Leaders Arrive in Havana for South Summit

Castro Welcomes Obasanjo in Cuba

Leaders of the Group of 77 developing countries are arriving in the Cuban capital of Havana for their first ever summit, slated for this week.

Some 80 international organizations, and 56 countries who are non-members of the Group of 77 have also been invited to the meetings.

Top on the agenda will be globalization, knowledge and technology, South-South cooperation and North-South relations.

High-ranking government officials and foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Monday and Tuesday, and the heads of state and government will meet Wednesday through Friday.

The G-77, originally set up by 77 developing countries, currently has 133 member countries, and is the largest Third World coalition in the United Nations.

Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing left Beijing Monday morning to attend the South Summit and pay an official to Cuba, Malta, the Netherlands and Ireland.

Li is to attend the summit, due to be held in Cuban Capital Havana from April 11, at the invitation of President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, the current chairman country of Group 77, and President Fidel Castro of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, the host country of the South Summit.