martes, 5 de mayo de 2009

Washington will not be Able to Topple the Cuban Revolution, said North Korean Official

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 . The United States will never be able to topple the Cuban Revolution; this monolithic strength, which also encourages the North Korean people, is more far-reaching than atomic bombs, said visiting North Korea´s Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun during a meeting with the Vice-president of the Cuban Council of Ministers Ricardo Cabrisas.

Pak Ui Chun, who is paying an official visit to the Caribbean nation at the invitation of Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, said that the recent May Day march staged by the Cuban people proved their support of the Communist Party, Fidel and Raul Castro and the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution.

Ui Chun said he was very satisfied with his stay in Havana and underscored the mutual respect and admiration of both nations.

Ricardo Cabrisas reiterated that both countries are waging a similar struggle and he thanked the Democratic People´s Republic of Korea for its permanent support of Cuba. He said both nations will continue to strengthen bilateral relations in all fields.

During the talks, Cabrisas and Ui Chun addressed current bilateral economic relations and they also shared views on the world economic crisis and possible joint efforts in that regards.

Pak Ui Chun was received on Monday by Cuban President Raul Castro. The North Korean official is also scheduled to visit the Havana-based Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center.

At present, Cuba and North Korea maintain cooperation relations in the sectors of oil, agriculture and commerce. Both countries established full diplomatic relations on August 1960.


(Recibe Ricardo Cabrisas a canciller de Corea democrática)

Cuban National Ballet Company Tours Brazil

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 . Prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso is leading the Cuban National Ballet Company (BNC) on a tour around Brazil that will begin next Friday.

The Brazilian tour of the BNC begins in Belo Horizonte and will also include eight other cities; Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador de Bahia, Recife, Porto Alegre, Juiz de Fora, Caxias do Sul and Jaragua.

The program of the tour includes classics such as "Giselle", "Swan Lake" and "Don Quixote" that will be performed by first dancers such as Viengsay Valdes, Anette Delgado, Sadaise Arencibia, Barbara Garcia, Joel Carreño, Javier Torres and Elier Bourzac.

In related news, according to Prensa Latina news agency, a group of 16 students from the BNC School will be performing in the South African cities of Pretoria and Cape Town until next May 18th accompanied by four teachers of that institution at the invitation of the International
Ballet of Cape Town.

(Encabeza Alicia gira del Ballet Nacional de Cuba por Brasil)

NAM Calls for Nuclear Disarmament at UN

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 (acn) Alejandro Moreno, Cuba’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said that the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) believes the opportunity to achieve nuclear disarmament is within sight, after the issue was ignored for a long time by some of the most important countries.

On behalf of NAM, which Cuba currently chairs, Moreno spoke during the third period of sessions of the Preparatory Committee of the Member States Conference, charged with analyzing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2010, reported Prensa Latina news agency.

Moreno noted that the United States and Russia are more willing to reconsider the number and type of nuclear weapons they possess and to reduce arsenals, under previous accords.

Their announcement to work towards application of Article VI of the Treaty is a gesture we receive with approval, said Moreno.

The Cuban diplomat added that now what should take place are concrete steps towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons by the countries that possess them, in an irreversible, verifiable and transparent manner.

At this positive moment, the diplomat called for creating an atmosphere that favors advancing in the strengthening of the system of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In that way, Moreno said humanity will be provided the security it needs in the face of the ongoing threat from nuclear arms.

Nonetheless, he noted that despite the promising signals, there is still much to be done to achieve the objective of nuclear disarmament.

He said that for the 118-nation Non Aligned Movement, the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that these arms won’t be used, nor threatened to be used.

(Llama Cuba en nombre del MNOAL a lograr progresos en desarme nuclear)

Cuban Medicament in Registration Process in China

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 (acn) Heberprot-B, an innovative medicament for deep diabetic ulcers, has begun a process of registration with the China Drug Regulating Agency.

The head of Havana’s Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Dr. Luis Herrera, explained that this product is the result of Cuba’s efforts to offer an effective solution to serious ailments, Prensa Latina news agency reports.

Herrera is currently holding meetings and contacts with companies in this sector, aimed at increasing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of biotechnology and genetic engineering.

