Top Russian, Cuban Diplomats Discuss Preparations For Trade Commission In October - Moscow

Top Russian, Cuban Diplomats Discuss Preparations for Trade Commission in October - Moscow

Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov and his Cuban counterpart Marcelino Medina Gonzalez discussed on Friday bilateral issues and preparations for the next session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2018) Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov and his Cuban counterpart Marcelino Medina Gonzalez discussed on Friday bilateral issues and preparations for the next session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The session is set to be held at the end of this month.

The ministry said that apart from preparing for the session, "priority attention was paid to deepening the political dialogue, including through the foreign ministries of the two countries, increasing trade, economic, and investment cooperation, as well as intensifying cultural and humanitarian exchanges."

Russia also expressed unconditional support for Cuba in its efforts aimed at ending the United States' trade, economic and financial blockade.

US-Cuban relations have been tense since the United States introduced a trade embargo against Cuba in 1962. In December 2014, Barack Obama, who was then the US president, announced that Washington was willing to normalize ties with Havana. In July 2015, the countries re-established their diplomatic relations. Although a number of agreements were signed, the embargo was never lifted. In June 2017, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration would review Obama's policy toward Cuba and defended the existing embargo. Trump has also opposed calls from the United Nations and other international organizations to have the embargo terminated.