HAVANA (Reuters) -- An international Protestant church leader visiting the
                  Cuban capital on Sunday said he was heartened by signs of greater religious
                  freedom in the communist-ruled island nation.

                  "We have been encouraged by the growing space that has been provided,"
                  said Dr. Konrad Raiser, general-secretary of the World Council of
                  Churches (WCC). "We believe Cuba has taken significant steps in the
                  direction of implementing religious liberty."

                  Raiser was speaking to reporters in Havana after preaching at a Presbyterian
                  church on the first day of a four-day visit to the Caribbean island. He said
                  the purpose of his trip was "to express fellowship and solidarity with the
                  church in Cuba."

                  The Geneva-based, mainly Protestant WCC has more than 300 member
                  churches from some 100 countries.

                  Raiser, from the German Evangelical Church, was due to talk with Cuban
                  authorities and with Cuban Protestant and Catholic church leaders during his
                  stay. He was also expected to be meet Cuban President Fidel Castro.

                  In his comments to journalists, Raiser repeated the WCC's strong opposition
                  to the U.S. government's long-standing economic embargo against Cuba.

                  But during his sermon on Sunday, he eschewed politics in favour of a broad
                  ecumenical message of reconciliation in which he urged Christian churches to
                  unite in the service of God.

                  "What unites us is stronger than what separates us," he said in his address.

                  Several foreign officials attended the church service including Vicki
                  Huddleston, the head of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.

                  After a long period of tension that followed the 1959 Cuban Revolution,
                  relations between Cuba's communist authorities and Christian churches have
                  warmed in recent years. The thaw culminated in January, 1998 with a visit to
                  Cuba by Pope John Paul II.

                  Nevertheless, some Cuban lay Catholics have recently stepped up calls for
                  wider political and economic freedoms on the island.

                     Copyright 1999 Reuters.