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| Militant/Baskaran Appu |
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HANOI, Vietnam — “The Cuban Revolution has an important place in our heart,” said Vu Xuan Hong, above, in his opening remarks to the Seventh Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of Solidarity with Cuba Sept. 8. “Vietnam is pleased to host this event, because in the most difficult time of our struggle for independence, Fidel Castro, president of the Republic of Cuba, explained that ‘for Vietnam we are ready to sacrifice our own blood.’” Vu Xuan Hong is president of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and a member of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Some 220 delegates are participating in the regional Cuba solidarity gathering, including more than 100 from Vietnam. They have come from 18 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Cuba, India, Laos, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Philippines, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, the United States and Vietnam. Antonio Guerrero, one of the Cuban Five, at right, was given a standing ovation. “Antonio’s presence here is a strength. It means we won,” noted Kenia Serrano, second from left, president of ICAP, the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples. The re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States has taken place “with the historical leadership of the revolution in place,” Serrano said. “The United States had to recognize their aggressive policy against Cuba had failed.” Referring to Washington’s 55-year-long economic war on Cuba, which remains in full force, she said that “the financial persecutions against the Island have been maintained, and the top priority for Cuba and the solidarity movement is to fight against it.” Also in photo are Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Democratic Left Front of Sri Lanka, left, and Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, Deputy Chairwoman, Vietnam National Assembly, third from left. |
| — ANNALUCIA VERMUNT AND RON POULSEN |