-DATE-
19890405
-YEAR-
1989
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
INTERVIEW
-AUTHOR-
F.CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO, GORBACHEV HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE
-PLACE-
HAVANA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA RADIO RELOJ NET
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19890405
-TEXT-
Leaders Hold News Conference

FL0504012389 Havana Radio Relay Network in Spanish 0002 GMT 5 April 89

[Text] Moments after speaking before the Cuban parliament, the Soviet
leader Mikhail Gorbachev held a meeting with the national and foreign press
accredited in Cuba for this event.

While answering a question about his talks with Fidel, Gorbachev said that
it has been of great significance because they both agree that there should
be a change in policies.  The president of the Presidium of the Supreme
Soviet of the USSR also talked about the speculations that were triggered
by his visit to Cuba.  He said that these were just rumors because the
friendship between both states and peoples is solid.

Our commander in chief also answered questions by foreign reporters and
reiterated that the talks were held in a fraternal and respectful
atmosphere.  He added:  We have had solid relations for 30 years.

While answering a question asked by the Spanish press agency EFE, our
commander in chief said that there is no reason for the USSR to talk to the
United States about that capitalist nation's policies against Cuba.
Fidel's resounding answer made it clear that our country is not a colony
for the superpowers to determine U.S. policy toward Cuba and the Central
American conflict.

In one of the wings of the Palace of Conventions, our commander in chief
and Mikhail Gorbachev talked with journalists about current matters and
relations between both socialist states, which will be fomented with the
recently signed cooperation-friendship treaty.
-END-