Cuban Vice President Received by South Africa's New President

HAVANA, Cuba. South African President Jacob Zuma met with visiting Cuban Vice President Esteban Lazo on Sunday.

According to Granma daily, the fourth South African President after the Apartheid's defeat was accompanied by former Foreign Minister and present Interior Minister Nkosazana Zuma.

Lazo conveyed greetings from Cuban President Raul Castro and from the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, and presented Jacob Zuma with a message from Raul congratulating him for the victory of the African National Congress (ANC) and his election as President of the South African nation.

Lazo also thanked South Africa for its support of Cuba in the struggle against Washington's economic blockade and its solidarity after the devastation caused successive hurricanes last year.

For his part, Zuma thanked the Cuban delegation for their participation in his inauguration. "The ceremony would not have been complete without Cuba's presence," said Zuma.

"Cubans have always proved that their friendship is authentic and that we can count on them 100 percent," stressed the South African president. He also sent greetings to Fidel and Raul and expressed his interest in strengthening relations between the two nations.

During the inauguration ceremony on Saturday, Esteban Lazo met with several leaders attending the event. The Cuban vice president met andexchanged greetings with a group of heads of state and government and personalities from Angola, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Cape Verde, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Lazo also met with King Letsie III of Lesotho and with Namibian President Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba. He had earlier held meetings with the vicepresident of Iran, with the president of the Commission of the AfricanUnion and with former South African President Thabo Mbeki.

(Presidente electo de Sudáfrica recibe a Esteban Lazo)