The specialist pointed out that the characteristics and positive effects of Heberprot-B turn this medicament into the only therapeutic alternative for the deep and complex ulcers that many diabetics usually suffer from.

He added that, as a result, this product of Cuban science reduces the risks of amputation of the lower extremities, as well as the consequences caused these amputations for patients and their environment.

Heberprot-B has already been registered in Algeria, Argentina and Venezuela, and it is protected by a patent backed by a group of clinical studies carried out since 2002 on over 300 patients, which allowed its registration in Cuba in 2006 and its inclusion on the basic list of
medicaments since 2007.

(Medicamento cubano en proceso de registro en China)

Conference on Martí, Juárez and Lincoln Postponed until October

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 .The Organizing Committee of the 1st International Conference on Martí, Juárez and Lincoln in Alma de Nuestra América (Soul of The Americas), to be held in Mexico, has been postponed until October, in view of the A H1N1 influenza outbreak.

This epidemic has brought fear of travelling to the Aztec nation among people who had announced their attendance at the meeting slated for May 18 and 19 in Monterrey, as delegates and or speakers, the web site of the Center for Martí Studies reports.

For the new date –from October 15th through to the 17th- the program includes only one change, the inclusion of two panels that will allow for debates on Ernesto Che Guevara on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of his assassination, and on the beginning of Cuba’s
Independence Wars.

Participating in the conference will be academic personalities like Drs. Armando Hart (Cuba), Pablo González Casanova (Mexico) and August Nimitz (USA).

According to the deputy director of the Marti Program and former consul in Monterrey, Cuban Eulogio Rodríguez, some 200 speakers and experts on the work of Benito Juárez, the Mexican National Hero; José Martí, the Apostle of Cuba’s Independence; and Abraham Lincoln, the US President who abolished slavery, will take part in this event.


(Posponen Conferencia Martí, Juárez, Lincoln para octubre)

No More Gustav, Ike or Paloma

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 (acn) The names Gustav, Ike and Paloma (hurricanes that hit Cuba in 2008) will never again identify tropical storms in the North Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean Sea.

The decision is part of an agreement reached during the last meeting of the 4th Region Committee on Hurricanes of the World Meteorology Organization held in the Bahamas, Granma newspaper reports.

Dr. José Rubiera, head of the Cuban Meteorology Institute’s Forecast Center and vice-president of the aforementioned Committee, explained that the proposal to remove the names Gustav and Ike from the list was made by Cuba, and was based on the substantial damage caused by these
two hurricanes to the national economy.

Following Cuba’s suggestion, they were replaced by Gonzalo and Isaías.

Tropical storms are given names when they reach the tropical storm stage (maximum continuous winds of 63 kilometers per hour or above).

For this purpose, in the geographical area where Cuba is located, there’s a list of names previously made in English, French and Spanish, which are repeated every six years and alternately male and female names.

Therefore, Gonzalo and Isaías will be used for the first time during the 2014 hurricane season.

The request of removing Paloma (replaced by Paulette) was made by the delegation from the Caiman Islands, since when it hit these islands it did so as a Category 4 hurricane, according to the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Among names previously removed from the list we find the unfortunately well-known Flora, Camille, Andrew, Mitch and Katrina.


(Retiran nombres de huracanes Gustav, Ike y Paloma)

International Tourism Fair Opens in Havana

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5. The 29th International Tourism Fair (FITCUBA '09) was officially inaugurated on Monday at the Morro-Cabaña fortress complex in Havana by First Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura.

During the ceremony, Tourism Minister Juan Marrero praised the results achieved during the winter season this year and added that there was a 2% increase in the number of visitor arrivals compared with the same period last year.

Marrero added that Cuba is one of the best tourist destinations in the world as it offers visitors safety, quality of life and a varied offer of recreational activities along with its historic and cultural attractions.

Nearly 900 professionals of the sector from 58 countries and 180 journalists from 34 nations are participating in FITCUBA '09, which will run until next Saturday and which is dedicated to Germany on this occasion.

The program of activities of the fair begins on Tuesday.


