Díaz-Canel to meet with Russian premier this week (Updated)
Cuban Vice President Miguel Díaz-Canel will travel to Moscow and meet on Thursday (May 26) with Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, the premier’s office announced.
“The two officials will discuss Russia-Cuba trade and economic cooperation, including collaboration in energy, industry, pharmaceuticals, high technology, space exploration, education and tourism,” a press release said.
“They will also focus on expanding bilateral investment, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian ties.” They will also consider “an expansion of bilateral investment, scientific, technological, cultural and humanitarian relations.”
The announcement did not mention a meeting between Díaz-Canel and President Vladimir Putin, but a courtesy call by the Cuban vice president to the Russian president should not be ruled out.
On Tuesday (May 24), Díaz-Canel continued his visit to Belarus by touring the Public Administration Academy in Minsk, an institution that trains management leaders. He was welcomed by the academy’s rector, Marat Dzhilinsky, with the traditional offering of bread and salt (see photo at top).
Díaz-Canel said that he was visiting the school at the recommendation of Cuba’s minister of the Economy, Marino Murillo, who had toured it in 2012 during a trip to Minsk.
Murillo “was very pleasantly surprised at the preparation given by the staff [because] we ourselves were involved in the creation of a leadership school in our own country,” Díaz-Canel said during a press briefing at the institute.
He said that the goals of the Cuban school coincide with those of the Belarussian institute, which is overseen by the office of President Aleksandr Lukashenko.
Díaz-Canel invited the Belarussian academy to exchange students and faculty members with its Cuban counterpart and sign a joint agreement on cooperation.
The Cuban official was accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Rogelio Sierra Díaz and Ambassador Gerardo Suárez Álvarez. [For a video of the visit, with Russian narration, click here.]
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DIAZ-CANEL MEETS WITH LEADERS OF BELARUSSIAN PARLIAMENT
Progreso Weekly
Tuesday evening (May 24), Díaz-Canel met at the Parliament building in Minsk with Mikhail Vladimirovich Myasnikovich, chairman of the Council of the Republic, and Vladimir Andreichenko, speaker of the House of Representatives.
Myasnikovich told his Cuban guest that Belarus has always been, and will continue to be, a supporter of Cuba in the international arena and in the development of bilateral cooperation.
“Cuba’s leadership can be sure of that,” the chairman said. “Meanwhile, a key issue is the strengthening of economic cooperation. Today, our joint economic projects are clearly not enough. Yes, in many respects we are restrained by problems of solvency in Cuba and deficiencies in the balance of payments in Belarus. So, in this regard it becomes necessary to attract foreign investments together, to find financial schemes together.”
Myasnikovich pointed to Belarus’ efforts “to develop small and medium businesses and the privatization of state property, working with partners in the Eurasian Economic Union” as an example for Cuba to follow. [Cuba is already experimenting with similar strategies. Click here.]
Andreichenko acknowledged Belarus’ fruitful cooperation with Cuba in international organizations, United Nations agencies and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, where the parties have an opportunity to meet and exchange views.
He asked Díaz-Canel to convey to National Assembly president Esteban Lazo Hernández his thanks for inviting him to visit Cuba and said he hoped to do so during the next session of Parliament.
