama Canal when the last U.S. soldier leaves the Canal Zone before next January 1st. BACK TO SCHOOL FOR CUBAN STUDENTS Havana, September 1(RHC)-- Summer vacations have come to an end for Cuban students, who headed back to school today. The main activity to celebrate the new school year was held on Wednesday at Havana's Ciudad Libertad School City. On hand for the activity were Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage and Education Minister Luis Ignacio Gomez as well as other government officials and thousands of young grade school and high school children. The 1999-2000 school year has been dedicated to Comandante Camilo Cienfuegos, who took control of the Batista dictatorship's Columbia Garrison 40 years ago. The military garrison was later turned into a giant school city called Ciudad Libertad. During today's event, Education Minister Luis Ignacio Gomez referred to the success of the previous school year, where 94 percent of the island's children between six and 16 years of age were enrolled in classes. He reported that school uniforms and textbooks have been guaranteed once again this year, despite the economic limitations the country is still facing. Cuban's education minister said that more than 22 million notebooks, 22 million pencils and over three million textbooks as well as materials for primary, junior high school and senior high school students have been distributed throughout the country. IBEROAMERICAN MEETING OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE MINISTERS GETS UNDERWAY TOMORROW IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, September 1(RHC)-- The Second Iberoamerican Meeting of Economy and Finance Ministers is ready to get underway tomorrow in the Cuban capital. Participants will discuss economic policies and problems, comparing their experiences. The event is part of ministerial meetings prior to the Iberoamerican Summit of Heads of State or Government to be held in November in the Cuban capital. Representatives from the Latin American Economic System, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Association of Caribbean States and UN Development Program will also attend. The participants are scheduled to discuss the international financial situation in today's globalized economy. CUBA'S FINANCE MINISTER REPORTS THAT THIS YEAR'S GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT WILL REACH AT LEAST FOUR PERCENT Havana, September 1(RHC)-- Cuban Finance Minister Manuel Millares told reporters in Havana that the island's Gross National Product will not be less than four percent by the end of the year. The announcement confirms that Cuba will exceed its economic goals for 1999 -- which had been set at a growth rate of 2.5 percent. Millares said that the economic growth is the result of increased industrial output as well as economic reforms adopted in 1994. The Cuban official praised the notable reduction of the budget deficit -- three percent of the Gross National Product without compromising the Cuban Revolution's social achivements. The Cuban finance minister pointed to the importance of the Second Iberoamerican Meeting of Economy and Finance Ministers scheduled to get underway in Havana on Thursday, adding that he hopes the meeting will help increase regional economic relations and future joint actions. [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-11322 1999-Sep-01 18:03:33