Fidel Castro Talks to Cuban Leaders
Cuban President Fidel Castro had a telephone conversation with participants in a meeting of presidents of the People s Power Provincial Assemblies Saturday in the Havana.

According to a note published on the front page of the Granma newspaper, the Cuban statesman, recovering from an intestinal surgery since July, was informed on details of the meeting.

The communication sparked enthusiastic applause from participants at the meeting, expected to conclude today and chaired by the Cuban vice President Carlos Lage and President of the parliament Ricardo Alarcon.

The state of investments in the Battle of Ideas, a program supporting the country s economic and social changes started in 1999, and fulfillment of the housing construction plan are some of the main issues.

In the last session assembly members will debate on the course of the Energy Revolution, including the substitution of high energy-consuming equipment, modernization of the transmission network and energy distribution.

The Cuban local press also highlighted a telephone conversation between Fidel and President Hugo Chavez in which the Commander-in-Chief congratulated the Venezuelan people for the confidence on the Bolivarian process expressed at the polls.