Castro praises ex-president for 'courage' in visit

From Herald Staff and Wire Reports

  HAVANA - Former President Jimmy Carter arrived on this sunny but troubled island Sunday for a five-day visit, seeking what he said were ''areas of cooperation'' in relations between the United States and Cuba, which are now at their lowest point in years.

  ''We come here as friends of the Cuban people,'' Carter said, delivering his arrival speech in Spanish. He was greeted at the Jose Martí Airport in Havana by President Fidel Castro, becoming the most prominent American to visit Cuba since President Calvin Coolidge addressed an international conference there in 1928.

  Although Carter is traveling as a private citizen, the encounter is being viewed as the highest-level since Castro took control in 1959. The visit is being watched closely by all sides of the intensely emotional debate about Cuba, which has colored U.S. politics and policy since the Eisenhower administration.

  Trading his traditional military garb for a dark pinstriped suit and colorful tie, Castro, who referred to Carter as ''your excellency,'' gave the former president permission to speak freely when he addresses the Cuban population during a speech Tuesday evening that will be broadcast live on television.

  ''We will facilitate the communication with our population, so that you may express anything you would like to express, whether or not we agree with part or all of what you say,'' Castro told Carter.

  SET TO SPEAK

  Carter's speech, set to last 20 minutes, will take place at the University of Havana.

  As if to make sure ordinary Cubans don't miss it, Carter mentioned the time and place of the address at Sunday's arrival ceremony, which also was televised.

  Castro also promised Carter that he would have ''free and total access'' to wherever he wanted to go and said he would not be offended if Carter chose to meet ''even those who do not share our struggle'' -- a reference to dissidents, human rights activists and religious leaders.

  Carter has blocked out Thursday afternoon for meetings with those critical of Castro's government. Among those anticipating a visit is 59-year-old Vladimiro Roca,
  Cuba's most prominent political dissident and son of a longtime Communist Party leader. Roca was released from prison two months ahead of schedule last week after serving nearly five years on charges of sedition.

  About 250 political opponents remain behind bars.

  Organizers of the largest peaceful grass-roots initiative, known as the Varela Project, also hope to meet with Carter. The group turned in 11,020 signatures last week calling for a referendum on reforms to the socialist system.

  After the ceremonial exchanges at the airport, Castro led Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, to a black limousine for the ride to their hotel in a meticulously restored section of Old Havana, a harbor-front neighborhood of cobblestones and colonial buildings.

  ''It's a Soviet-made car,'' Castro told Carter as they walked to the limo. ``It's about a hundred years old, but it's the most comfortable we have.''

  Castro, 75, the world's longest-serving head of state, has bedeviled 10 U.S. presidents. Carter, 77, is one of the world's most experienced and respected statesmen, spending the past two decades involved in human rights issues, elections and conflict mediation in some of the world's most troubled spots.

  Castro, citing ''an ocean of prejudices, misinformation and distrust'' in dealings between Havana and Washington, praised Carter on Sunday for having ``the courage to make efforts to change the course of those relations.''

  The Cuban leader rejected suggestions from his opponents that his invitation to Carter was simply a shrewd maneuver with a political purpose. Rather, he said, it was "deserved recognition of your attitude as president of the United States of America toward Cuba.''

  `DESERVES RESPECT'

  ''Daring to try to improve relations between those two countries deserves respect,'' Castro said, adding that he hoped no one would ''question your patriotism'' for
  visiting Cuba. Opponents of U.S. policy toward Cuba, specifically the 41-year-old economic embargo, hope Carter, who has called the embargo counterproductive, will publicly call for it to be lifted.

  Supporters of the embargo, which is backed by President Bush, hope that Carter will focus instead on Castro's human rights record.

  ''We are eager to see first-hand your accomplishments in health, in education and in culture,'' Carter said. But he added that he also intended to discuss with Castro, and with representatives of religious and human rights groups, ``ideals that Rosalynn and I hold dear: peace, human rights, democracy and the alleviation of human
  suffering.''

  ''We understand that we have differences of opinion on some of these issues,'' Carter said. ``But we welcome the opportunity to try to identify some points in common and some areas of cooperation.''

  Watching Carter's trip will be perhaps the most staunchly anti-Castro U.S. president ever. While fighting a global war on terrorism on the other side of the world, Bush has kept a close eye on Cuba.

  He has appointed several anti-Castro Cubans to high administration positions.

  He has given passionate speeches in favor of the embargo, despite clear majorities in both houses of Congress calling for easing restrictions on travel and the sale of
  food and medicine to Cuba.

  Bush is scheduled to give a speech May 20 announcing a new Cuban policy, which many analysts following the process say is likely to include stepped-up efforts to
  provide cash and other help to Castro's dissident opponents in Cuba.

  Staff writer Nancy San Martin contributed to this report.