Aleksandr Lukashenko makes official visit to Cuba
Belarus and Cuba should advance from mere trade to more sophisticated forms of economic cooperation, President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba Raúl Castro Ruz in Havana.
Particular, cooperation between the two countries might advance to a new level in industry, agriculture, information technologies, and biotechnologies.
Taking into consideration that over 14,500 Belarusian tractors, over 5,500 MAZ vehicles, and about 90 BelAZ quarry trucks are operated in Cuba, Belarus is ready to help set up a machinery repair and upgrade center in Cuba and in the future a factory to assemble tractors and other farm and construction machines to meet the needs of Cuba and the neighboring countries.
The first step towards implementing these projects is setting up centers to renovate and upgrade Belarusian tractors. Minsk Tractor Works is ready to discuss the matter with Cuban officials.
Belarus is ready to meet the demand of Cuban economy for modern powerful tractors and other farm machines. Belarus might also consider opening an office of the Belarusian Industry Ministry in Cuba.
Belarusian specialists are ready to help implement projects to upgrade infrastructure, oil refineries and power installations in Cuba.
Belarus might help Cuba create advanced telecommunication and computer systems, software and train IT specialists. Taking into consideration that Cuba has qualified geology specialists speaking Russian, it might make sense to run joint projects in geological survey in Ecuador, Nicaragua, Bolivia and other Latin American countries.
Belarus is also ready to provide any assistance to Cuba in promoting its political, economic and other interests in the Eurasian space.
Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that Belarus and Cuba have similar views on the most important points of the international agenda, like creating a multi-polar world and establishing a fair international economic order.
Belarus calls for immediate lifting of the shameful US blockade of Cuba. The voting on this resolution in the UN “from year to year demonstrates that this senseless Cold War anachronism undermines the prestige of the very United States.
"We are in favor of good relations between countries, in favor of rapprochement via negotiations and creation of an environment conducive to unobstructed cooperation with all countries,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The Belarusian head of state also noted that Belarus greatly values Cuba’s reputation in Latin America, its prestige among developing countries and its standing in the Non-Aligned Movement.
Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that this year Belarus and Cuba mark the 20th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties. The President noted that over these years the bilateral cooperation has grown into strategic partnership.
In Havana the President of Belarus laid a wreath at the monument of Cuban National Hero José Martí .
Moreover, members of the Belarusian delegation held a number of meetings with their Cuban colleagues. After the negotiations the parties signed a package of documents on cooperation in agriculture, industry, healthcare, science, technologies. These documents will open up new opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
In particular, the sides signed an interstate agreement on cooperation in flora protection.
The signing of memoranda in healthcare, agriculture will promote the export of new agricultural equipment and related parts to Cuba. The documents will also help raise additional investments and upgrade enterprises in Cuba. Moreover, Belarus and Cuba signed an agreement on cooperation in science and technology.
From Havana Alexander travelled to Venezuela on the official visit.