Cuban Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro (R) and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van Dong at a meeting held in Quang Tri province on September 15, 1973 to welcome the Cuban delegation on their visit to the liberated zone in South Vietnam. (Photo: VNA) In a recent interviewgranted to the Vietnam News Agency in Cuba on the occasion of the 50thanniversary of the first visit by Cuban Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro toVietnam (September 1973), Saez highlighted crucial milestones in the bilateralrelations since the two nations established diplomatic ties in 1960.
September is a special month in the Cuba - Vietnam relations – a model ininternational relations, he stressed.
Saez, who is also Director of the InternationalRelations Programme in Cuba, recalledthe visit by Cuban leader Fidel Castro to the liberated zone in Vietnam'scentral province of Quang Tri 50 years ago, and the establishment of the Cuban Committee for Solidaritywith Vietnam in 1963.
The year 1963 was asignificant milestone that marked Havana's high-level commitment to Hanoi, hesaid.
Fidel Castro tasked the heroine of Moncada - Melba Hernández - to organise amovement to promote solidarity with and support for Vietnam’s struggle toliberate the South. She chaired the Cuban Committee for Solidaritywith Vietnam under thesupport of theCuban Movement for Peace, the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), and other organisations.
Many famous newspapers at that time such as Revolución (Revolution) and Hoy(Today), along with a large number of Cuban artists and intellectuals, alsoenthusiastically joined the movement, which resonated with the internationalcommunity, helping other countries and peace-loving people around the worldunderstand the truth about the unjust war in Vietnam. The war brought with it numerousatrocities committed against a courageous nation that had every right tocomplete independence.
The movement stirred up a massive wave of support for theVietnamese people, even right within the US as thousands of Americans,especially young people, refused to join the war.
After the victory of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 1976, the committeebecame the CVFA, the expert said.
Meanwhile, the first visitby Cuban President Fidel Castro to Vietnam on September 12, 1973 thrilled the world. He walked among the forest of flags and flowers and the resounding cheers of the people of QuangTri.
After the victory of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 1976, the committeebecame the CVFA, the expert said.
Meanwhile, the first visitby Cuban President Fidel Castro to Vietnam on September 12, 1973 thrilled the world. He walked among the forest of flags and flowers and the resounding cheers of the people of QuangTri.
The Cuban leaderraised the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam as if he wasa soldier carrying the flag of one of the fierce battles in Quang Tri, Saezsaid./.
VNA
