Fidel Castro to Host Dinner for Leaders

Castro, now 80, announced on July 31 he had undergone emergency surgery for an undisclosed intestinal ailment and provisionally handed over his powers as Cuba's president and Communist Party head to his brother, 75-year-old Defense Minister Raul Castro.

Earlier this week he said in a statement pub

lished in state media he would be able to meet with some visiting dignitaries during the weeklong Nonaligned summit, which begins Monday, but gave the sense that those meetings would be small and private.

It was not immediately clear from the schedule if he would be involved in any of the work sessions, but the schedule released by the government listed him as host of a dinner on Friday.

The nature of Castro's surgery and his specific ailment have been treated as a state secret, although photographs and statements from him have been released.

"20:30 hours: Official welcome dinner offered by his Excellency Mr. Fidel Castro Ruz, President of the Council of State of the Government of the Republic of Government of Cuba, in honor of the Heads of Delegations of the member countries of the Movement of Nonaligned Nations," read an entry on the schedule for Friday, which was highlighted in yellow.

The schedule prepared for international media covering the event was sent to international news organizations based in Havana via electronic mail by Cuba's International Press Center.

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