---------- From: John Clancy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> . *CUBA WILL HOST INTERPARLIAMENTARY UNION CONFERENCE NEXT APRIL *CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTRY INAUGURATES NEW WEB SITE *HEAD OF CHINESE ARMY VISITS CUBA *CUBA'S HYGIENE AND EPIDEMIOLOGY INSTITUTE GRANTED INTERNATIONAL AWARD *MORE THAN 500 PAPERS TO BE PRESENTED AT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FORUM *NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SEEKS TO FURTHER DEVELOP NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE . *CUBA WILL HOST INTERPARLIAMENTARY UNION CONFERENCE NEXT APRIL Havana, December 27 (RHC)--The director of the Cuban Parliament's International Relations, Ramon Pez Ferro announced, Wednesday, in Havana that the island will host the Inter Parliamentary Union Conference next April. During a press conference in Havana, Pez Ferro said that the objective of the conference is to strengthen the links between the member nations and to promote international peace and cooperation. On hand during the Inter Parliamentary Union Conference will be over 900 high-ranking parliamentary leaders and representatives from all over the world. Amongst the issues for discussion is the preservation of the principles of international law and an analysis of the educational and cultural factors necessary for the full participation of men and women in society. The Parliamentary Institution's executive committee will consider each country's proposals for topics for debate. There will also be parallel workshops, with ad hoc committees, which will discuss sustainable development, the Middle East situation, and human rights. *CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTRY INAUGURATES NEW WEB SITE Havana, December 27 (RHC)-- A new web site was inaugurated by Cuba's Foreign Ministry Wednesday. The address is www. minrex.cu and will focus on the island's foreign policy. The Web site also includes information on other subjects of interest, including consular services and relations with other nations, as well as Cuba's views on globalization, terrorism, human rights and Washington's blockade against the island. *HEAD OF CHINESE ARMY VISITS CUBA Havana, December 27 (RHC)-- The Head of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, General Fu Quanyou, stated in Havana that Cuba has great international prestige. In statements to the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina, Quanyou stated that his visit to Cuba would serve to further strengthen bilateral ties between both armies in search of the common goal of building socialism. On his arrival last Tuesday, the high-ranking Chinese military officer and his delegation visited the Mausoleum in El Cacahual and laid a floral wreath at the Memorial to Cuban Independence Hero Antonio Maceo and his aide, Captain Panchito Gomez Toro who lost their lives in combat against Spanish colonialist troops. During his stay in Cuba, which runs through Saturday, the head of the Chinese army will meet with authorities in the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and visit military bases, as well as other centers of interest. *CUBA'S HYGIENE AND EPIDEMIOLOGY INSTITUTE GRANTED INTERNATIONAL AWARD Havana, December 27 (RHC)-- Cuba's Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute has been awarded an international prize granted by the Inter-American Health and Environmental Association (AIDIS). The award is in recognition of the efforts made by Cuban authorities to improve the quality of life of the Cuban people. The award was granted during sessions of the 27th Congress of the Inter-American Health and Environmental Association, held in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. During the congress, Cuba was also chosen to preside over four out of AIDIS' 17 sub-committees. These are education and research, environmental health, atmospheric pollution and noise pollution. Founded in 1948, AIDIS is the major NGO in the Americas regarding health and the environment with 39 member nations. Cuba became a full member of AIDIS in 1974. *MORE THAN 500 PAPERS TO BE PRESENTED AT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FORUM Havana, December 27 (RHC)-- Some 529 papers will be presented during the National Science and Technology Forum, set for January 5th through the 7th here in Havana. According to today's editorial in the Cuban newspaper Granma, over 1500 participants will gather in 13 work commissions to analyze the work developed by Cuba's Science and Technology Movement since its creation ten years ago. Delegates will also set the guidelines for dealing with future challenges. The movement was founded in the early 1990s, as a way of finding urgent solutions to problems that arose during the economic crisis, known as the special period. . Viewpoint: *NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SEEKS TO FURTHER DEVELOP NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE Cuba has developed and offers important medical support programs to other Third World countries. There are already thousands of Cuban doctors who have worked in the Third World offering high quality medical services to the poorest citizens in the most remote areas. Most of their patients could never afford to pay for surgical operations and complete medical treatment because of the high cost of these services in their countries. In Cuba itself, the health service continues to improve, and this has been reflected in the new national budget for the next year. The emphasis will be put on mobile medical assistance, aiming to reduce the demand for hospital beds for less serious medical cases. The existing 272 hospitals and 442 polyclinics linked to 30,000 family doctors bring direct local service all over the country, including the most isolated places. This medical support network guarantees medical attention for the