Category:[world] [WORLD] [Asia-Pacific]
Cuban leader Fidel Castro and his brother Raul, who has been Cuba's acting leader since July last year, have accepted an invitation to visit Vietnam, the official gazette Granma said on Tuesday.

They were invited by Nong Duc Manh, secretary general of Vietnam's Communist Party Central Committee.

The visit would be "both friendly and official," according to Granma.

Manh, who was in Cuba from Friday until Sunday, met Fidel Castro, who is recovering from a July 31 operation. Cuban television carried images of their meeting on Saturday night.

Manh also met Raul Castro, Carlos Lage Davila, vice president of the Council of State, and senior Cuban Communist Party officials.

During the visit, Cuba signed a contract to allow PetroVietnam to explore four blocks in the Gulf of Mexico and three more on land.

The two nations also agreed to promote economic, trade and investment collaboration.

They agreed to continue cooperating in defense, security and foreign affairs; and to expand cooperation in science, technology, culture, tourism, sports, broadcasting, rice production and other fields.

Cuba was Manh's last stop on a Latin American tour that also included Chile, Brazil and Venezuela.

Castro underwent an intestinal operation in July 2006 and has not made any public appearances since then. In March this year he started publishing articles on major current world affairs.

Cuba's Castro brothers accept invitation to visit Vietnam(Over)
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