Havana - The Vatican hopes Cuba's new leadership will make the "right decisions" and listen to the needs of the Cuban people, the Holy See's foreign minister said Monday. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone is set Tuesday to become the first foreign dignitary to meet with Raul Castro since his election Sunday to succeed his brother Fidel Castro as Cuban president.
Bertone told diplomats in Havana - in a speech that was later distributed by the Cuban Catholic Church - that Cubans "have the right to feel proud of being Cuban and to be respected, valued and represented by those who govern them."
Bertone said Raul Castro and the Cuban leadership must show the "ability to listen and interpret more and more" to the needs of the Cubans.
In a joint press conference with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, Bertone said he expected "clarity" and "sincerity" in his meeting with the new Cuban leader but continued to talk of Fidel Castro as "president."
Bertone, who is commemorating the historic visit of Pope John Paul II to the communist island 10 years ago, said his relations with Cuban officials during a six-day visit that ends Tuesday have been "excellent."
"I have never been able to talk to Cuban authorities as much as in this third visit," the cardinal said. "That is very important, favourable."
He offered the Cuban leadership the "closeness" of the Catholic Church to "work for the common good" of the Cuban people.
"New President Raul, the new Council of State, the Catholic Church itself all try to recognize, to perceive the aspirations of the people and answer them with all possible means, bearing in mind the difficulties of the Cuban people, especially the economic blockade," said the Vatican's number two.
The Cuban Catholic Bishops' Conference (COCC) earlier Monday gave a "vote of confidence" to new President Castro, who they said has promised to implement changes for the "welfare of the Cuban people."
The Catholic bishops recalled that they have at various times in the recent past prayed that peace would not be disturbed on the Caribbean island.
"Today we want to thank God because that peace made it possible, at a certain time, that the highest authorities in the country invited workers, students and the people at large to debate the most urgent problems of all sorts that affect our people," the bishops said.
