REMARKS BY DR. FIDEL CASTRO RUZ, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
                   CUBA, IN THE WELCOME CEREMONY FOR U.S. PRESIDENT JAMES E.
                   CARTER AT JOSÉ MARTÍ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MAY 12, 2002

                   Your Excellency Mr. James Carter, ex-President of the United
                   States:

                   Distinguished Mrs. Rosalynn Carter and other members of the
                   selective group of friends in your entourage:

                   More than once during our brief encounters abroad, I expressed my
                   wishes for you to visit Cuba. Today those sincere wishes are a reality.

                   For a period of time we coincided in holding responsibilities as leaders of
                   our respective countries: you as the leader of a huge and powerful nation; I
                   in a small island, just 90 miles away from your country.

                   It is no secret that for almost a century relations between the two
                   states have not been optimal, and they still are not.

                   However, I wish to state that in the four years of your tenure
                   as president, you had the courage to make efforts to change
                   the course of those relations. That is why those of us who
                   were witnesses to that attitude view you with respect.

                   Tangible evidence that it was not a useless undertaking is
                   that, despite seemingly insurmountable difficulties,
                   misunderstandings and disagreements, during your term in
                   office three major events took place, among others: the
                   opening of the Interest Sections in Washington and Havana;
                   the demarcation of the maritime borders between Cuba,
                   Mexico and the United States; and the recognition of the right
                   of Americans to travel to Cuba, something that would
                   unfortunately be suspended later by others.

                   There might be those who think that our invitation for you to
                   visit our country is a shrewd maneuver with a mean political
                   purpose. I very sincerely say that it is a well-deserved
                   recognition of your attitude as president of the United States
                   of America towards Cuba, and of your subsequent history as a
                   personality who enjoys international prestige, someone
                   devoted to the struggle for reducing or alleviating some of the
                   tragedies afflicting humanity today, or to building an
                   awareness about them, but always seeking any possibility to
                   bring peace and understanding to all peoples.

                   A man that, in the middle of the cold war and from the depth
                   of an ocean of prejudice, misinformation and distrusts on both
                   sides of the Strait, dared to try to improve relations between
                   both countries, deserves respect.

                   The Cuban people, one of whose most remarkable qualities is
                   selflessness, admires and respects courage and espouses any
                   just cause.

                   Our country will welcome you and your delegation with its
                   most sincere hospitality and, with humility, it will show you
                   its humane and social work. Your communication with our
                   people will be facilitated, so that you can express yourself
                   freely whether or not we agree with any or all of what you
                   say. You will have free access to every place you want to go,
                   and we shall not take offense at any contact you may wish to
                   make, even with those who do not share our endeavors.

                   Although in the agreed itinerary a contact has been scheduled
                   with our scientists from the Genetic Engineering and
                   Biotechnology Center, if you are interested and if you wish,
                   you may have free and complete access – together with any
                   specialists of your choosing – to that or any other of our most
                   prestigious scientific research centers, some of which have
                   been recently accused – just a few days before your visit – of
                   producing biological weapons.

                   We are a patriotic and honorable people that will never accept
                   impositions or threats from anyone, but we are also sincere
                   friends of the people of the United States, particularly of all
                   the good Americans – who are many, and we keep discovering
                   many more.

                   We welcome you with warm and sincere friendship, and we
                   honestly hope that your visit to Cuba is not used by anyone
                   to question your patriotism or your merits, or to affect the
                   assistance that your foundation provides to so many poor,
                   neglected and forsaken people in the world today.

                   Thank you very much.