-DATE-
19740704
-YEAR-
1974
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
INTERVIEW
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
COMMENTS ON BLOCKADE & MEETING WITH KISSINGER
-PLACE-
HAVANA
-SOURCE-
PRELA
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19740705
-TEXT-
CASTRO COMMENTS ON BLOCKADE, MEETING WITH KISSINGER

Havana PRELA in Spanish 2224 GMT 4 Jul 74 C--FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

[Text] Havana, 4 Jul--During a meeting with Cuban newsmen and foreign
correspondents Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro revealed an exchange of
correspondence, through regular channels, with the chairman of the U.S.
Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, William Fulbright, who expressed an
interest in sending an emissary to Cuba. The Cuban prime minister said that
the administrative secretary of the Foreign Affairs Committee had been
authorized to visit Havana and that Castro would meet him soon.

The head of the Cuban revolution said that Fulbright has not maintained a
bad attitude toward Cuba and that "on more than one occasion he condemned
the blockade against us and the U.S. policy toward the revolution." In
reply to a question from a news agency correspondent, Prime Minister Fidel
Castro said that he would have no objection to meeting with the U.S.
diplomatic chief, Henry Kissinger. Castro said: "I believe that Kissinger
is not a negative figure in U.S. policy. He is a realistic man. But since
the blockade is not negotiable, we will not agree to talk with anyone until
this measure is unconditionally lifted."

If we did not accept it 10 years ago, Fidel Castro said, when it was
difficult to survive, we will not accept it now that things have changed in
our favor, when the Latin American peoples have decided to do whatever
favors their interests. This decision will no longer be changed by anyone.
However, the longer they delay in lifting the blockade, the Cuban prime
minister added, the greater their defeat will be because every day more
governments make their own decisions.

At the meeting with newsmen and correspondents held during a visit he paid
to the Argentine Embassy in Havana, Castro added that he will receive the
U.S. Senate envoy, Pat Holt, who is visiting Oriente Province and will
return in a few days.
-END-