Radio Havana Cuba, September 2, 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, September 2, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ADDRESSES THE NATION TONIGHT 2.- U.S. REPRESENTATIVE NICK LAMPSON CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S ECONOMIC BLOCKADE AGAINST FOOD AND MEDICINE 3.- SECOND IBEROAMERICAN MEETING OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE MINISTERS UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 4.- CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT PRAISES SPANISH GOVERNMENT FOR DEFYING HELMS-BURTON LAW 5.- LATIN AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE INAUGURATED IN HAVANA CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO ADDRESSES THE NATION TONIGHT Havana, September 2(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro addressed the people on national television Wednesday night -- announcing that he will hold a special news conference Thursday evening regarding the recent attacks on the Cuban sports movement. The Cuban leader spoke at the end of the nightly newscast, broadcast on both national TV channels. He said that he had hoped to be able to discuss the issue Wednesday, but that another 24 hours was needed to put together the many facts and figures for such an important news conference. The leader of the Cuban Revolution stated that 14 representatives of international news agencies accredited in Cuba will be invited, as well as five Cuban journalists. Following the Cuban leader's statements and the presentation of information regarding recent attacks on the country's athletes, a number of other participants will be allowed to make statements and reporters will then be given the opportunity to ask questions of the panel. Cuban President Fidel Castro -- in announcing Thursday evenings' special news conference to be held at 8:30 p.m. local time -- said that if one session is not enough, another session will be held Friday night. He told television viewers that this will insure that any and all questions by journalists will be answered thoroughly. The Cuban leader added that the information presented Thursday evening will be of great interest, both nationally and internationally. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE NICK LAMPSON CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S ECONOMIC BLOCKADE AGAINST FOOD AND MEDICINE Havana, September 2(RHC)-- U.S. Congressional Representative Nick Lampson of Texas and an accompanying delegation of rice farmers from the Texas Farm Bureau are in Cuba to explore bilateral trade opportunities. On Thursday, the Democratic congressman and several rice farmers from southeast Texas held a news conference in the Cuban capital. Representative Lampson told reporters that he is one of 140 sponsors of legislation in the House of Representatives that would allow for the sale of food and medicine to the island. "It has become increasingly clear to me that the export embargo with regard to food and medicine, imposed by the U.S. and Cuba, is no longer necessary. The objectives for which it was created no longer make any sense in either political or economic terms. The sanctions hurt two groups with which I am familiar: the Cuban people who need our food and U.S. farmers who can produce it in abundance. "As we approach a new century, these economic sanctions on food and medicine are part of the past. It is time for this policy to end. I urge my colleagues in Congress to support pending legislation which will eliminate U.S. economic sanctions on food and medicine. I further urge President Clinton to sign the legislation and implement it without delay. "Cuba represents a market of approximately $700 million in agricultural products. In the 1950's -- prior to the embargo -- Cuba imported 250,000 metric tons of rice. In 1996, that would represent ten percent of total exports from the United States. This is a high quality, long grain rice, which producers in southeast Texas grow." U.S. Congressional Representative Nick Lampson told the Havana news conference that lifting the U.S. embargo on food and medicine could be a first step in completely ending the U.S. blockade against Cuba. Lampson also said that with the ports of southeast Texas only hundreds and not thousands of miles from Cuba, Texas farmers can successfully compete for the market. During their week-long visit to the island, Lampson and his accompanying delegation met with high-level Cuban government officials in the Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Ministries as well as the Agriculture Ministry. SECOND IBEROAMERICAN MEETING OF ECONOMY AND FINANCE MINISTERS UNDERWAY IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, September 2(RHC)-- The Second Iberoamerican Meeting of Economy and Finance Ministers got underway today in the Cuban capital. The two-day meeting will allow an exchange of ideas and information on the international economic and financial crisis and promote regional integration and development. During the event's inaugural ceremony, presided over by Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage and other Latin American personalities, the island's Finance Minister Manuel Millares welcomed the delegates. Millares expressed Cuba's determination to work for the integration of the region and to maintain its solidarity. The Cuban official said that "integration is the only possible option to face the challenges of the new millennium." Following the opening address by Cuba's finance minister, the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Economic System (SELA) Carlos Moneta expressed his organization's views on the regional impact of the current international financial crisis. During the course of the meeting which runs through Friday, delegates will report on their countries' economic and financial situations. The Second Iberoamerican Meeting of Economy and Finance Ministers is part of a series of gatherings prior to the Iberoamerican Summit of Heads of State and Government, slated for November in Havana. CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT PRAISES SPANISH GOVERNMENT FOR DEFYING HELMS-BURTON LAW Havana, September 2(RHC)-- Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage praised the Spanish government's position of standing up to repeated threats by Washington to apply Title Three of the Helms- Burton Law against Spain's investors in Cuba. Under that section of the U.S. legislation, Spain's Sol Melia Hotel could be sanctioned for its investments on the island. Lage underscored statements made by Spain's Economy Minister Rodrigo Rato -- announcing that Madrid and the European Union would defy the U.S. government if Washington carried out its threats. Condemning the anti-Cuba Helms-Burton Law, which aims to punish third nations that do business on the island, the Cuban vice president pointed to the excellent trade relations that exist between Cuba and Spain. Vice President Carlos Lage added that the two countries are scheduled to sign an accord to promote further Spanish investment on the island. LATIN AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE INAUGURATED IN HAVANA Havana, September 2(RHC)-- The Latin American School of Medicine, located just west of the Cuban capital, was officially inaugurated on Thursday -- opening its doors to 1900 students from 17 countries. The school -- the only one of its kind in the world -- is part of a government plan to grant scholarships to Latin American and Caribbean young people to study medicine in Cuba. Cuban doctors and medical personnel are also providing their services -- free- of-charge -- in many area countries. 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