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Saturday, November 3, 2018, Moscow. In the context of the three-day visit that ends on Saturday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (the first to head the state), the island and Russia wish to start the beginning of a new stage of closer bilateral cooperation.
The hostile policy of the US administration of Donald Trump towards both countries, compounded by recent sanctions, favors closer rapprochement between Havana and Moscow, as evidenced by the joint statement issued at the The result of negotiations between Diaz-Canel and his Russian counterpart and host, Vladimir Putin.
"The Russian president has confirmed the Russian people's unwavering solidarity with the Cuban people in the fight for the immediate and unconditional lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States for nearly 60 years, "the document said.
Díaz-Canel thanked "the firm position of Russia" in this file and considered very significant that his arrival in this country (which "has always supported our fight in the fight against the US blockade) coincided with a new victory of Cuba at the United Nations (UN), when the overwhelming majority of members of the General Assembly – 189 members, against only two: the United States and Israel – supported the Cuban resolution in favor of the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial embargo of the power of North America against the Caribbean island.
Havana and Moscow, in a gesture by the visitor at the head of the Kremlin, urged US President Donald Trump to reconsider his announced intention to abandon the Nuclear Intermediate Forces (INF) Treaty. in English), which eliminated the so-called euromiles.
"The parties express their deep regret and are convinced that Washington's decision could have a very negative impact on international security and the arms control system, and therefore urge the United States to reconsider its intention to renounce the INF Treaty. "notes the joint statement.
After almost a decade of complete paralysis of bilateral relations – the collateral effect of the disintegration of the Soviet Union – relations began to recover in 2000 during Putin's first visit to Havana in December . it was possible to reach an agreement on the Cuban debt to Russia, the main heir to the commitments of the Soviet era.
It took 14 years for the problem to be solved during Putin's second visit in June 2014, when Moscow canceled 90% of the debt, which equals $ 35.2 billion. The remaining 10 per cent was earmarked for co-operation projects, but much remains to be done: the trade balance barely reached $ 250 million last year, while trade between Cuba and Canada have exceeded one billion dollars, not to mention the volume of Chinese and European investments.
Now, the situation due to Trump's stubbornness creates favorable conditions for the promotion of new areas of collaboration between Cuba and Russia. After talks with Putin, Diaz-Canel stressed that his country "aims to elevate economic, trade and financial relations to the level where today is our excellent political dialogue".
The Cuban leader said that in Cuba's economic development plans until 2030, "joint economic projects in sectors such as energy, transportation, metallurgy and biotechnology occupy an important place. "
The joint commission for economic, commercial, technical and scientific cooperation met in Havana and contracts worth $ 260 million were signed. Among them, one to build four blocks of energy in a Cuban thermoelectric power plant, another to upgrade a metallurgical plant built in the Soviet Union and another for the supply of railroad cars.
It was learned that Diaz-Canel and Putin thought it would be counter-productive to announce their intention to install on Cuban territory the two Russian military bases that the Kremlin strongly recommends to the army staff: one to undertake radio espionage in the United States, similar to that which the Soviet Union had in Lourdes and the other as logistical support for nuclear submarines and warships of the Russian navy.
Everything will depend shortly on the evolution of clashes between Washington and Moscow and Havana. If the situation worsens, the case could be resumed during the visit of Mr. Putin to Cuba, in 2019, by invitation. by Diaz-Canel.
Beyond military cooperation, currently limited to Cuban interest in acquiring Russian helicopters and armored vehicles, there are rumors of rumors that the Kremlin leader would be interested in a trip to Cuba as part of a a tour of Latin America, an opportunity for the new diplomat's government diplomacy to take this opportunity to reiterate his invitation to Putin.
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