Cuban PM invites Russian counterpart to visit Havana

MOSCOW. June 13 (Interfax) - Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz has invited his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin to visit Havana and has promised to send him a formal written invitation.

"You and I discussed your possible visit to Cuba in Sochi," Cruz told Mishustin in Moscow on Tuesday.

He earlier visited Sochi for events of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) where Cuba is an observer.

Cruz said he did not bring the formal invitation to Sochi but would hand it over in Moscow later.

"You will be able to see with your own eyes how certain projects are implemented in Cuba and what progress we have made in many fields. You will be able to personally control the fulfillment of agreements," he said.

Cruz thanked Russia for hospitality and said that his attendance of EAEU events was very productive. "I will be very glad if we open an industrial park in Cuba where all [EAEU] states will maintain presence," he said.

He also said that Cuba was hoping "to host a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council at some point, so that the respective heads of government could personally familiarize themselves" with the island.

"I think that trade and economic relations with Russia could serve as a model for economic relations with other members of the Eurasian Union," Cruz said.

He also said he was hoping he "had built a solid friendship" with the Russian prime minister.