HAVANA, May 12 (UPI) -- Former President Jimmy Carter, his wife, Rosalynn, and four other members of The Carter Center delegation, arrived in Havana, Cuba, Sunday for a six-day visit to President Fidel Castro's U.S.-spurned country -- the first trip by a working or former U.S. president since 1928.
Traveling as private citizens, the Carters were welcomed by Cuban President Fidel Castro with warm words and the U.S. national anthem.
"More than once during our brief encounters abroad, I had expressed by wishes for you to visit Cuba. Today those sincere wishes are a reality," said Castro, acknowledging Carter's policy during his tenure as president, which included opening interest sections in Washington and Havana, demarking maritime borders between Cuba, Mexico and the United States, and supporting American travel to Cuba.
"You will have free access to every place you want to go, and we shall not take offense for any contact you may wish to make, even with those who do not share our endeavors," he added later.
With those words he addressed two concerns. The U.S. government last week accused Cuba of producing biological weapons. Also, last week, a petition by dissidents called for a referendum on a general election, amnesty for political prisoners, private enterprise and freedom of speech.
His speech along with Carter's was published on the Cuban government Web site.
"We have arrived as friends of the Cuban people," Carter said in Spanish, adding that he hoped to visit medical research facilities, farms, the Latin American School of Medical Sciences, the New School for Social Workers, a school for handicapped children and the University of Havana. He also said he would like to meet with representatives from the religious and human rights communities.
The Carter Center was set up 20 years ago to work internationally for peace issues, human rights, democracy and the alleviation of human suffering, according to Carter.
Since leaving office in 1981 after one term in office, Carter has devoted his time to traveling the world as an unofficial U.S. emissary and peace and human rights activist.
The last U.S. head of state to visit Cuba was Calvin Coolidge. With Castro's take over 43 years ago, the United States and Cuba opened period marked by military conflict and rancour, which led to a U.S. embargo on the island country.
The six-member delegation visited Old Havana Sunday, and was to meet with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and Castro later, according to the tentative schedule posted by The Carter Center.
In addition to the Carters, the delegation from the Center included John Hardman, the executive director who is an M.D., Jennifer McCody, Americas Program director, Rober Pastor, consultant for the Americas Program and Chip Carter, the former president's brother and president of the Friendship Force, a cultural exchange organization.
Three staff members also accompanied the delegation.
