Raúl in Moscow: Ceremony and business
When Raúl Castro arrived at Vnukovo-2 airport in Moscow on Tuesday afternoon, he was greeted by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and Tatiana Grigoryevna Anodina, chairwoman of the Interstate [Civil] Aviation Committee.
Normally, the president would have been greeted by the Russian foreign minister, but Sergei Lavrov was busy delivering a speech at a gathering of war veterans marking the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
And why Ms. Anodina? Perhaps because the purchase of civilian aircraft — helicopters and passenger planes — has become a major part of Russo-Cuban relations. The Russian aircraft industry would like to make Cuba its portal to Latin America for airplanes and service.
Ms. Anodina, 76, has held her post since 1991. Although a civilian aircraft engineer, she holds the Army rank of general, which is why she wore uniform when welcoming Castro.
The committee she heads is the equivalent of our Federal Aviation Administration. It controls the airborne activities of the republics of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
In fact, among the subjects to be discussed by Castro and Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev (in photo on top seen meeting with President Castro) on Wednesday was the transfer of an Ilyushin-96-300 to Cuba in May.
Between 2005 and 2014, the Ilyushin Finance Company delivered to the airline Cubana de Aviación three Ilyushin-96-300, two Tupolev-204, two Tupolev 204CE cargo planes, and five Antonov-158.
Cuba and Russia are now negotiating the sale of Russian helicopters, specifically the Mi-171A1/A2, the Mi-28T/T2, the Kazan-32A11BC, and the Kazan 226T.
The Castro-Medvedev discussions would also include a project between Russia and the United Arab Emirates that would create a major transport hub in Cuba, upgrade the Port of Mariel, and expand construction in the San Antonio de los Baños International Airport.
MOSCOW NOT WORRIED BY U.S.-CUBA THAW
Much has been said in Moscow about the recent thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations and how they will affect (or not) Russo-Cuban relations. Retired general Leonid Ivashov, president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, says he’s not worried.
“Castro’s presence at the [Victory Day] parade demonstrates that, despite U.S. efforts to normalize relations with Cuba, Russia remains a strategic priority for Havana,” Ivashov told reporters.
He called Cuba a “platform” from which Russia will expand its cooperation to Latin America.
Retired KGB general Nikolai Sergeyevich Leonov, a close friend of Fidel Castro, said that “Cuba has always opened its door to Russia, so nothing has changed. By the way, Russia approves the course of Cuba’s rapprochement with Washington.”
Contrary to the opinion of Western experts, he added, “Cuba was never a satellite of the Soviet Union, not even during the Cuban missile crisis, and will not be a satellite of Russia now.”
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his first deputy, Dmitri Rogozin, have also pooh-poohed an alleged “drift” away from Russia. For their comments in Progreso Weekly, click here, here, and here.
For more on recent developments in Cuba-Russia relations, click here.
[Photo at top: Greeting Raúl Castro at airport in Moscow are, from left, Tatiana Anodina, chairwoman of the Interstate Civil Aviation Committee, and Sergei Ryabkov, deputy Foreign Minister. Next to Ryabkov is Emilio Lozada García, Cuban ambassador to Russia.]
