After 36 years, Guatemala again has a man in Havana

With the restoration of ties there are now only four countries in Latin America with no relations with President Fidel Castro's government.

``Cuba is a country I visited years ago,'' said Guatemalan Ambassador Willy Kalschmitt when he arrived here Sunday.

``I know its history, its countless achievements, and I hope my presence here will benefit both our countries.''

Cuba and Guatemala decided to re-establish diplomatic relations in January following the visit to Cuba of Pope John Paul II, who called for an opening between the island and the rest of the world.

Cuba, hit hard by the end of Soviet aid following the collapse of the Soviet Union, has launched a diplomatic offensive throughout Latin America in recent years to break its isolation in the hemisphere.

The only Latin American countries now without full diplomatic relations with Havana are Costa Rica, Paraguay, El Salvador and Honduras.

Kalschmitt said his priorities would be promoting trade, cultural and sports relations between Cuba and Guatemala.

Later Monday Guatemalan Vice President Luis Flores and Foreign Minister Eduardo Stein, who is currently president of the Council of Ministers of the Association of Caribbean States, were to arrive in Havana.

The group is holding a number of meetings this week on the island.

A delegation of more than 50 Guatemalan businessmen was expected to accompany them.

Relations between Guatemala and Cuba were broken in 1962, following the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion for which anti-Castro exiles trained in Guatemala.