(7 Nov 2006) SHOTLIST
1. Wide exterior of Foreign Ministry of Cuba
2. Foreign Minister of Cuba, Felipe Perez Roque, talking to AP reporter
3. Perez Roque and reporter
4. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Felipe Perez Roque, Foreign Minister of Cuba:
"It was all very predictable. A farce, staged by the North American Government to make it look like a trial and a predictable result. We never imagined anything different. That was a trial with a verdict issued beforehand by Washington."
5. Various of Perez Roque in interview
6. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Felipe Perez Roque, Foreign Minister of Cuba:
"A trial like that would never happen in Cuba because the accused would have died in the trenches with the people. There is no way they would be taken to a trial like that."
7. Perez Roque and reporter
8. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Felipe Perez Roque, Foreign Minister of Cuba:
"We are permanently in contact with him and we are very optimistic and happy to have seen him. Our people could see how he is recovering . The only people that are sad are our enemies, who prepared a celebration and ended up without their party."
9. Various of Perez Roque in interview
STORYLINE:
Cuba's foreign minister, Felipe Perez Roque, on Monday condemned the recent trial and verdict on Saddam Hussein and blamed the U.S. for what he called a "farce".
"It was all very predictable. A farce, staged by the North American Government to make it look like a trial and a predictable result. We never imagined anything different. That was a trial with a verdict issued beforehand by Washington, "said Felipe Perez Roque during an interview with The Associated Press at the Foreign Ministry in Havana.
He went on to say the situation like that would never happen in Cuba. "The accused would have died in the trenches with the people. There is no way they would be taken to a trial like that." he added.
When asked about Fidel Castro's health, the foreign minister backed away from an earlier prediction that President Fidel Castro would return to power by early December, raising questions about the pace of the communist leader's recovery from intestinal surgery.
He said Castro's recovery was "advancing," but declined to guarantee that Castro would be well enough to attend the postponed celebration of his 80th birthday on December 2, despite earlier expectations.
Castro turned 80 on Aug. 13 but announced delayed festivities when he told Cubans of his surgery in late July.
A video released late October on state-run television showed the Cuban leader defiantly denying rumours that he was on his deathbed. Yet some Cubans say they were surprised to see how frail he still was.
Those who thought the Cuban revolution would collapse without Castro at the helm were proven wrong in recent months, Perez Roque said, citing how smoothly things have gone under Raul Castro's leadership.
"They have learned a good lesson," he said of Castro's detractors.

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