Gorbachev hails Cuba’s role in Namibian peace

Press, 5 April 1989, Page 10

Gorbachev hails Cuba’s role in Namibian peace

NZPA-Reuter Havana The Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has hailed Cuba’s role in helping to bring peace to Namibia, and a Moscow spokesman suggested the United States should recognise Havana’s “growing authority” in world affairs.

Gennady Gerasimov, head of the Soviet Foreign Ministry’s Information Directorate, told a news conference that Mr Gorbachev expressed appre-

ciation for the Cuban stance to President Fidel Castro during the first formal discussions of their two-day Havana summit. Mr Gerasimov said the United States could draw useful lessons from the Gorbachev-Castro meeting “if it recognises that we can work together to solve problems peacefully and end conflicts in different regions, including Central America.” “For example, there is the very positive role

played by Cuba in the solution of the problems in south-western Africa and Namibia,” the spokesman added. He said that in the talks Mr Gorbachev had noted “the growth of Cuba’s authority.” Under the accord — negotiated through United States mediation with Soviet diplomatic support — Cuba agreed to pull its forces out of Angola in return for South African agreement to grant independence to Namibia.