Embassy of Cuba in New Zealand Newsletter #11 - 22/3/15

Embassy of Cuba in New Zealand
Newsletter
No.11 22nd March 2015
PDF Version - With Images

ABSTRACT

Much activity on the diplomatic front this week with the news that Cuban president Raul Castro may visit Moscow ; Iraq and Cuba are willing to re-establish bilateral relations: Angola and Cuba draw yet closer as do Cuba and Belarus and Cuba and South Africa; a high ranking European diplomat is visiting in coming days and the Canadian ambassador speaks glowingly of Cuba’s educational comparative advantage. The first direct flight since 1958 has arrived in Havana from New Orleans; and Cuba is showcased in France at the Paris World Tourist Hall; and on the Special Summit of Alba-Tcp.

In this issue
• Raul Castro may visit Moscow this year
• Iraq and Cuba willing to re-establish bilateral links
• Visit to Angola — full of history
• Head of European Union foreign affairs to visit Cuba
• Canadian ambassador: Cuba’s education a comparative advantage
• Cuba, Belarus strengthen inter-parliamentary collaboration
• Cuban first vice president on fraternal visit to South Africa
• New Orleans flight brings participants at Cuba Today conference
• International tourism fair in Jardines del Rey
• Cuban tourism opportunities shown in France
• British trade mission to Cuba in April
• UN representative praises Cuban mountain ecosystems preservation
• Cuba to review national biodiversity strategy
• Santiago de Cuba Trova Festival pays tribute to musical legends
• Cuban civil society debates Seventh Summit of the Americas
• Cuban doctors successfully concluded ebola mission in Liberia
• Cuba-US meeting held in a professional climate
• On the Special Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ALBA TCP

DIPLOMACY
Raul Castro may visit Moscow this year
Cuban president Raul Castro may visit Russia in 2015, the Cuban ambassador to Russia Emilio Lozada Garcia told media this week.
"Bilateral exchanges with official delegations happen all the time. In this regard, a visit by Raul Castro may surely occur; however, it's too early to say because there have been no invitations or dates set,"said Garcia.
Officials from both countries routinely pay visits to one another. Raul Castro travelled to Moscow in 2009 and 2012, while Dmitry Medvedev visited Cuba in 2008 and 2013, first as Russian president and then as prime minister.
Last year, Russian president Vladimir Putin and Cuba's Raul Castro met in Havana to seal energy deals. Russia also agreed to write off nearly 90 percent of Cuba's Soviet-era debt to Moscow -– some $32 billion.
Over the past few months, Russia has been actively pursuing cooperation with Latin American countries, particularly in the sphere of defence amid NATO's military expansion in Eastern Europe, a tendency that has raised concerns in Moscow.
And on March 18, the director of the Latin American Department at Russia´s Foreign Ministry, Alexander Schetinin, confirmed that foreign minister Serguei Lavrov will take a Latin American tour March 24-26, which includes Cuba.
Russia and Cuba expect to establish a strategic relationship by further collaboration in the political, economic and commercial areas, as well as in foreign investment projects.
Schetinin said that Lavrov will meet a tight agenda in Havana focusing on bilateral issues and others of regional and international interest.

DIPLOMACY
Iraq and Cuba willing to re-establish bilateral links
Iraqi President Fuad Masum has expressed interest in reactivating relations with Cuba, a process that he expects to boost after accreditation of their respective ambassadors, a Cuban diplomat confirmed to media.
Masum confirmed this during the ceremony to receive the credentials of Cuban Ambassador Vladimir Gonzalez, who will act as concurrent ambassador to the authorities in Baghdad.

Gonzalez also presented the copies of the credentials of Iraqi Ambassador Ibrahim al-Jaafari, with whom he reviewed the bilateral diplomatic relations and those in the sphere of multilateral cooperation.

Before leaving Baghdad, the Cuban ambassador told media that he had explained to Masum the Cuban authorities' willingness to tighten the links, and tackled the ways and spheres in which they can be tightened.

Iraqi ambassador to Venezuela Fakhri al-Issa requested approval by the Cuban Foreign Ministry to be accredited as concurrent ambassador to Havana, he added.

In the meeting with Gonzalez, the Iraqi head of state was also interested in the process of normalizing relations between Cuba and the United States.

The diplomat updated the Iraqi officials about the issues tackled in the rounds of talks in January and February, and the talks now starting in Cuba, as well as the most complex points in the current negotiations.

