World Media Highlighted Talks between Fidel Castro and Nong Duc Manh

Online newspapers in the United States, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Peru, Puerto Rico, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador and Brazil reported the event.

The meeting of the two leaders was televised and covered by Cuba’s media and news agencies with front page illustrations.

Meanwhile, major international news agencies such as France’s AFP, China’s Xinhua, UK-based Reuters and media outlets in Europe noted in their Spanish editions that the meeting reaffirmed the two countries’ determination to foster bilateral ties.

Some of the hundreds of news articles published on the event read "Talking at length, Fidel Castro looked stronger and more vibrant", wrote AP news agency, while Canada.com and radio Jamaica said, "Sronger, more upbeat Fidel Castro Appears on Cuban Television". The Edmonton Journal from Candada said Fidel Castro appeared more vigorous Sunday.

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nong Duc Manh paid an official and friendly visit to Cuba June 1-3.

At the end of the visit, Cuba and Vietnam issued a joint statement, highlighted by the Vietnamese media and which reads that during talks, General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and President Fidel Castro reaffirmed profound sentiments of the special friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Cuba, which has become a symbol of the current era.

General Secretary Manh also held talks with the Second Secretary of Cuba’s Communist Party Central Committee Raul Castro Ruz. Both leaders addressed the situation of their respective Parties and countries and discussed bilateral relations and international issues of mutual concern, the statement read.

The document expresses that both countries affirmed their willingness to make contributions to the strengthening and boosting of the Non-Aligned Movement, of which Cuba holds the Presidency, so that the group can realise the desire and will of member countries, which represent a majority of humankind.

The two sides highly valued the result of General Secretary Manh’s official and friendly visit to Cuba, considering it to be an important event, creating a new driving force to enhance the relations between the two Parties, States and peoples and contributing to peace, stability, co-operation, development and prosperity in the two regions and the world at large, the documents reads.

Nong Duc Manh and his delegation traveled to eastern Santiago de Cuba city on June 3 where he paid homage to Cuban National Hero Jose Marti at the cemetery, which treasures his remains.

Speaking to students and professors during a rally at that eastern city Nong Duc Manh said that the Vietnamese people will never forget the solidarity offered by Cubans during their independence war and he recalled the statement by Fidel Castro that Cubans were willing to shed their own blood to contribute to the independence and reunification of the Asian nation in its fight against US imperialism.

The Vietnamese party leader began his Latin American tour with a technical stop-over in Havana; he later visited Chile, Brazil and Venezuela, and he returned to Cuba for his three day official and friendly visit.