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Cuba and Russia to Strengthen Ties
Cuba and Russia to Strengthen Ties
Cuban President Fidel Castro and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement in Havana Thursday, December 14, on bilateral relations and the two governments' common ground in international politics.
"This is a very important document. On almost all issues, our positions converge," Castro remarked, saying "new prospects have opened up" for Russian-Cuban relations.
In the statement, the two leaders "repeated their condemnation of the continued trade, economic and financial blockade of Cuba by the United States, as well as other extraterritorial acts linked to the blockade."
The two leaders also pledged to abide by the principles of " sovereignty, self-governance, non-intervention, independence, and territorial integrity" as enshrined by the UN Charter.
The statement also contains topics regarding issues that address the importance of a multi-polar world, the impact of economic globalization, and the role of the United Nations in international politics.
Delegations from the two nations also signed accords covering diverse fields that are expected to improve judicial cooperation, promote bilateral trade, remove double taxation, fight tax evasion, and encourage medical cooperation.
Putin was optimistic toward Russia's future with Cuba, saying the two nations will build on "warm feelings and high-level relations that already exist."
Also Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and his Cuban counterpart Felipe Perez Roque signed a protocol on the joint compilation of archive documents regarding the history of relations between both countries from 1902 till 2002.
The Russian leader, who arrived here late Wednesday for a four- day visit, will travel on to Canada on Sunday. As the first post- Soviet leader to visit Cuba, he received a warm welcome.
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