DIPLOMACY
Visit to Angola — full of history
Cuban first vice president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, affirmed today that his three-day visit to Angola was full of revolutionary and historic experiences.
'It was really an interesting visit: was carried out in a significant moment of the two countries' life, marked by the 40 anniversary of Angola independence, with the Cuban participation, and the establishment of the two republics' relations, Diaz-Canel told media.

He assured delegates that such events were now historical, political motivations that bring the two countries together and he told the leadership of the Angolan process all the magnitude and connotation given in Cuba to these celebrations.'

The life of Angolan people could be seen, things were being proposed, the way they move forward in what they call process of reconciliation and national reconstruction.

Similarly, he added, we shared working sessions with ministers involved in Cuban collaboration and talked with representative figures involved in the country’s' leadership, both leaders of the Angola Popular Liberation Movement (MPLA) and of the state, government and parliament.

'There are many Angolan friends, reiterated Diaz-Canel, and illustrated that friendship is evidenced in the homage to commander Raul Diaz Arguelles, made on the eve at the Cemetery 'Las Cruces', in this capital.

That Cuban officer was killed in Angola in November 11, 1975 when a mine exploded under the armoured vehicle in which he was traveling when leading international fighters in the struggle against South African troops.

Regarding cooperation, he noted that they were facing an open collaboration in more than 10 sectors and the balance and impact of it in the economic and social development of Angola would be amazing.

He argued that educational efficiency indicators, higher education and health began to have a transformation without still getting what we want and it is very well-known the role of the Cuban collaboration and technical assistance in that sense.

Diaz-Canel said “We feel imbued with history by seeing the life of Aghostino Neto and visit his memorial and hear tales of Angolan and Cuban people who participated in the war for independence.”

DIPLOMACY
Head of European Union foreign affairs to visit Cuba
The high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will pay a visit to Cuba this week, in what is considered the first visit to Havana by a diplomat of her rank.

The visit will take place as the European Union and Cuba hold negotiations towards a political and cooperation accord, a communiqué from the European Foreign Affairs Service states

“The European Union have closely followed developments in Cuba and its relations with key international actors, which favours a new dynamic in the region and in Cuba itself, offering new opportunities for all,” reads the communiqué.

During her visit here, Mogherini will meet with foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez and other Cuban officials, as well as with cardinal Jaime Ortega.

The European Union and Cuba started negotiations for a first bilateral accord in April 2014 and in March 4 and 5 this year they held the third round of negotiations focusing on bilateral cooperation.

DIPLOMACY
Canadian ambassador: Cuba’s education a comparative advantage
Canadian ambassador to Cuba Yves Gagnon said the Cuban highly educated population becomes a main comparative advantage for foreign investors in these days.
He told media the most specific and original element that presents in the island, in comparison with neighbouring countries, is the educational levels, which "maybe will favour strategic investments that capitalize on this result".
Gagnon said economic ties between the countries should not undergo dramatic changes after the decision to reestablish Cuba-US diplomatic relations, adding that the decision to invest will solely depend on the companies.
Nowadays, Canada is Cuba´s main source of tourists and the Canadian company Sherritt International has large investments in mining and hydrocarbons.
According to Gagnon, the government’s role is to eliminate communication barriers between the people, while later everybody does their own analysis and evaluates business conditions in specific sectors. The Cuban government is currently seeking for investments and "we are used to compete with any countries worldwide,” he added.
"Competition for Canadian companies is really strong, no matter the jurisdiction", said Gagnon, adding that things in Cuba will not be different.
Ambassador Gagnon has attended the inauguration of the 14th Seminar of Canadian Studies, organized by the University of Havana and devoted to the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations.
The seminar included conferences and panels about bilateral topics like academic exchange, scientific collaboration in the fight against ebola, tourism and foreign policy.

DIPLOMACY
Cuba, Belarus strengthen inter-parliamentary collaboration
Cuba's ambassador Gerardo Suarez expressed his gratitude today for the permanent examples of support by Belarus legislators in their country's struggle against the US blockade, during a meeting in which the inter-parliamentary exchange was analyzed.
Suarez was jointly welcomed by the president of the Council of the Republic's Commission for International Relations and National Security, Vladimir Senko, and Nikolai Samoseiko, chairman of Representatives of the National Assembly (Lower Chamber) of the Parliament.

