VATICAN CITY (AP) --- Pope John Paul II and Cuba's foreign minister discussed humanitarian issues and further cooperation Friday in a follow-up meeting to the pope's historic January visit to the island.

The meeting with Roberto Robaina, the latest in a series of high-level talks on Cuba, came three days after the Vatican received Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. She and Vatican officials discussed the Clinton administration's moves to increase humanitarian assistance to Cuba.

Robaina had been critical of the measures, calling them "scraps disguised as humanitarian aid,'' though Cuban President Fidel Castro said they were constructive.

A Vatican statement after Robaina met with the pope and senior church officials said attention was given to the "significant humanitarian measures'' the Cuban government "has taken and will continue to take as homage'' to John Paul's desires.

This apparently referred to the release of 299 prisoners, including Cuban dissidents, whose names were on a list given to the Cuban government by the Vatican during John Paul's Jan. 21-25 visit.

During her meeting Tuesday, U.S. officials said Albright gave the Vatican a list of four Cuban political prisoners whom Washington wants released as well as 12 prisoners freed but later rearrested.

The Vatican statement said the pope and Robaina expressed satisfaction Friday with John Paul's visit, the first by a pope to the communist island, and repeated their willingness to continue cooperation.

© 1998Associated Press.