Cuban foreign minister speaks

By Roberto Jorquera SYDNEY — Ninety people attended a public meeting for Cuban foreign minister Roberto Robaina at the University of NSW on November 22. In the evening Robaina attended a Cuba solidarity dinner with 250 supporters. The 39-year-old Robaina is visiting at the Australian government's invitation to continue trade and cultural exchanges after Gareth Evans visited to Cuba earlier this year. Robaina outlined the economic problems Cuba faces as a result of the US blockade and the loss of trade with the former socialist bloc countries. He explained that, in response, Cuba was undertaking some radical economic changes. Robaina also talked about the differences between the Cuban revolution and the post-capitalist system in the former Soviet Union. Cuba was, and still is, a popular and democratic revolution with a very clear perspective of what changes have to be made in this changing world, Robaina said.

From GLW issue 213