>X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Unverified) > >subject:Havana Radio news/views Dec 16-17. >Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit >Radio Havana Cuba - Weekend News Update - 16-17 December 2000 >. > >*CUBA PULLS THE PLUG ON DIRECT PHONE CALLS FROM THE US > >*FIDEL CASTRO AWARDED HEALTH ACTIVIST DIPLOMA > >*CUBAN-VENEZUELAN MIXED COOPERATION COMMISSION MEETING CONCLUDES > >*MINISTER OF CUBAN ARMED FORCES MEETS WITH RUSSIAN COUNTERPART > >*INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL UNDERWAY IN HAVANA > >*NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO COLLECT RECYCLED MATERIALS CONCLUDES > > . > >*CUBA PULLS THE PLUG ON DIRECT PHONE CALLS FROM THE US > >Havana, December 16 (RHC)-- Cuba has every legitimate right to cut >direct, long-distance telephone calls from the United States. During >a special roundtable discussion, aired live on Cuban radio and >television last night, a panel of journalists and experts on >international affairs examined the decision to cut the cord on direct >communications, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Friday. > >One panelist on the roundtable -- Eduardo Dimas, a political >commentator on radio and television in Havana -- recalled that since >1966, Cuba has maintained telephone links with the U.S. despite the >fact that payments were never made. Dimas said that Cuba did not >receive a single cent for the phone service and that the money was >frozen in U.S. bank accounts until 1994. > >Journalists taking part in the televised program Friday night noted >that in 1999, a judge in Miami ordered that the frozen funds be used >to pay the families of four members of the terrorist group Brothers >to the Rescue. The four were shot down, despite repeated warnings >that they were violating Cuban territorial airspace, on February 24, >1996. It was revealed that Judge Lawrence King is in the pay of the >right wing Cuban-American community in southern Florida. > >After warning that telephone service would be cut if the bills were >not paid to ETECSA, a Cuban-Italian joint venture, it was announced >that phone service would be disconnected beginning on Friday, >December 15th. > >Several panelists pointed out that the right-wing Cuban-Americans in >Miami are now raising hell -- claiming that Havana has unilaterally >taken this measure at a time when relatives in southern Florida want >to call their families on the island and wish them a Merry Christmas. >Reinaldo Taladrid, a television commentator, said that the Miami >mafia is not reporting on the long history of stormy relations in >communications between the two countries... trying to make it seem >like Cuba is cutting the cord on telephone calls at this time of year >to punish the families of Cubans on the island. Taladrid pointed out >that when one doesn't pay their bill, services are terminated. And he >pointed out that even in the United States, if one doesn't pay their >gas bill, their heat is turned off -- even in the dead of winter, >right around Christmas-time. The right-wing campaign coming out >of Miami and Washington, designed to make Cuba into the bad guy, was >quickly dismissed as nothing more than a weak propaganda effort. > >During the roundtable discussion on Friday, panelists also examined >the desperate attempts by Miami to try to free international >terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, who is being held in Panama for >planning to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro. The >participants pointed to the campaign -- led by an attorney and former >attorney general of Panama -- who has been paid to try to defend >Posada Carriles and his accomplices. It was noted that attempts to >defend the jailed terrorists in Panama and free them on >bail purposefully ignore the long history of Luis Posada Carriles in >attacks against the Cuban Revolution. > > *FIDEL CASTRO AWARDED HEALTH ACTIVIST DIPLOMA > >Havana, December 16 (RHC)-- Delegates to the First National and >Regional Conference on Health Promotion have granted Cuban President >Fidel Castro the Health Activist Diploma "for his tireless efforts >and his active participation in the promotion of adequate and high- >quality health care assistance not only for his people, but also for >all peoples of the world." > >The First National and Regional Conference on Health Promotion, >which concluded on Friday here in the Cuban capital, gathered >representatives from nine countries, including Mexico, other nations >from Central America and the Caribbean. For two days, participants in >the conference exchanged their experiences in the fight against >tobacco, alcohol and drug addiction. Experts also reviewed current >national