Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Isidoro Malmierca Peoli, arrived in Syria on Sunday for talks with his counterpart there, Abdul Halim Khaddam. They discussed the situation in the Middle East and relations between their two countries.
The talks were regarded by both sides as of great importance, coming as they did in the middle of preparations for the conference of non-aligned countries in Cuba in September.
Senior Malmierca and his government support Syria in its total opposition to the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel–but their opposition is not shared by all non-aligned countries.
Unlike the Cuban Foreign Minister, President Tito of Yugoslavia — who has been visiting Algeria, the Libyan Jamahiriya and Malta — has taken a more moderate position. President Tito considered boycotting the non-aligned conference, because he believes the Cubans have followed too closely the Moscow line in Africa and the Middle East.
Finally the Yugoslavian President decided to attend the conference rather than risk a split among member countries. During their talks, Senor Malmierca and Mr. Khaddam discussed ways of strengthening relations between Cuba and Syria — and areas in which their two countries will support each other at September’s meeting.
