Castro appears in Parliament for first time since illness

By Vicente Poveda Aug 7, 2010, 22:07 GMT

Havana - Historic Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Saturday addressed Parliament for the first time since his illness four years ago.

In a session that was broadcast live on Cuban television, Castro, who is set to turn 84 Friday, addressed the risk of nuclear war triggered by events in the Middle East.

'The human species would then have no possible salvation,' he warned. 'The current order that has been established on the planet would not be able to last and it would inevitably collapse immediately.'

Castro spoke firmly, although he needed to lean on an aide as he entered the building wearing his trademark fatigues. The over 600 deputies granted the communist island's long-time leader a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.

He took part in debate for an hour-and-a-half, in the presence of his brother, current Cuban President Raul Castro, who did not address the legislature himself. It was the first time the two men were seen in public since Fidel Castro returned to public life on July 7.

Castro, who remains a legislator although he had not attended a Parliament session since mid-2006, did not take his designated seat. Instead, he stood to briefly address the chamber, and then he took a seat next to National Assembly Speaker Ricardo Alarcon.

The special session of the unicameral National Assembly, which meets twice a year, was scheduled at Fidel Castro's request to discuss the threat of nuclear war in the Middle East, which in his opinion could be caused by the United States.

He said he thinks nuclear war could start as soon as a US or Israeli vessel checks an Iranian ship in compliance with UN sanctions targeting Tehran's nuclear programme.

As he addressed legislators, Castro said there was hope that such a war could be avoided, and he stressed the decision rested in the hands of US President Barack Obama.

'One man will have to make the decision alone: the president of the United States. Certainly, due to his many occupations, he has not realized yet, but his advisors are starting to understand that,' Castro said.

He said he believed Obama could be persuaded against such a war.

'The advantage with Obama is that he is not (former US president Richard) Nixon. Nixon was a cynic,' Castro said.

'Luck had it that at this precise moment the president of the United States would be a descendant of an African, a white, of a Muslim and a Christian,' he said.

Castro said the Parliament session was intended as a 'contribution' to the effort of convincing Obama.

Castro temporarily gave up power to his brother Raul in July 2006, as he underwent treatment for an unspecified intestinal illness. The power transfer was then formalized in February 2008, although Fidel Castro has remained first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and retained a seat in Parliament since then.

Castro has increasingly made regular public appearances in recent weeks and given his opinions on various international questions. However, Saturday was the first time foreign media were allowed to be present.

Saturday was also the first time he took part in a political event since mid-2006.