Radio Havana Cuba-26 October 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 26 October 2000 . *CUBA ANNOUNCES TAX ON CALLS TO AND FROM US *SOUTH AFRICAN VICE PRESIDENT CONTINUES VISIT TO CUBA *NICARAGUAN VICE PRESIDENT CONDEMNS US LEGISLATION AGAINST CUBA *INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO FESTIVAL SLATED FOR DECEMBER *LATIN JAZZ DOCUMENTARY "CALLE 54" WILL BE SHOWN IN CUBA IN DECEMBER *BRONZE STATUES OF TWO MEXICANS TO BE UNVEILED IN HAVANA *GERMANY/CUBA COOPERATION MEETING BEGINS IN HAVANA *CUBA AND VENEZUELA: TWO PEOPLES WITH ONE COMMON DESTINY . *CUBA ANNOUNCES TAX ON CALLS TO AND FROM US Havana, October 26 (RHC)-Cuba announced on Wednesday that a ten percent tax, levied on each minute of calls to and from the United States, is now in effect. The tax was announced earlier this week through the release of a Council of State Decree on telephone communications between Cuba and the United States. According to the Cuban telecommunications company, ETECSA, the tax - amounting to 24.5 cents per minute -- will be charged until the U.S. government returns illegally frozen Cuban funds. The money collected through this tax will be used to purchase medicine and medical equipment. The tax hike is only applicable to Cuba-US telephone traffic and will not have any impact on communications between Cuba and other countries. The decree was approved in response to U.S. congressional legislation - currently awaiting President Bill Clinton's signature -- that would authorize the use of Cuban funds arbitrarily withheld by the United States for a period of 28 years, to compensate relatives of the pilots of the planes that were shot down by Cuba on February 24, 1996. The incident, which took place off Cuban territorial waters, noted the decree, was the sole responsibility of the U.S. administration. The funds -estimated at over 100 million dollars- were the patrimony of the now defunct EMTELCUBA company for telephone calls between residents of Cuba and the United States. Cuba says that any attempt by U.S. authorities to confiscate or freeze the money resulting from the 10% tax increase, will prompt the adoption of other measures, that could include a total blackout of direct or indirect telephone communications between the two countries. *SOUTH AFRICAN VICE PRESIDENT CONTINUES VISIT TO CUBA Havana, October 26 (RHC)--South African Vice President, Jacob Zuma, on Thursday visited Cuba's Foreign Ministry where he met with First Deputy Foreign Minister, Jorge Bolanos. The South African official said that his delegation is very pleased to be in Cuba where they feel at home. The delegation is scheduled to visit Cuba's Friendship Institute and to participate in a block activity hosted by a Committee for the Defense of the Revolution neighborhood organization, in Havana's Plaza municipality. *NICARAGUAN VICE PRESIDENT CONDEMNS US LEGISLATION AGAINST CUBA Managua, October 26 (RHC)-- Nicaragua's second Vice President, Edwin Castro, has characterized as "false" an alledged easing of Washington's blockade against Cuba . On Wednesday, Castro told Prensa Latina news agency in Managua, that an agricultural bill recently passed by the U.S. Congress that supposedly permits the sale of food and medicine to Havana, actually tightens Washngton's blockade against the island. The Nicaraguan vice president called for the total elimination of the U.S. blockade against the Cuban people which, he stressed, has been condemned 8 consecutive years in the United Nations General Assembly. *INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO FESTIVAL SLATED FOR DECEMBER Pinar del Rio October 26 (RHC)-- Visits to the famous tobacco plantations of Vueltabajo in the western province of Pinar del Rio, meetings with tobacco planters and a trade fair, are all part of the island's International Tobacco Festival slated to run from December 14th through the 21st. The activities, which are taken from local traditions, are designed to promote commercial and scientific exchanges among tobacco executives and professionals from the Central American and Caribbean region, according to the President of the Festival's organizing committee, Alfredo Gonzalez. Gonzalez added that Cuba's world famous "Habanos," or cigars, are made from the excellent tobacco of the Vueltabajo region, some 150 kilometers west of Havana. Researchers, producers and business executives will take the opportunity to exchange their experiences on tobacco and its relationship to Cuban culture, soil, botany, genetics and sustainable agriculture. Vueltabajo, located in western Pinar del Rio province, provides 70 per cent of the island's tobacco production. *LATIN JAZZ DOCUMENTARY "CALLE 54" WILL BE SHOWN IN CUBA IN DECEMBER Havana, October 26 (RHC)-- The Latin Jazz film "Calle 54" by Spanish film maker Fernando Trueba, will be shown in Havana next December 13th, as part of the island's International Festival of New Latin American Film. Fernando Trueva, winner of an Oscar award, has dedicated his