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Report: Ailing Castro phones provincial leaders

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published December 17, 2006

HAVANA - Fidel Castro telephoned a meeting of provincial legislative leaders, the Communist Party daily said Saturday in a report that appeared aimed at quelling rumors about the ailing Cuban leader's health.

Meanwhile, 10 visiting U.S. Congress members met with Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and other communist officials, two weeks after acting leader Raul Castro offered to hold a dialogue with American officials.

The call by Fidel Castro to provincial leaders Friday and another to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez the same day constituted the first news in 11 days about the convalescing 80-year-old, who has not been seen in public in more than four months.

Even if Castro is not as sick as some believe - including many in the U.S. government - his prolonged absence from public life has raised questions about whether he will return to power.

Vice President Carlos Lage and National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon were presiding over the meeting of provincial assembly presidents when Castro called, Granma reported.

Chavez said in Caracas on Friday that Castro, a friend and political ally, called him the same day to congratulate him on his re-election earlier this month.

Fidel Castro has not been seen in public since July 26, five days before it was announced that he had undergone emergency intestinal surgery and was temporarily ceding power to his brother, Raul.

The U.S. lawmakers had asked to meet with Raul Castro during their visit, but there was no word on if a meeting would take place.

Led by Reps. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and William Delahunt, D-Mass., the group arrived Friday. On Saturday, the group was seen entering the Foreign Ministry for the meeting with Perez Roque.

[Last modified December 17, 2006, 00:32:50]