>Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 23:00:36 -0400 >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Radio Havana Cuba-26 October 2000 >To: undisclosed-recipients:; >Status: > >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. 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] >================================================================= > >nytcari-10.26.00-23:00:09-20456 > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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