Lavrov to start Latin American tour from Cuba
MOSCOW. April 28 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is starting a tour of Latin America, his first stop will be Cuba on April 28-29, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"Cuba has traditionally supported the Russian priorities in the framework of the United Nations General Assembly. Havana has also voted against the 'Territorial Integrity of Ukraine' resolution passed by the UN General Assembly on March 27 this year," according to the ministry's Department of Information and Press.
Russia has invariably called for the U.S. trade and economic blockade of Cuba to be lifted immediately, the ministry also said.
"Lavrov is due to meet with Cuban Council of State and Council of Ministers President Raul Castro, and hold talks with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. They are expected to discuss a broad circle of pressing international and regional issues and various aspects of the bilateral cooperation," the commentary said.
Cooperation with Cuba relies on the Declaration of the principles of the bilateral relationship and the Memorandum on the principles of strategic cooperation, signed in Havana in 1996 and in Moscow in 2009, respectively, the ministry recalled.
"The Russian-Cuban cooperation on the global arena is further deepened by the closeness of our positions on core issues of the regional and international agenda, the commitment to strict compliance with the international law, primarily, the United Nations Charter, and the strengthening of the central role of the UN and its Security Council," the commentary said.