>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 19 May 2000 > > > -CUBANS COMMEMORATE 105th ANNIVERSARY OF JOSE MARTI'S DEATH IN COMBAT > -CUBA WILL MAINTAIN RELATIONS WITH AFRICA-CARIBBEAN-PACIFIC GROUP > -UN DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL BEGINS TALKS WITH CUBAN AUTHORITIES > -GERMAN FEDERAL MINISTER ARRIVES IN HAVANA > -NEW MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS > -Viewpoint: PROTESTS AGAINST NEO-LIBERAL ECONOMIC PROGRAMS IN ARGENTINA > > >CUBANS COMMEMORATE THE 105th ANNIVERSARY OF JOSE MARTI'S DEATH IN COMBAT > >Havana, May 19 (RHC)-- More than 7000 Cuban youth and students took part >Friday in a patriotic activity to mark the 105th anniversary of Jose Marti's >death in combat. Cuban President Fidel Castro also participated in the >event. > >During the ceremony, held at the Jose Marti Anti-Imperialist Tribune on >Havana's Malecon, a bronze statue of Cuba's National Hero was unveiled. >Jose Marti is holding a small child in one of his arms, while pointing an >accusing finger directly at the door of the U.S. Interests Section. > >The statue was made by Cuban sculptor Andres Gonzalez and substitutes a >similar statue in plaster, temporarily placed at the site where hundreds of >thousands of Cubans have demanded the immediate return of six-year-old Elian >Gonzalez. > >Friday morning's activity in Havana also honored the 150th anniversary of >Cuba's national flag. > > >CUBA WILL MAINTAIN DIPLOMATIC AND COOPERATION RELATIONS >WITH AFRICA-CARIBBEAN-PACIFIC GROUP > >Havana, May 19 (RHC)-- Cuban authorities have reaffirmed that they will >maintain diplomatic and cooperation relations with members of the ACP Group >-- the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Group -- following Havana's decision to >withdraw its request for membership. > >During a news conference in the Cuban capital on Thursday, Alejandro >Gonzalez, a spokesman for the island's Foreign Ministry, referred to >messages of solidarity received from various ACP member nations -- >supporting Cuba's position to firmly reject any attempt to impose conditions >that violate the island's sovereignty. > >Gonzalez also referred to the illegal holding in the United States of Elian >Gonzalez against his father's wishes. The diplomatic official stressed that >this incident has served to demonstrate the absurdity of Washington's policy >toward Cuba. He added that the American people have witnessed countless >maneuvers by right wing Cuban-Americans in Miami, together with their allies >on Capitol Hill -- who are trying to prevent the normalization of relations >between Washington and Havana. > >Referring to an initiative in the U.S. Congress to allow the sale of food >and medicine to the island, the Cuban foreign ministry spokesman said that >it's a step in the right direction, expressing the sentiment of the vast >majority of the American people. He added that Cuba will closely watch the >course of future events, but without any false expectations. > > >UN DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL BEGINS TALKS WITH CUBAN AUTHORITIES > >Havana, May 19 (RHC)-- United Nations Deputy Secretary General Maurice >Strong began talks on Friday with Cuban authorities, aimed at strengthening >bilateral cooperation with the island, especially in the areas of energy and >the environment. > >The high-ranking UN official arrived in Havana on Thursday to begin an >official visit at the invitation of Cuba's Minister for Foreign Investment >and Economic Cooperation, Marta Lomas. > >During his stay in Havana, which runs through tomorrow, Saturday, the UN >deputy secretary general is also scheduled to meet with Cuba's Minister for >Science, Technology and the Environment, Rosa Elena Simeon, as well as >Cuba's Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon. > >The dignitary's agenda on the island also includes meetings with Cuba's >Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and authorities from the island's Higher >Education Ministry and the National Bank. > > >GERMAN FEDERAL MINISTER ARRIVES IN HAVANA > >Havana, May 19 (RHC)-- German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and >Development Heidemarie Wieczorek-zeul has arrived in Havana for an official >visit at the invitation of Cuba's Minister for Foreign Investment and >Economic Cooperation, Marta Lomas. > >This visit, the first by a German federal minister to Cuba, is being carried >out in the framework of Germany's development assistance to the Caribbean >island. > >German authorities support Cuba's National Desertification Program. The >European country's business community has also expressed its interest in >exploring business opportunities on the island. > > >NEW MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS > >Havana, May 19 (RHC)-- The Cuban Council of Ministers has designated Ricardo >Cabrisas as Cuba's Minister of Government for International Affairs, related >primarily to trade and the economy. > >At the time of his designation and for many years, Ricardo Cabrisas served >as the island's foreign trade minister. > >The Council of State has also named Raul Nuez Ramirez to substitute Cabrisas >as the top Cuban foreign trade official. > > >Viewpoint: > >PROTESTS AGAINST NEO-LIBERAL ECONOMIC PROGRAMS IN ARGENTINA > >Social unrest continues on the rise in Argentina. Earlier this week, there >were at least ten people injured, a government office torched and a >legislator's home sacked and destroyed in clashes between workers and police >in the northeastern Chaco Province. > >Public employee unions are protesting the provincial legislature's approval >of an economic shock program that includes reductions in social spending and >salary benefits. In front of the legislature, hundreds of protesters armed >with clubs and rocks faced police using tear gas, firing rubber bullets and >charging into the demonstrators on horseback. > >This is the second protest in Chaco in less than a month. It also coincides >with other demonstrations of social unrest in several Argentinean provinces. >In the northwestern province of Jujuy, sugar workers on Wednesday lifted >road blocks demanding subsides for the sector, while in the province of >Salta, hundreds of people continued blocking roads, demanding jobs and >welfare programs. On the other hand in Catamarca, construction workers are >demanding a reactivation of public jobs and protesting massive layoffs in >the sector. > >On Wednesday, Social Development Minister Graciela Fernandez Meijide stated >that never before in Argentinean history has there been so much structural >poverty, not even during the Great Depression of the 1930's. However, five >months after the rise to power of a center-left coalition, the government >has been unable to launch social reforms without first implementing a severe >fiscal adjustment program that includes higher taxes, spending cutbacks and >only promises for future economic growth. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba. 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >================================================================= > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Failed tests, classes skipped, forgotten locker combinations. >Remember the good 'ol days >http://click.egroups.com/1/4053/0/_/30563/_/958858678/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >Cuba SI - Imperialism NO! >Information and discussion about Cuba. >Socialism or death! Patria o muerte! Venceremos! >http://www.egroups.com/group/cubasi > >Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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