News In Brief

Key Cuban envoy leaving UN for high Havana post

Cuba's permanent representative, Raul Roa-Kuri, a key United Nations diplomat , is leaving to take up a high post in Havana. Mr. Roa, who has served here for seven years, is expected to help shape Cuban foreign policy, Monitor contributor Louis Wiznitzer reports.

''More times than not he has helped (in) working out compromises and he has always tried to take the points of views of others into account,'' says a Latin American ambassador from a conservative country.

Observers here say that the recent departure of some of the ''best and brightest'' UN diplomats indicates that the importance of the UN may be declining.