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Cuban foreign minister invites Arab League members
to Non-aligned Summit
CUBAN Foreign Minister Felipe
Pérez Roque spoke during the ministerial segment of
the 18th ordinary session of the Arab League Summit
in Khartoum, Sudan with the participation of the 22
countries that make up that organization.
The Cuban minister reaffirmed
Cuba’s unwavering solidarity with the just causes of
the Arab nations, and in particular, its firm
support for the heroic struggle of the Palestinian
people to attain their inalienable right to
self-determination, the establishment of a sovereign
and independent state with East Jerusalem as its
capital, and the unconditional return of all of the
Arab territory occupied by Israel since 1967.
During a speech that was closely
followed by those present in the main hall of the
Palace of Friendship, where the summit is taking
place, Roque invited – in the name of the Cuban
people and government and President Fidel Castro –
the dignitaries of the member states of the Arab
League to participate in the 14th Summit of the
Non-Aligned Movement, scheduled for September 11-16
in Havana.
The Cuban minister referred to
the need to strengthen the Movement, above all in
today’s world, where unilateralism and hegemonic
pretensions in international relations prevail.
“At a time when we have been
witness to clear manifestations of disrespect and
intolerance toward Islam and toward the Arab
peoples, Cuba energetically condemns such acts,”
Roque said, and expressed thanks for the solidarity
of the Arab peoples with Cuba’s struggle against the
blockade.
During the afternoon, the Cuban
minister was received at the offices of the Council
of Ministers by President Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir
of the Republic of Sudan, to whom he relayed
greetings from President Fidel Castro as well as the
invitation to attend the Non-Aligned Summit in
Havana.
Al-Bashir thanked him for this
gesture and reciprocated it, sending a warm embrace
to the Cuban people and their leader. He added that
the Sudanese people are anxiously awaiting the Cuban
president’s visit to Sudan, and described Fidel as a
symbol of resistance and struggle against
imperialism.
The Sudanese president offered
the Cuban delegation a detailed explanation of the
situation of his country’s southern region and the
Darfur region.
During his time there, Roque met with several Arab
foreign ministers who were present, offering them
details on preparations for the Summit in Havana.
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