• Very content with his welcome, freedom of movement and to meet
                   with whomever he chose • Will send report on his visit to the White
                   House, State Department and Congress • Highlights Cuban
                   achievements in medicine and education

                   BY MIREYA CASTAÑEDA (Granma International staff writer)

                   JAMES Carter, the 39th president of the United States, stated that he
                   had total freedom of movement and association during his stay in
                   Cuba (May 12-17), at the invitation of President Fidel Castro, who
                   bade him farewell this Friday at the end of his visit..

                   During a packed press conference at the
                   International Conference Center, a few hours
                   before his departure, Carter – speaking in English
                   this time – made an initial statement in which he
                   reiterated his delight at being invited, the welcome
                   he received and the opportunity to meet with
                   anyone his delegation chose wanted to meet.

                   The former president stated that he traveled to
                   Havana with three main objectives in mind:
                   having maximum communication with the Cuban
                   people; having wide-ranging discussions with President Fidel Castro,
                   government officials and other figures; and seeing the country with
                   his own eyes, so that when he returned to the United States he
                   could contribute to improving bilateral relations, which he said have
                   been very tense over the last 40 years.

                   He felt that he had been successful in achieving the first two
                   objectives, noting that his address at the University of Havana and
                   the subsequent question-and-answer session was broadcast live by
                   Cuban television and radio, and later published in Granma and other
                   newspapers.

                   As for his talks with the Cuban president, although he is not
                   accustomed to disclosing the details of such meetings, he noted that
                   the entire agenda had been covered in his address at the University
                   of Havana.

                   He announced that upon his return to the United States, he would
                   draw up a complete report, as he always does after a visit abroad,
                   for the White House, the secretary of state and members of
                   Congress.

                   In these few short days, he explained, he had the opportunity to
                   acquaint himself with Cuba’s contributions to education, health and
                   agriculture, and he affirmed that he was particularly impressed by the
                   development of the medical system and research. He expressed
                   admiration for the Latin American Medical School, where some 8,000
                   young people from 24 countries, including the United States, are
                   currently studying on Cuban scholarships.

                   The former U.S. president described Cuba’s achievements in the
                   treatment of children with physical or mental disabilities as an
                   extraordinary success. He went on to comment that although it had
                   not been officially scheduled, he had also visited a farmers’ market,
                   where products were freely sold and which was full of buyers.

                   Carter stressed that neither he nor his delegation had faced any
                   limitations in meeting with representatives of the Protestant, Catholic
                   and Jewish communities, nor with dissidents; neither were there any
                   restrictions on his movements within or outside of Havana.

                   He confirmed that in general everything had been magnificent, but
                   after 43 years of animosity, one brief visit cannot change everything.
                   Nevertheless, he hoped the visit would be of some use.

                   In the question-and-answer session, which lasted some 45 minutes,
                   many of the journalists’ concerns had been covered by Carter in his
                   initial speech, including his report to President Bush, his gratitude for
                   the hospitality extended to him, his hopes for an improvement in
                   bilateral relations, the subjects of his talks with Fidel, the so-called
                   Varela Project, and Cuba’s major advances in health and education.

                   COOPERATION BETWEEN SCIENTISTS

                   The former president reiterated how impressed he was with the
                   island’s scientific advances, stating that he would like to see
                   unrestricted cooperation between Cuban and U.S. scientists. He cited
                   the example of neuroscience, AIDS research and the production of
                   vaccines such as the one to prevent hepatitis B, and expressed the
                   hope that his visit would serve to broaden those exchanges.

                   Carter added that university student exchanges should be excepted
                   from political problems (he expressed his surprise at seeing how
                   many U.S. students there are in Cuba, including young people from
                   Georgia Tech), and likewise tourism.

                   The issue of the blockade ("embargo" for the United States) was
                   also approached, as Carter has spoken in favor of it being lifted. He
                   stressed that his position was based primarily on the fact that the
                   policy restricts U.S. citizens’ rights to visit and trade with any country
                   in the world. In this sense, he expressed his belief that it is
                   anti-American.

                   He spoke of the humanitarian aspect of his stance against the
                   blockade and explained that he had visited health centers without
                   announcing his presence in advance, and he could appreciate the
                   services offered but voiced concerned about the lack of equipment
                   and medicines. From the humanitarian point of view, he stated, the
                   unrestricted sale or donation of medicines and equipment should be
                   allowed.

                   In response to a question about whether he felt "uncomfortable"
                   with President Bush, the former president responded in the negative
                   and recalled that before traveling to Cuba, he had held briefings with
                   the White House, the State Department and National Security
                   Advisor Condoleeza Rice.

                   However, the theme of the Afghan prisoners on Guantánamo Base
                   was an uncomfortable issue for Carter, who said that he was
                   reluctant to repeat in a foreign country the public criticism of the
                   Bush administration he made two months ago. He believes that the
                   Afghan prisoners must receive just treatment and fair trials, and is
                   concerned about their human rights.

                   In general, the former U.S. president was in favor of improved
                   cooperation between the United States and Cuba in this dawn of the
                   21st century, as he had expressed in his address at the University of
                   Havana’s Aula Magna.