entire population and is immediate and free. The new budget earmarks funds for the importation and national production of medicines for use in all health sectors. The forty-year U.S. economic blockade has caused difficulties sourcing and supplying the necessary medication. Funding will also be available for new health projects, including 17 home birth units, four mental health centers, a psychiatric occupational therapy complex and a neurological rehabilitation center. There will also be an expansion of facilities for AIDS patients, which will include the acquisition of highly priced special medicines at international prices. Under this new budget, training will be provided for 1,785 new doctors, 212 dentists, more than a thousand new nurses and about three thousand medical technicians. At the end of the year 2001 Cuba will have 66,000 doctors and some 10,000 dentists, which significantly multiplies the amount Cuba had before the Revolution. Cuba has created and developed a new philosophy and ethic of medicine inasmuch as these services are not seen in a commercial light but are considered as one of the rights of humankind in modern society, and should be freely accessible to everybody whatever their social, economic or geographical position may be. Cuba defends the idea of globalizing these free medical services for patients in whatever latitude of the world. It is an idea and a project in which Cuba has provided an example for forty-two years. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems http://www.blythe.org e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] =================================================== ****** from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subject: Havana Radio Dec 28 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 28 December 2000 . *PEREZ ROQUE: CUBA NEVER REQUESTED MEMBERSHIP IN MERCOSUR *BICYCLE MILLENIUM EVENT TO BE HELD IN CUBA NEXT MONTH *CUBA'S FRIENDSHIP INSTITUTE, ICAP, CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY *CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY READY FOR WORLD TOUR IN 2001 . *PEREZ ROQUE: CUBA NEVER REQUESTED MEMBERSHIP IN MERCOSUR Havana, December 28 (RHC)--Cuba's Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque gave a press conference on Thursday in Havana with the participation of the national and foreign press and announced that the island had never officially requested becoming a member of the MERCOSUR regional economic organization. The Foreign Minister read an official statement saying that becoming a MERCOSUR member is not a priority for the country at this moment. He denied foreign cables that stated that the Cuban government has been insisting in its desire to join the regional block currently made up of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. The Cuban government would never join an organization like MERCOSUR, because it is not logical given its geographic position, said Perez Roque. Aside from this, the organization's history and objectives do not coincide with those advanced by the island. However, he said, Cuba does see fit to sign the Economic Complimentary Accord which is currently being negotiated with MERCOSUR, similar to one Havana is working on with the Andean Community of Nations and another one already signed with CARICOM. The Cuban Foreign Minister ended his press conference by saying that Cuba strongly believes in Latin American and Caribbean integration as an indispensable condition of survival for each of the countries in an unjust and unequal world. *BICYCLE MILLENIUM EVENT TO BE HELD IN CUBA NEXT MONTH Havana, December 28 (RHC)--An International event called Bicycles in Solidarity for the New Millennium will be held in Cuba from January 8th to the 15th with the participation of 30 bikers from the United States and 10 from Cuba. The bikers will begin their tour across the island in Havana on the day that Fidel Castro entered the Cuban capital after the triumph of the Revolution 42 years ago. The 263-kilometer tour, organized by the Gran Caribe Ciclotourism Club with the special support of tourist institutions, is a clear example of work done in unity for the development of the country. Bicycles in Solidarity with the New Millennium constitutes part of activities leading up to another bike tour called National Tour Bicycles vs. Blockade. *CUBA'S FRIENDSHIP INSTITUTE, ICAP, CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY Havana, December 28 (RHC)--Cuba's Friendship Institute, ICAP, will celebrate on Saturday its 40th anniversary with excellent results in their work promoting friendship and solidarity among peoples. ICAP currently has friendship ties with over 1,650 organizations in 12 countries and annually hosts close to 15 international working brigades and over 200 specialized institutions, mainly from Europe and the United States. During 2000, ICAP hosted two US-Cuba Friendshipment Caravans; two Japanese "Peace Boat" cruise ships and was represented in over 20 solidarity meetings in Latin America. The largest solidarity activity was held last November during the 2nd World Solidarity with Cuba meeting with the participation of over 4,000 delegates. *CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY READY FOR WORLD TOUR IN 2001 Havana, December 28 (RHC)--Cuba's National Ballet Company is scheduled to perform in various countries in the world during the upcoming New Year. According to its director, Alicia Alonso, the dance troupe will perform in Venezuela, Costa Rica, South Africa, and Canada among other countries. Cuba's prima ballerina was recently awarded the Council of State's highest distinction, the Jose Marti Order. The Cuban ballet star said that a center for the development of new talents will soon be opened at the National Arts School. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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