Radio Havana Cuba, September 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 Wednesday, September 22, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE COMES OUT AGAINST CONCEPTS OF HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION AND LIMITED SOVEREIGNTY 2.- U.S. LEGISLATION ALLOWING FOR THE SALE OF FOOD AND MEDICINE TO CUBA KILLED IN COMMITTEE 3.- IBERO-AMERICAN MEETING OF MINISTERS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNDERWAY IN HAVANA 4.- SURGERY CONGRESSES MEET IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 5.- TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY GUERRILLA ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC NEXT MONTH 6.- SPANISH ENGINEERING COMPANY INVESTS IN CUBA'S THERMO ELECTRIC CENTERS 7.- CUBAN-ALGERIAN JOINT COOPERATION COMMISSION BEGINS THIRD ORDINARY SESSION IN ALGIERS 8.- BRAZIL'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BANK APPROVES CREDIT FOR CUBA 9.- CUBA'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ARE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE WORLD CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE COMES OUT AGAINST CONCEPTS OF HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION AND LIMITED SOVEREIGNTY Havana, September 22(RHC)-- At the 54th United Nations General Assembly session, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque has come out against the concepts "humanitarian intervention" and "limited sovereignty." His statements came in reaction to U.S. President Bill Clinton's speech Tuesday before the world body, in which he attempted to justify the U.S.-led NATO intervention in Kosovo without a mandate from the international community. The Cuban foreign minister instead came out in defense of the United Nations Charter, which is contrary to interventions in other countries without Security Council mandate. Perez Roque issued similar statements during a live interview granted Tuesday to CNN, stating that part of his message to the General Assembly -- when he is scheduled to speak on Friday, the 24th -- will consist of a call to defend the world body, international law and the UN Charter. Asked why Cuba continues denouncing Washington's blockade of the island when it appears that the blockade is being eased, the Cuban foreign minister stated that the Helms-Burton Law is being fully enforced. He pointed to three European firms investing in Cuba that are coming under pressure from the U.S. government, including the Spanish hotel group Sol Melia. Perez Roque also took note of President Clinton's call on the international community for greater efforts in favor of the growing ranks of the poor. He said that this was "a recognition of the injustices of neo-liberal globalization." U.S. LEGISLATION ALLOWING FOR THE SALE OF FOOD AND MEDICINE TO CUBA KILLED IN COMMITTEE Washington, September 22(RHC)-- Right wing members of the U.S. House of Representatives have blocked legislative efforts to at least partially lift Washington's blockade against Cuba -- which would have allowed for the sale of food and medicine to the island. A Senate bill permitting U.S. companies to sell food and medicine to Cuba -- while still keeping the rest of the blockade in place -- was approved earlier this summer by a vote of 70 to 28. However, to become law, the proposal was sent to a conference committee made up of members of the Senate and House of Representatives. It was during negotiations in the conference committee that the legislation was effectively killed. According to press reports from Capitol Hill, opponents of ending the blockade on food and medicine -- particularly congressional representatives of Cuban origin -- attached a number of conditions to the proposed legislation, including political and economic changes on the island. One of the sponsors of the bill to allow for the sale of food and medicine to Cuba, New York Representative Jose Serrano, told reporters Wednesday that the conference committee's decision demonstrates the political power that right wing Cuban-Americans in Miami still maintain. Serrano said that it was absurd and inhumane to deny food and medicine to people for political reasons. Farmers in the United States, pharmaceutical companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have been promoting the partial lifting of Washington's economic blockade, arguing that the geographical proximity of Cuba makes it a logical market for U.S. products. IBERO-AMERICAN MEETING OF MINISTERS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, September 22(RHC)-The Ibero-American meeting of Ministers of Science and Technology, entitled "Sustainable Development and the Transfer of Technology in a Globalized Economy," got underway on Wednesday in Havana. Twelve Science and Technology Ministers and eight regional experts will discuss the impact of new technologies in the areas of health, food and the quality of life and environment. The Science