programs against sexually transmittable and other >preventable diseases. > >Other Cuban personalities who were also given the diploma for their >active participation in health promotion are Dr. Carlos Dotres, >Health Minister, Vilma Espin, President of the Cuban Women's >Federation and Juan Contino, National Coordinator of the Committees >for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs). > >The President of the Conference Organizing Committee, Dr. Jose >Pinon, pointed to Cuba as a vivid example of what can be achieved >when all members of society work together towards high-quality health >care for all. > > *CUBAN-VENEZUELAN MIXED COOPERATION COMMISSION MEETING CONCLUDES > >Havana, December 16 (RHC)-- The Cuban-Venezuelan Mixed Cooperation >Commission concluded sessions on Friday with the signing of the Final >Document. > >The document was signed by Venezuelan Minister for Production >and Cooperation, Luisa Romero, and Cuban Minister for Foreign >Investment and Economic Cooperation, Marta Lomas. > >The document was previously signed by the Presidents of Cuba and >Venezuela, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, during President Castro's >recent visit to the sister Latin American nation. > >Under the agreement, Venezuela will provide Cuba with oil. It also >provides for full bilateral cooperation in spheres such as health, >finances, tourism, trade, sports, education, agriculture, >construction and the food industry. > >Also under the bilateral cooperation accord, 46 Venezuelans have >arrived in Havana to receive specialized health care assistance. The >group was accompanied by some 200 young Venezuelans who will begin >studies at the Havana-based International Sports Institute. > > *MINISTER OF CUBAN ARMED FORCES MEETS WITH RUSSIAN COUNTERPART > >Havana, December 16 (RHC)-- Visiting Russian Defense Minister, >Igor Dmitrievich Sergueiev, met on Friday with his Cuban counterpart >Raul Castro Ruz, Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces. > >The official talks, held in a friendly ambiance, focused on bilateral >issues of common interest and other issues relating to the current >international situation. > >The top Russian military official is in Cuba as part of a >visiting delegation from the European nation, headed by the country's >President Vladimir Putin. > >At the end of the meeting, the two military officials signed a >cooperation agreement, providing for military and technical bilateral >cooperation between Moscow and Havana. > > *INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL UNDERWAY IN HAVANA > >Havana, December 16 (RHC)-- Havana's International Jazz Festival, >Jazz Plaza 2000, continues in Havana, hosting performances and >jamming by jazz players from ten countries. > >Friday evening the Cuban Maestro Chucho Valdes and his band >"Irakere" performed at the National Theatre. That same evening, >Puerto Rican flutist David Valentin was seen jamming at the "El >Elegante" hall at the Riviera Hotel, accompanied by Cuban pianist >Jesus Valdes Jr. and his trio. Playing at the Culture Center in >Vedado, downtown Havana, was "Insight," recognized as the youngest >professional Latin Jazz band in the United States; German singer >Clarissa and her band; Paco Charley and his quintet from >Martinique and the band "Klimax" from Cuba. Also on Saturday evening >at the Culture Center there was the highly anticipated concert of >U.S. renowned trumpet player Roy Hargrove. > >The closing concert is scheduled for Sunday evening at the Amadeo >Roldan Theatre, featuring Maestro Chucho Valdes and his guests: U.S. >jazz players Kenny Barron and Ronnie Mathews, Cubans Changuito, Tata >Guines and Frank Emilio Flynn. > > *NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO COLLECT RECYCLED MATERIALS CONCLUDES > >Havana, December 16 (RHC)-- A national campaign to collect recycled >material concluded on Saturday. > >Organized by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs) >the campaign was part of activities to mark the 42nd anniversary of >the Triumph of the Revolution, commemorated next January 1st. > >The main activity to close the national campaign took place in >central Sancti Spiritus province, chosen for its leadership in the >collection of recycled materials. > >With the slogan "More with More," the national action is aimed at >promoting the CDRs' direct contribution to the country's economic >development through the collection of all kinds of recyclable, useful >materials, including glass and paper. > >(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] >=================================================== >rhc-eng-6288 2000-Dec-17 07:51:24 " JC > > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
