-DATE-
19881203
-YEAR-
1988
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
MESSAGE
-AUTHOR-
F.CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO SAYS NEGOTIATIONS ON ANGOLA ADVANCED
-PLACE-
MEXICO
-SOURCE-
HAVANA RADIO RELOJ
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19881205
-TEXT-
Castro Says Negotiations on Angola Advanced

FL0312034088 Havana Radio Reloj Network in Spanish 0302 GMT 3 Dec 88

[Text] Commander in Chief Fidel Castro asserted today in Mexico that
negotiations between Angola, Cuba, and South Africa are very advanced and
arrangements are being made for the signing of a final agreement.  In a
conversation with Mexican deputies and senators, Fidel said agreements have
been reached in almost everything but noted that the withdrawal of Cuban
troops from Angola is a matter between Cuba and Angola exclusively.

According to the progress made in the quadripartite talks, with the United
States as mediator, Cuban troops will withdraw from Angola in a 27-month
period while the South African forces should leave Namibia in only 7
months, said Fidel.  Later, Fidel insisted that the agreement is close, but
patience is needed.  He added that Cuban troops will return to the island
when Angola's security is guaranteed.

Commander in Chief Fidel Castro met with over 80 intellectuals from Mexico
and other countries with whom he talked about various subjects.  He mainly
reminisced about the "Granma" yacht landing in Cuba.  Intellectuals such as
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mexican Professor Pablo Casanova, painter Jose Luis
Cuevas, and Guatemalan writer Luis Cardosa y Aragon attended the gathering
in Mexico.

Commander in Chief Fidel Castro talked with those present for over 2 and
1/2 hours remembering his achievements in Mexico 32 years ago, when he
prepared the Cuban revolution, and giving details of that feat.  Fidel also
talked with the intellectuals on human rights, freedom of expression, and
other important matters.
-END-