(Inauguró Machado Ventura Feria Internacional de Turismo)

Cuban VP Begins Tour of African Countries

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 (acn) Cuban Vice President Esteban Lazo arrived on Monday in Nigeria on an official visit as part of an African tour that will also take him to Botswana and South Africa.

According to Granma news daily, in South Africa, the Cuban official will participate in the swearing-in ceremony of South Africa's president-elect Jacob Zuma, which will take place in Pretoria next Saturday, May 9.

During this African tour, the Cuban VP will hold meetings with the top leaders of these three countries.

(Vicepresidente cubano inicia recorrido por países africanos)

Cuban President Meets North Korean Foreign Minister

HAVANA, Cuba, May 5 . Cuban President Raul Castro met on Monday with North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun, who is on an official visit to the Caribbean archipelago.

During the meeting, the distinguished visitor greeted Raul on behalf of the leader of the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Il, and ratified his nation’s friendship and solidarity with the Cuban people.

According to Granma news daily, during the meeting, Raul and Ui Chun analyzed the state of bilateral relations and spoke of topics of international interest.

Also present were Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla and the North Korean Ambassador in Havana, Kwon Sung Chol.

Also on Monday, Rodriguez Parrilla and Pak Ui Chun signed a bilateral agreement between both countries’ foreign ministries that will facilitate an increase of cooperation and contacts between both ministries.

Previously, both ministers held official talks and ratified the excellent state of bilateral relations.

(Saludó Presidente cubano al Canciller de Corea Democrática)

Relatives of the Cuban Five Inspires by Amicus

The 12 Amicus Curiae written by world personalities and institutions are an inspiration to continue our struggle for the release of The Five, said Irma González, the daughter of one of these Cuban antiterrorist fighters, René.

The young woman, who participated in the computer science event Web Ávila 2009, held in this city, declared that the documents confirm that Cuba is not alone in this battle for breaking down the wall of silence created around the issue.

Such a high number of Amicus Curiae (Friends of the Court) had never been presented in the history of the US legal system. These documents support a petition by The Five’s defense, for the Supreme Court of Justice to re-examine their case.

Among the personalities and organizations presenting these documents in favor of the five Cubans unjustly incarcerated in the United States, are Nobel Prize winners José Ramos-Horta, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Rigoberta Menchú, José Saramago, Wole Soyinka, Zhores Alferov, Nadine Gordimer, Günter Grass, Darío Fo and Máiread Maguire.

Irma González pointed out that the pressure of the international community is essential to achieve justice in this case, by publicizing in the world the legal and human rights irregularities committed against René, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González and Gerardo Hernández.

She stressed that it’s necessary to explain that they’re not spies, but intelligence agents, whose purpose was to dismantle the criminal plans organized against the Cuban people by the Miami-based mafia.

(Inspiran Amicus a familiares de Los Cinco)

Cuban Vice-President Meets with Laotian PM

Cuban First Vice-President Jose Ramon MachadoVentura met this morning with Bouasone Bouphavanh, Laos Prime Minister, who is on an official visit to Cuba.

During the meeting the Cuban official expressed his country’s willingness to continue strengthening the friendship and bonds of fraternity between the two nations. Also, he thanked the Laotian people for their solidarity towards the Cuban people, especially in their struggle against the US blockade.

Machado acknowledged the long fighting tradition of the Laotian people, and their heroic resistance against a mighty enemy like the United States during their war.

Meanwhile, Bouphavanh recalled Cuba’s president Raul Castro’s visit tohis country in 2005, an occasion used to strengthen the historical bilateral bonds, and to express both countries will to take those relations even further and to cooperate in the international arena.

The Laotian PM also expressed his people’s, government’s and party’s thankfulness for the aid Cuba has provided and provides to the development of the Asian country.

Both leaders also talked about the international situation.

Machado was accompanied by Jorge Martí, Head of Foreign Affairs at theCommunist Party Central Committee, and Ministers Bruno Rodriguez,Rodrigo Malmierca and Ena Elsa Velazquez among others.

On behalf of Laos were Thoungloun Sisoulth, First VP and Foreign AffairsMinister and Khampo Khaykhamphithoune, Ambassador to Cuba, among otherofficials.

