MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Russia and Cuba work together on large-scale projects in energy and metallurgy, as well as some other spheres, including high-tech ones, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in his interview for Cuba’s Prensa Latina news agency.
"We work on implementation of large-scale projects in energy sphere, metallurgy, transport infrastructure; information, communication and space technologies; biopharmaceuticals and biotechnology. We supply trains and cars, and create maintenance base [for them]," the top diplomat said.
"We appreciate that the Cuban authorities give Russia a special place in its national economy modernization and actualization of socio-economic model of country’s development," the Minister noted, adding that practical cooperation of the two nations is multifaceted.
According to the top diplomat, Russia and Cuba continue to "build a model of long-term mutually beneficial cooperation," which does not depend on foreign policy agenda and aims, among other things, to "ensure energy and food security" of the Island state. Lavrov reminded that this goal has been defined during a bilateral inter-governmental commission meeting in September 2019.
Lavrov pointed out a close foreign policy coordination between the two nations, based on "adherence to unshakeable principles of the international law, including respect of sovereign equality of nations and non-interference in its internal affairs."
"We look into Russian-Cuban relations, which we consider highly valuable, with optimism. We know that our Cuban friends adhere to the same approach," Lavrov underscored.
Cultural ties
Lavrov noted that Moscow and Cuba widen their cultural and humanitarian ties, including educational exchanges.
"Our country traditionally actively takes part in Havana international book fair, theatre and movie festivals. The two capitals host Russian and Cuban movies weeks in turns," he said.
According to the minister, some 100 Cuban students come to Russia every year, to study Russian language and literature, among other things. In the meantime, Havana University hosts the ‘Pushkin Institute’ Russian language study and testing center.
"Together, we have celebrated the 500th anniversary of the Cuban capital, which successfully hosted Days of St. Petersburg. The gilded dome of the Havana Capitol, restored by Russian specialists, shines once again," Lavrov concluded.