Cuban Minister Says No to Opening Up Economy

Cuban Minister Says No to Opening Up Economy
By VOA News
13 September 2006

Cuba's economy minister says President Fidel Castro's health problems
will not lead to any changes in the country's economic system.

Jose Luis Rodriguez made the comment Tuesday in Havana during a summit
of the Non-Aligned Movement. Rodriguez said there is no interest in
adopting the Chinese economic model and opening up to private businesses.

The Non-Aligned Movement was formed more than four decades ago to unite
countries that wanted to avoid aligning with either the United States or
the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Cuba is to take over the
leadership of the group from Malaysia.

It is not clear if Cuban President Fidel Castro will participate in the
six-day summit, which began Monday. The 80-year-old Cuban leader is
recovering from intestinal surgery that he underwent in July and has
temporarily handed power to his younger brother, Defense Minister Raul
Castro.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-09-13-voa11.cfm