Feb. 16, 1999

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<center>L to R: Rafael Noriega; John Graz, Adventist Church’s Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director, Bert Beach, Adventist Church’s Inter-Church Relations director, Mrs. Amanda Noriega </center>

Silver Spring, Maryland, USA ... [ANN] Rafael Noriega, third secretary with the Cuban diplomatic mission in the U.S., affirmed religious values during a speech at the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters on February 9.

“Our official position is that the government cannot take sides in religious matters,” said Noriega, speaking to a group of Adventist leaders. “In the past there have been misunderstandings and gaps in our relationships with religious groups. But over the last 20 years we have been developing better relationships. The 1992 constitution changed Cuba from an atheistic to a secular state. Now we are involved in building bridges, not building gaps.”

Noriega has participated in a number of meetings with the Adventist Church, most recently attending the 50th anniversary celebrations of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights.

“One of our biggest achievements is for the government to avoid the idea that religion is dangerous,” said Noriega. “Though Marx called religion the ‘opium of the people,’ religion is more complex than that. I grew up with religious people, including Adventists, and I respect all of them. I cannot say who is better based on ideologies-rather it is what they bring to society. The religious sector is growing in Cuba, especially the Protestant churches, because the people are productive. We respect that and work together with them, because we wish to encourage religious freedom. We can show that religion and socialism can live together.”

Responding, Jan Paulsen, general vice-president for the Adventist Church, said that the Church appreciated the affirmation of shared values.

“Coming from Europe, which has seen all varieties of socialism, including some that were very oppressive, I can say that the church can identify with some ideas we share, such as human rights, equality and the sharing of wealth. Our wish is to develop relationships with government officials and civil leaders. We support mutually constructive efforts to improve the quality of life here and now, as well as the future perspective. Both aspects are vitally important to us as Adventists.”

Noriega returns to Cuba shortly, and introduced his successor, Jose Luis Noa.
[Jonathan Gallagher]

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