ADDIS ABBA, December 17.—Cuban Vice President Esteban Lazo and Tesome Toga, the Ethiopian parliamentary president, today inaugurated in this capital city the Monument Park dedicated to Cuban internationalists who died in this African country.

Berhame Deresa, mayor of Addis Abba; Kuma Demeksa, minister of defense; and TesomeToga spoke during the solemn ceremony.

In his closing words Lazo thanked Ethiopia for the gesture on behalf of the families of the 163 Cubans who died in the country and the thousands of internationalists, military as well as civilian, who generously offered their support to the development of the country.

The vice president conveyed the gratitude of the Cuban government – and especially, of President Fidel Castro and first Vice President Raúl Castro, as well as that of the entire Cuban people for the beautiful gift, which will be a symbol of the friendship between the two countries.

The Cuban delegation attending the event included Division General Urbelino Betancourt, Brigadier Generals Manuel Pérez, Arnaldo Tamyo and Rafael Ruiz, as well as Colonel Orlando Cardoso Villavicecio and a group of civilians who served in Ethiopia during the war.

Lazo and the Ethiopian parliamentary president both laid wreaths before photographs of the Cuban martyrs and planted trees symbolizing the friendship of the two nations.

Shortly afterwards, Esteban Lazo, accompanied by the mayor, placed a floral wreath on a monument dedicated to the victory over fascism. The Cuban leader also received the keys to the city from the mayor and met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, with whom he discussed issues of mutual concern. Later in the afternoon, an event was organized on Cuban-Ethiopian relations of friendship, where Colonel Fedekade Gebreyes and Brigadier General Rafael Ruiz spoke.

Translated by Granma International

Granma 18-12-2007