Haiti’s future is in Latin America and the Caribbean, says Preval in Havana
Campaign News | Friday, 14 April 2006
Haitian President meets Fidel
Havana 14 April: YESTERDAY afternoon, President Fidel Castro received René Préval, president-elect of the Republic of Haiti at the Palace of the Revolution, where they had official talks in a spirit of friendship, respect and fraternity, all symbolic of the links between the Haitian and Cuban peoples.
After the official photo, Fidel and Préval greeted the participating delegations on both sides. They later reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and covered aspects related to developing the cooperative links initiated during the first presidential term of the Haitian dignitary from 1996-2001.
In the morning the Caribbean leader, in the company of Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque, placed a wreath at the base of the monument to José Martí in the Plaza de la Revolution. Préval continued on with his delegation to the University of Information Science (UCI).
In a brief discussion with journalists he affirmed that the future of Haiti is strongly linked to its integration with Latin America and the Caribbean, and defended this practice as the only way for our peoples’ development.
On the Cuban side, the official talks included Carlos Lage, José Ramón Balaguer and Yadira García, members of the Political Bureau; Felipe Pérez Roque, minister of foreign affairs; Marta Lomas, minister of foreign investment and economic cooperation; and Carlos Valenciaga, member of the Council of State.
Also present were María del Carmen Pérez, acting minister of agriculture; Yiliam Jiménez, deputy minister of foreign affairs; Alejandro González, head of the Latin American and Caribbean Department of MINREX; and Raúl Barzaga, the Cuban ambassador to that neighboring nation.
The Haitian leader takes possession on May 14 and arrived on the island for a working visit on Wednesday, thus fulfilling an invitation from President Fidel Castro.
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2006/abril/vier14/17fisprev.html
Preval brings pupils, patients to Cuba
Havana, Apr 12 (Prensa Latina) Haiti?s President elect Rene Preval is beginning a working visit to Havana Wednesday, on an invitation by his Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro.
Preval is accompanied by several of his future cabinet members and other Haitian figures, Granma daily reported.
His visit coincides with the arrival in Cuba of young Haitians who will study here, as well as low-income patients who will have free eye surgery as part of Operation Miracle.
The president elect and his delegation will be welcomed by the Cuban leader and complete an extensive agenda that includes visits to places of scientific and social interest, as well as talks with other local authorities, the daily added.
Preval, former Haitian president from 1996 to 2001 and former prime minister in 1991, won the presidential elections last February 7.
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B353C96F8-29C9-4200-8C72-FC4B88991B79%7D)&language=EN