latest film to Latin Jazz and renowned musicians like Chucho Valdes, Michel Camilo, Gato Barbieri and other Ibero American Jazz greats. According to the film maker, the screening of the documentary on the island, is in honor of Cuba's contribution to Latin Jazz. *BRONZE STATUES OF TWO MEXICANS TO BE UNVEILED IN HAVANA Havana, October 26 (RHC)-- A bronze statue of Mexican patriot, Benito Juarez, will be unveiled on November 6th in Havana's Vedado municipality. The statue stands 3.2 meters high and will be placed on the capital's Avenida de los Presidents, where other statues of important Latin American figures are located, including one of slain Chilean President, Salvador Allende. Meanwhile, a statue dedicated to Mexican musician-composer, Agustin Lara, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his death, will be unveiled in December. *GERMANY/CUBA COOPERATION MEETING BEGINS IN HAVANA Havana, October 26 (RHC)--Representatives of the Cuban and German business communities are holding bilateral talks in a wide variety of eonomic sectors on opportunities for bilateral trade and investment. The Germany- Cuba Cooperation meeting, which got underway on Thursday in Havana, will run through next Tuesday, October 31st, and is aimed at improving economic relations. The event is gathering executives and representatives from 30 German entreprises in the fields of Biotechnology, medical equipment, food, transportation and metal goods, as well as offering seminars and discussions on entreprenurial advice and banking. Particpants are exchanging information on their companies and future bilateral exchange, as well as taking the opportunity to learn about potential opportunities in a variety of Cuban economic sectors. The Cuba- Germany Cooperation Meeting is taking place as a 50 company representation from that European country is preparing to participate in Havana's International Trade Fair which will open its doors next Sunday at the Expocuba Exhibition Complex. In a recent communique to the cooperation meeting, the German Government expressed its support of the German business delegation that will take part in the Fair. The document also lists the export-oriented small and medium enterprises that will be exhibiting their products and services in a joint pavilion. The Communique announces that Germany's Information stand at the Fair will provide information on export and import opportunities offered by German companies. Viewpoint: *CUBA AND VENEZUELA -- TWO PEOPLES WITH ONE COMMON DESTINY The people of Cuba and Venezuela have always shared a strong sense of solidarity which, over the years, nothing and no-one has been able to break. These ties have been in existence since the years of Cuba's struggle for national independence from Spanish colonialism. One concrete gesture of solidarity was the call issued by Simon Bolivar for an expedition force -- led by Antonio Jose de Sucre -- organized to liberate the island from Spanish domination. Many years later, in 1895, when Cuba's National Hero Jose Marti prepared to launch the second War of Independence, he commented that he always respected and admired the Liberator, Simon Bolivar. Jose Marti visited Venezuela during those days -- raising funds for his revolutionary actions. In his writings, Marti recalled that when he arrived in Caracas, one of the first things he did was to pay tribute to Bolivar. Since that day, Bolivar and the Venezuelan people have been near and dear to the people of Cuba. Earlier this week, the first order of business for a delegation of Cuban youth, arriving in what is now officially the Bolivariana Republic of Venezuela, was to pay homage to a monument erected in honor of Simon Bolivar. The delegation has already carried out a number of activities in the Venezuelan capital -- including the inauguration of the Jose Marti School, completely refurbished, as well as solidarity events and exchanges between Cuban and Venezuelan young people. Today, Thursday, Cuban President Fidel Castro arrived in Caracas, invited by his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez. The leader of the Cuban Revolution will deliver an address to the Venezuelan Parliament and participate in many other activities during his historic visit. Fidel Castro last visited Venezuela shortly after the triumph of the Revolution -- in January 1959 - more than 40 years ago. This week's momentous encounter between the peoples of Cuba and Venezuela is taking place at a difficult time in the long-running confrontation between Havana and Washington. While the United States probably won't see Fidel's visit in a good light, the bonds of friendship and solidarity between Cuba and Venezuela will certainly be strengthened. And these renewed bonds will make it that much harder for Washington to divide and conquer our peoples -- standing together, as always, with a common goal: Latin American unity. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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