Radio Havana Cuba-14 December 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 14 December 2000 . *RUSSIAN FEDERATION PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN BEGINS VISIT TO CUBA *CUBA ADMITTED AS FULL MEMBER OF THE AFRICA, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC GROUP *US ECONOMIC WAR AGAINST CUBA AFFECTS THE ISLAND'S ENTRY INTO GLOBAL ECONOMY *CHINESE DELEGATION WINDS UP VISIT TO CUBA *CRUISE SHIPS DOCK MORE FREQUENTLY ON THE ISLAND *Viewpoint: HANGING UP ON THE USA . *RUSSIAN FEDERATION PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN BEGINS VISIT TO CUBA Havana, December 14 (RHC)-- The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, arrived in the Cuban capital late Wednesday night to begin an official four-day visit. Cuban President Fidel Castro personally greeted his Russian counterpart at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport when the IL-96 jet arrived from Moscow at 11:20 p.m. President Vladimir Putin is leading a large delegation of high-ranking officials and business leaders from his country. Thursday morning, the Russian president was officially welcomed at the Palacio de la Revolucion and began formal talks with Cuban President Fidel Castro. During his four-day visit to the island, Vladimir Putin and his accompanying delegation will visit economic, social and cultural places of interest. On Sunday, the Russian leader will travel to Canada for an official visit. *CUBA ADMITTED AS FULL MEMBER OF THE AFRICA, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC GROUP Brussels, December 14 (RHC)-- Cuba has officially been admitted as a member of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group, the ACP. The Council of Ministers of the ACP approved the move during a meeting in Brussels Thursday morning. The ACP is composed of 77 countries and is made up of former European colonies throughout Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. The group of nations are beneficiaries of the former Lome Convention -- replaced last June by the Cotonou Accord -- which offers preferencial trade relations between the European Community and their former colonies. In May 1998, Cuba was granted observer status in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group and will now become a full member, effective immediately. *US ECONOMIC WAR AGAINST CUBA AFFECTS THE ISLAND'S ENTRY INTO GLOBAL ECONOMY Havana, December 14 (RHC)-- Cuban economists said on Thursday in Havana that the US economic war against the island affects the country from inserting itself into the global economy. During the 5th Congress of Cuban Economists, the participants discussed issues such as regional integration, as well as increasing and diversifying products and services for exportation. On domestic issues the Cuban economists discussed the development of food production, with mecanisms that would stimulate production. The commission dedicated to the level and quality of life in the population discussed the relationship between salary incentives, education/employment and economic assistance for people with low wages. *CHINESE DELEGATION WINDS UP VISIT TO CUBA Havana, December 14 (RHC)-- China's Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, Shi Guangsheng wound up on Wednesday a working visit to Cuba where he signed important agreements during this session of the China-Cuba Joint Economic Cooperation Commission. During his visit to Havana, the Chinese official met with Cuban President Fidel Castro who praised China's stable economic growth. Shi Guangsheng analized alongside Cuban authorities ways of stengthening economic cooperation and trade between the two countries. The China-Cuba Joint Economic Cooperation Commission ended with the signing of an economic cooperation agreement destined for the island's education system. China and Cuba maintain trade relations in the fields of tourism, agriculture, electronics and pharmaceutical products. The Chinese delegation will go on to Colombia as part of a tour through Latin America. *CRUISE SHIPS DOCK MORE FREQUENTLY ON THE ISLAND Havana, December 14 (RHC)--After five years of success, the cruise terminal in Havana is a clear example that this is another tourism option for the island to visitors who seek a first hand look at Cuba. The island has received 250 cruise ships with 76,000 vacationers so far this year. During the celebration of the 5th anniversary of Havana's Cruise Terminal, Cuba's Transportation Minister, Alvaro Perez Morales pointed out that despite Washington's blockade against the island and the anti Cuban Helms Burton law, cruise ships docking at the island continues to increase. He added that 330 cruise ships are expected to visit the island next year which will require the country's transportation authorities to increase the current capacity of port instalations. *Viewpoint: HANGING UP ON THE USA Direct telephone communication between Cuba and the United States will be interrupted on Friday, December 15th, following US telephone companies not complying with their contracts with their Cuban counterpart. A few months ago, as part of its continuing aggressive and hostile policy against Havana, Washington authorized the use of Cuban frozen funds in the United States to compensate the relatives of members of a terrorist organization killed in the course of violating Cuban airspace. As a result, the Cuban Council of State decided to establish a 10% additional tax on every phone call from and to the United States and Cuba in order to make up the losses resulting from the use of the Cuban frozen funds. The measure will remain in effect until the total amount owed -- which is several million dollars -- is recovered. It was also announced that the income resulting from this tax would be used to buy medicines and medical equipment for the island's public health system, which is suffering the effects of Washington's four decade blockade against the Cuban people. The US companies which have contracts with Cuba to facilitate direct telephone communication between the two countries -- particularly between Cuban emigrants in the United States and their families on the island -- have not received permission from the US government to pay the tax to ETECSA - the Cuban telephone company. It is not in the Cuban government's interest to damage direct communications between the two countries -- particularly in light of the fact that the main beneficiaries of open communication are Cubans with relatives in the United States. However, what would have happened if it was the other way around? What would have happened if Cuba had taken possession of funds of US companies in the same manner? There is little doubt that the Cuban people would then have to face further economic limitations and privations. It goes without saying that those who have imposed the economic blockade on the Cuban people for four decades wouldn't stop to consider any alternatives. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= rhc-eng-7677 2000-Dec-15 01:07:33