Radio Havana Cuba, September 24, 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, September 24, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE CALLS WASHINGTON'S CUBA POLICY GENOCIDAL 2.- IBERO-AMERICAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONGRESS ENDS IN HAVANA 3.- CUBAN CULTURE MINISTER TO TRAVELS TO VIETNAM 4.- ITALY'S UNDER SECRETARY OF FOREIGN RELATIONS ENDS VISIT TO CUBA 5.- BRITISH UNIONS CONTRIBUTE TO CUBA'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE CALLS WASHINGTON'S CUBA POLICY GENOCIDAL Havana, September 24(RHC)-- In his speech before the 54th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque took aim at Washington's blockade of the island, calling it genocidal. The Cuban foreign minister insisted that 40 years of the U.S. government's sabotage, biological warfare and terrorism against Cuba was amply demonstrated -- proven by abundant documentary evidence and testimony during recent judicial proceedings against Washington in a Havana courtroom. In reference to the Helms-Burton Law, Perez Roque said that the Cuban-American terrorist mafia, together with the extreme right-wing, have been able to remove the blockade from presidential authority and convert it into rigorous and inflexible laws -- adding that, in this way, the genocide has acquired an institutional character. He said Cuba is an example of what should not occur in relations between powerful and small nations. The Cuban foreign minister also spoke of the inequalities and injustices of the current world order, with 20 percent of the population owning 86 percent of the planet's wealth. He asked delegates at the UN General Assembly what happens to the remaining 80 percent of the world's population. Perez Roque said that while 900 million people go hungry and one billion 300 million live in absolute poverty, rich nations spend 17 billion dollars a year on perfume and cosmetics and 12 billion on pet food. He said the international economic system is not only extremely unjust, but also absolutely unsustainable -- predicting a major disaster in the 21st century if this situation continues. Addressing the issue of world security, Foreign Minister Perez Roque expressed Cuba's concern over the domination of one military and technological power when the planet is exposed to more threats today than during the Cold War. Cuba's top diplomat also spoke of the need to reform the United Nations to make the world body more representative. He said that if the veto power of the five permanent members of the Security Council cannot be eliminated, then the number of permanent members should be increased to nine -- all with veto power. The Cuban foreign minister stated that member-states of the United Nations "must stop the attempt to impose a single way of thinking and the intent to make us believe that it is superior to our rich diversity of cultures and models or that it is more advanced and modern than our multiplicity of identities." Perez Roque said that according to the UN Charter, all nations are equal. But, in real life, this is not the case. During his speech before the 54th Session of the UN General Assembly, Cuba's foreign minister stated that Havana believes it is necessary to defend the United Nations, "now more than ever." He said that Cuba "defends the need for the existence of the UN as much as its democratization." And he added that "the challenge facing us is that of reforming the United Nations so that it serves the interests of all nations equally." IBERO-AMERICAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONGRESS ENDS IN HAVANA Havana, September 24(RHC)-- Sustainable Development and the Transfer of Technologies in a Globalized Economy was the main theme of the Ibero-American Science and Technology Ministerial Meeting, which winds up Friday night at Havana's Hotel Nacional. Access to technology through what is called "horizontal cooperation" between Ibero-American countries was discussed during the three-day meeting in the Cuban capital. Science and technology ministers as well as high-ranking officials from Latin America, Spain and Portugal met at the Hotel Nacional in downtown Havana for the Seventh Scientific Conference of the Ibero-American Science and Technology Program for Development. CUBAN CULTURE MINISTER TO TRAVELS TO VIETNAM Hanoi, September 24(RHC)-- Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto is scheduled to arrive in Hanoi tomorrow, Saturday, for a three-day official visit to Vietnam. The Cuban culture minister is expected to sign a cultural exchange agreement with his Vietnamese counterpart, Guyen Koa Diem. During his visit to the Vietnamese capital, the Cuban official will tour the Fine Arts Museaum and the Literature Temple in addition to the mausoleum which holds the remains of President Ho Chi Minh and the house in which he used to work. Abel Prieto will travel to Vietnam after ending his official visit to China. ITALY'S UNDER SECRETARY OF FOREIGN RELATIONS ENDS VISIT TO CUBA Havana, September 24(RHC)-- Italian Under Secretary of Foreign Relations Valentino Marteli underlined his country's interest in working with Cuba in the fight against drug -trafficking. Marteli told reporters in Havana that both countries are working towards implementing an assistance, technical and professional agreement at the expert-level in customs, training courses, information exchange and monitoring at a regional and international level. In statements to journalists just before ending his official visit to the island, the Italian official pointed out the similarities of positions in both countries' foreign policy. Marteli participated in the inauguration of the Second Italy-Cuba Surgery Encounter, which gathered together scientists and experts from both countries. BRITISH UNIONS CONTRIBUTE TO CUBA'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM Havana, September 24(RHC)-- British union activists have donated 17 ambulances, 14 busses and several mini-busses to the Cuban health care system. The contribution --with an estimated value of one million 500 thousand dollars -- is part of a solidarity campaign called "A Ship for Cuba." The donation, which also includes powered milk, vitamins and clothing, was sent to Havana by ship. Cuban Health Minister Carlos Dotres received the donation in the Cuban capital. At the official ceremony, it was announced that a second ship with donations for Cuban hospitals will soon set sail for the island. [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-29109 1999-Sep-24 21:01:33