Cuban Book Fair Concludes in the Dominican Republic

HAVANA, Cuba, May 4 (acn) The 4th Cuban Travelling Book Fair, dedicated this year to the 50th anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, came to an end in the Dominican Republic.

La Romana province was the last point for the exhibition, where over 400 titles from 15 publishing houses were presented, with texts on general, political and children’s literature, Dominican media outlets reported.

Poetry meetings, lectures, panels, screenings of Cuban films, folklore group performances, and poster exhibitions were held in each of the Dominican provinces.

A tribute to former Dominican President Juan Bosch, a notable writer, professor and politician, was also part of the event’s program, on the occasion of the centennial of his birth.

Renowned Dominican personalities and intellectuals participated in this Fair, which was also sponsored by Santo Domingo’s Autonomous University.
(Concluyó Feria Itinerante del libro cubano en Dominicana)

More Cuban Families Recovered Homes Hit by Storm

CIEGO DE AVILA, Cuba. Over 7 thousand Cuban familiesrecovered their homes affected by hurricanes Ike and Gustav in 2008. The reconstruction effort made by household members and state-entities recovered 62 percent of all damaged homes in this central eastern
province.

Manuel Rieche Gonzalez, a local government official in charge of construction efforts, said that most recovered homes presented partial damage. However, he said efforts are underway to reconstruct totally destroyed houses in accordance with the availability of construction
materials.

The cost of the reconstruction effort for homeowners is minimum since the government subsidizes over 40 percent of the value of each home, said Gonzalez. At the same time construction forces in Ciego de Avila are currently rehabilitating 20 apartment buildings and carrying outother remodelling actions in other facilities.

The passage of hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma through Cuba damagedover 500, 000 homes and caused damage for nearly 10 billion dollars.

Recovering from such damage will take from three to six years as noted by President Raul Castro.

(Más familias cubanas disfrutan de sus hogares nuevamente)

North Korea to Deepen Bonds with Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, May 4 (acn) The Foreign Minister of the Peoples’ Democratic Republic of Korea, Pak Ui Chun, expressed on Monday his country’s interest in strengthening even more the friendship and cooperation ties existing between the two nations.

After placing a wreath by the monument to Cuba’s National Hero José Martí in Havana’s Revolution Square, Pak Ui Chun said that the peoples of Cuba and North Korea maintain the common goal of building Socialism.

He announced that during his visit, scheduled until May 6, he will sign an accord between the two countries’ foreign ministries, which will strengthen the bilateral bonds in this sphere.

During the tribute to the National Hero, he was accompanied by Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Marcos Rodríguez.

This is the first official visit to the archipelago of the North Korean Foreign Minister, who also headed his country’s delegation to the recently concluded Ministerial Meeting of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries’ Coordination Bureau, which ended successfully in Havana.

Cuba and the Peoples’ Democratic Republic of Korea established diplomatic relations on August 28, 1960.

So far, 45 North Korean students have graduated from Cuba’s educational system, 42 of them from universities and three from middle level education schools.

In addition, there are cooperation ties between the two nations in the oil, agriculture, and trade sectors.

(Corea del Norte por profundizar más lazos con Cuba)

Laos PM Highlights Warm Welcome in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, May 4 (acn) “I would like to thank Cuba for its warm welcome” said Bouasone Bouphavanh, Laotian Prime Minister, this Mondayas he began an official visit to the Caribbean nation.

The PM arrived in Havana on Sunday, following an invitation made by Cuban President Raul Castro, and among his first activities was thelaying of a floral wreath on the monument of Cuba’s National Hero Jose Marti.

Bouphavanh pointed out that the bonds of cooperation between the twonations, which established diplomatic ties in November 1974, willreceive an important boost during the next session of the jointintergovernmental commission to be held this year in Laos.

The foreign dignitary was accompanied at the ceremony by Cuba’s ForeignAffairs deputy Minister Marcos Rodríguez Costa. Previously he had touredthe Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Center.

Cuba and Laos have good bonds of cooperation, especially in the healthandeducation sectors.

Cuban medical collaboration with Laos started back in 1981, and over ahundred Laotian youths have graduated from Cuban schools, 83 of themfromhigher education centers.


(Primer Ministro laosiano destaca visita a Cuba)