HAVANA, April 30. /TASS/. The parliaments of Russia and Cuba should not only implement the decisions of the presidents of both countries, they need to apply new formats for this in order to achieve concrete results. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said this at a meeting with Esteban Lazo Hernandez, Chairman of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba on Saturday.

Volodin noted that in many respects the current dynamics of relations between Moscow and Havana is provided by the heads of state.

"It is extremely important that the parliaments, for their part, do everything possible not only to provide legislative support for the decisions [of the presidents], but also through new formats, filling them with specific content, doing everything to develop relations, strengthen friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation, and increase trade.We have every opportunity for this," the speaker of the State Duma said.

Volodin recalled that relations between the two countries "were established at the most difficult time for Cuba and the Soviet Union," and then "supported by those who believed in the purity of these relations, disinterestedness, understanding responsibility to their peoples, citizens of countries."

The speaker of the State Duma recalled that during the visit of the Russian delegation to Cuba, a meeting of a high-level commission would be held for the first time.

"We brought up substantive questions that concern the citizens of our countries. We believe that this must be done in order to develop relations between states," he concluded.

 

Commission meeting

 

During the first meeting of the commission on cooperation between the State Duma and the National Assembly of People's Power, the law makers discussed measures to develop bilateral relations in the financial, energy, agriculture, tourism and education sectors, as well as countering external interference in internal affairs and ensuring national security and sovereignty at the legislative level.

The President of the Cuban Parliament noted the effectiveness of this format. According to Lazo, now it will be necessary to track each of the agreements reached, to create a roadmap for their implementation.

Volodin's visit to Cuba lasted one day. The Russian delegation included lawmakers and deputy heads of a number of ministries.