and Technology Ministers Meeting runs through Friday, when a final declaration will be issued by the participants. This is one of many meetings prior to the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, slated for November in the Cuban capital. SURGERY CONGRESSES MEET IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, September 22(RHC)-- The 13th Latin American Congress on Surgery and 6th Cuban Congress on Surgery are underway at Havana's Convention Center. Over 1000 surgery professors and specialists from 24 nations continued their debates and exchanges during Wednesday's sessions. The agenda includes new minimum access technologies, new approaches in surgery for colon, rectum, hernia and cysts operations and also surgery for small tumors. Cultural activities for participants have also been scheduled, such as a Latin American Night at Havana's Amphitheater and a concert by the National Symphonic Orchestra at the Cuban capital's Amadeo Roldan Theater. Delegates participating in this Latin American Surgery Congress underway at the Convention Center also have the opportunity to visit the various stands located in the hall where some of the latest technologies and equipment are in display. They belong to companies such as the Three M and Variant from the United States and Fem Care Limited from England as well as other companies. The 13th Latin American Congress on Surgery and 6th Cuban Congress on Surgery wind up on Friday, the 24th. TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY GUERRILLA ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC NEXT MONTH Santo Domingo, September 22(RHC)-- An exhibition entitled "Constant Image" -- the life of revolutionary guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara -- will open in the Dominican Republic on October 8th to commemorate the 31st anniversary of his death in combat. The exhibition will be presented at the Fine Arts Palace in the capital, Santo Domingo, and will then be taken to other cities, including La Vega, Santiago de los Caballeros, Montecristi, Bani and La Romana. On hand at the opening of the exhibit will be representatives of Cuba's Organization in Solidarity with the Peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America (OSPAAAL). On October 10th, Che's daughter, Aleida Guevara, will make a presentation at the exhibition in Santo Domingo. On that same day, the Fifth National Encounter in Solidarity with Cuba will be held in the Dominican Republic with the participation of committees from across that Caribbean country. SPANISH ENGINEERING COMPANY INVESTS IN CUBA'S THERMO ELECTRIC CENTERS Havana, September 22(RHC)-- The Spanish Iberdrola Engineering Company will invest nearly three million dollars to modernize three of Cuba's thermo-electric plants with a power of 100 megawatts each. The Spanish firm, which has other restructuring agreements with the island, has signed a new contract with Cuba's Electric Company to carry out joint projects, including an exchange of technology and experiences. CUBAN-ALGERIAN JOINT COOPERATION COMMISSION BEGINS THIRD ORDINARY SESSION IN ALGIERS Algiers, September 22(RHC)-- The Cuban-Algerian Joint Cooperation Commission began its Third Ordinary Session to analyze the state of bilateral relations, particularly in scientific and economic areas. Cuban Deputy Health Minister Noemi Benitez Mendoza and Algeria's General Secretary of Health, Mohamed Abbes Larbi, chaired the meeting. The main issues being discussed are in the field of agriculture, fishing, tobacco and sugar, as well as the production of vaccines and the technology used by Cuba for cardiovascular surgery. BRAZIL'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BANK APPROVES CREDIT FOR CUBA Brasilia, September 22(RHC)-- Brazil's Economic and Social Development Bank has approved a loan of nearly 18 million dollars to help finance the purchase of 342 buses for Havana's public transportation system and tourism industry. According to the Gazeta Mercantil daily, the credit operation will be made through the Carib Transport company, created by the Dutch ING Bank for the sale of Brazilian transportation parts in Cuba. CUBA'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT ARE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE WORLD Havana, September 22(RHC)-- Cuba's achievements in the application of its human development program are an example for other countries, according to Italian and United Nations officials meeting in Havana. Participants at the meeting analyzed the program's contributions to the municipality of Old Havana and the provinces of Granma and Pinar del Rio in terms of the environment, economic development, health and education. The human development program in Cuba is in compliance with an accord signed by over 110 countries during the Summit on Social Development held in Denmark in 1995. [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-16236 1999-Sep-22 22:34:14