Havana - After months of introducing economic reforms to the Caribbean island, President Raul Castro on Friday led his first ordinary session of a new Cuban National Assembly.

More than 600 members of the National Assembly, including re- elected Speaker Ricardo Alarcon, gathered at the Conventions Palace outside Havana. They were elected to their seats in January, forming the assembly that on February 24 elected Raul Castro to replace his brother, long-serving revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, as Cuban president.

In Friday's session, legislators were set to discuss among other issues a reform of the legislation on social security, the state news agency Prensa Latina reported. They were also set to debate reforms in the production of foodstuffs and in energy supply, in the face of rising prices in both sectors.

Days earlier, Raul Castro, 77, said "adjustments and inevitable restrictions" would be forthcoming in Cuba to tackle the spiraling prices of food and fuel.

Since he was formally elected president - following his brother's rule of close to half-a-century - Raul Castro has implemented incentives for farmers, seeking to increase agricultural production. He also increased decentralization and allowed wage increases in some fields.

Raul Castro also put an end to the resented restrictions for Cubans in the island's luxury hotels, and liberalized the sale of cellphones, computers and other consumer goods.

However, the average wage in Cuba - around 20 dollars a month - continues to operate as an effective barrier keeping these options out of reach of most of the island's population. (dpa)