-DATE-
19710726
-YEAR-
1971
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
INTERVIEW
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
VISIT BY CHILEAN FOREIGN DIGNITARY
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA PRENSA LATINA
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19710726
-TEXT-
REPORT ON FOREIGN DIGNITARY ARRIVALS, STATEMENTS

Official Chilean Delegation

Havana PRENSA LATINA in Spanish 1215 GMT 26 Jul 71 C--FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

[Text] Havana, 26 Jul--The official visit begun here last night by Chilean
Foreign Minister Colodomiro Almeyda is a new landmark in the relations
between this country and Cuba, resumed 8 months ago, shortly after Salvador
Allende's popular government took over power.

Almeyda arrived at 0150 GMT on an aircraft of Cubana de Aviacion and was
greeted by his Cuban counterpart, Raul Roa Garcia, who was accompanied by
Carlos Rafael Rodriguez, a member of the secretariat of the Cuban Communist
Party.

Rodriguez had presided over the Cuban delegation attending Allende's
investitute last November and held talks that are being resumed now at
ministerial level with the arrival of Almeyda. First Interior Vice Minister
Maj Manuel Pineiro and the Chilean Ambassador to Cuba Juan Enrique Vega
were also present to greet the official Chilean representative to the
anniversary of the 26 July celebrations. In spite of the late hour and the
fact that thousands of Havana citizens had been working in the cane fields
for over a week now, several hundred people were at the Jose Marti
International Airport, 14 kilometers from this capital. With shouts of long
live Cuba and Chile, long live Almeyda, Allende, and Fidel Castro, and
thunderous applause, the Chilean foreign minister was greeted as he
descended from the aircraft.

Two large posters on the airport building said: "Long Live Cuban-Chilean
Friendship" and "Welcome Clodomiro Almeyda".

Following his arrival, the diplomatic corps accredited to Cuba was
introduced in a 4-minute ceremony and then Almeyda left the airport, having
shaken hands with some of the people who had gathered outside to greet him.

The only official activity planned for today is the participation in the
great public meeting tonight at 1800 (2200 GMT) when Prime Minister Fidel
Castro will speak. It is expected that tomorrow official talks between Roa
and Almeyda will begin, during which, it is believed, the visit of Maj
Fidel Castro to Chile, responding to President Salvador Allende's
invitation, will be considered. Another matter to be discussed, according
to certain observers, will be the forthcoming visit of Roa to Chile and the
signing of an agreement of economic cooperation and scientific-technical
aid between the two countries.
-END-