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[A. Joseph Ross]

This morning CNN called Fidel Castro, celebrating the 45th anniversary of his regime, the 
"world's longest-serving head of state."  This is wrong on two counts.

First, for many years, Castro was not president of Cuba but prime minister, and a prime 
minister is a head of government, not a head of state.

Second, even if all of Castro's time as Cuban leader is counted, Queen Elizabeth II has been 
serving for longer.

And that, incidentally, points up the distinction.  There is a ceremonial staircase at the U.N. 
General Assembly building which is reserved for heads of state.  Queen Elizabeth has used 
it.  The British prime minister does not use it.  Wherever there is a prime minister, there is 
someone else -- a monarch, a president, or some such -- who is the head of state.

-- 
A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                           617.367.0468
 15 Court Square, Suite 210                 lawyer@attorneyross.com
Boston, MA 02108-2503           	         http://www.attorneyross.com