January 23, 1999

The Miami Herald

MEXICO CITY -- (AP) -- Pope John Paul II touched two prominent issues

Friday in a talk with journalists -- the leftist rebellion in the Mexico's

southern state of Chiapas and the results of his visit to Cuba last year.

"There will be no solution [in Chiapas] without recognition that the

indigenous people were the first owners of the land," the Pope told

reporters aboard his plane en route from Rome to Mexico City. He also

stressed the need for dialogue and cautioned against transforming Marxist

liberation theology into "indigenous theology."

Speaking about one of the most watched of all his foreign pilgrimages, the

Pope said he was "relatively pleased" with progress since he visited Cuba

a year ago, and pointed to the restoration of Christmas as an official

holiday on the communist island. He noted that he was invited to make a

stop there on this trip, but said the schedule had already been arranged.