("President Alvaro Uribe also asked about Gustav’s
damage and expressed Colombia’s readiness to help Cuba.")
==========================================================
GRANMA INTERNATIONAL
Havana. September 4, 2008

Many displays of solidarity and support for Cuba

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2008/septiembre/juev4/solidarity.html

IN the wake of the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Gustav on Cuba, leaders and
government representatives from many countries have expressed their support and
solidarity and have offered aid to help face this disaster, which mainly
affected the western part of the country.

Yesterday morning President Raúl Castro received a phone call and had a
fraternal conversation with Russian President Dimitri Medvedev, who reiterated
his solidarity with the Cuban people and had earlier made available urgent
material aid, which has already begun to arrive in Cuba in large transport
planes from that country.

In the course of their conversation they agreed that bilateral relations are
experiencing an upswing, aided by the recent visit here by Igor I. Sechin, vice
president of government, and a large delegation, which also discussed economic
and trade ties in the middle and long term.

In this context, President Medvedev affirmed that priority will be given to
agreements related to the national electricity grid.

Likewise, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has taken a personal interest in the
aftermath of the powerful hurricane and has expressed sincere offers of aid.

President Alvaro Uribe also asked about Gustav’s damage and expressed
Colombia’s readiness to help Cuba.

Many messages in that spirit and offers of aid have begun to arrive from foreign
ministers, government authorities and embassies, among others the People’s
Republic of China, Bolivia, Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, the
Cayman Islands, Peru, Saint Lucia and Timor Leste.

Translated by Granma International •

=========================================
WALTER LIPPMANN
Los Angeles, California
Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
"Cuba - Un Paraíso bajo el bloqueo"
=========================================