During the meeting, the diplomat particularly offered Cuba’s thanks for the support of the working group for the relations with Cuba in the complaint against the Washington economic, commercial and financial blockade.
He also stated the work in the campaign for the release of Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero and Ramon Labañino, who returned to Cuba on December 17, 2014, after serving more than 16 years of unjust imprisonment.

They, along with Rene Gonzalez and Fernando Gonzalez, previously released after completing their sentences, monitored extremist groups that planned violent actions against the island from US territory.

DIPLOMACY
Cuban first vice president on fraternal visit to South Africa
South African president Jacob Zuma and the deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa have welcomed the Cuban first vice president Miguel Diaz-Canel at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the African National Congress (ANC), in the city of Johannesburg.
During the dialogue, Ramaphosa showed interest in the update of the Cuban economic model and the course of the talks for the process of reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States.

Meanwhile, Diaz-Canel extended the gratitude of the people and government of the Caribbean island for South Africa’s unwavering support against the blockade. The Cuban first vice president also extended to President Zuma his invitation to visit Cuba, which was gladly accepted.

The leaders agreed that the peoples of South Africa and Cuba have a story that intertwines and they recalled the decisive contribution of the Caribbean nation to defeat apartheid and achieve the liberation of South Africa.

Diaz-Camel told media that Cuba's unconditional support to the African cause was ratified with this visit.

More than 2,000 Cubans lost their lives in this African land, and the Caribbean island has trained about 28,000 professionals of the continent.

Over 350 health specialists and engineers offer their services in the country and 2 800 young South Africans are studying in Cuba.

During the one-day intense agenda, Diaz-Canel visited the Liliesleaf Museum in Johannesburg, and the emblematic Freedom Park, where he met with Cuban collaborators working in the African nation and South African friends.

At the end of his visit, the first vice president laid a wreath to pay tribute to the Cubans fallen in Africa, whose names are inscribed in a 697-metre-long monumental wall in Freedom Park.

TOURISM
New Orleans flight brings participants at Cuba Today conference
Some 80 US entrepreneurs, civilian leaders and lawyers arrived in Havana last weekend as part of a flight that departed the Louis Armstrong International Airport, in New Orleans, considered the first direct flight between the two cities since 1958.
The visitors were participating at the Cuba Today Conference in Havana which aimed at exploring potential and new business opportunities in Cuba.
Following the process of dialogue between the United States and Cuba, the New Orleans-based organizations International Cuba Society and AT the Threshold, joined the University of Havana to organize the Cuba Today Conference.
The event includes educational, cultural and business meetings between Cuban and US citizens.
“Reestablishing the historic links with Cuba will have a big economic impact on Louisiana, particularly in New Orleans,” said Joe Doss, president of AT The Threshold organization.
Participants at the conference will learn about opportunities to establish beneficial relations with Cuba in favour of their businesses and clients given an agenda that includes lectures and debates with experts from the two countries.

TOURISM
International tourism fair in Jardines del Rey
Just two months remain until the opening of the International Tourism Fair, FITCuba, which this year will take place in Jardines del Rey, off the northern coast of Ciego de Avila, a leisure resort which, after the inauguration of Meliá Jardines del Rey hotel, now offers more than 6,400 rooms.

The 35th edition of the country’s most important tourism event will be held May 5-7, with Italy as guest country of honour, given its potential as an important emissary of tourists to the island and a revival in hotel and club operations.

FITCuba 2015 will be dedicated to nautical activities — prioritized in order to further diversify tourism offers — and the Jardines del Rey leisure resort, with the aim of promoting Cuba’s greatest assets.

Deepwater diving, snorkeling, recreational fishing, windsurfing and sailing, are the principal nautical options offered in the resort area, characterized by its spectacular marine environment.

Beautiful beaches, and surrounding forests which are home to various species of birds, distinguish this destination, where investment has been directed toward Cayo Coco and Guillermo cay to create infrastructure and guarantee visitor satisfaction.

The fair’s main headquarters will be the Meliá Jardines del Rey, in Cayo Coco, the Spanish hotel chain Meliá Hotels International’s largest establishment. Meliá has been present in Cuba since the 1990s, and continues to participate in the development of the country’s tourism industry.

Meliá Hotels International has more than 400 facilities in 40 countries, and is present in Cuba’s most important resorts, where it administers facilities for Cubanacán, Gran Caribe and Gaviota, under the brands Paradisus, Meliá, Tryp and Sol.

Affiliated with the state enterprise Gaviota SA, a leader in the Cuban tourism industry, Meliá Jardines del Reyes, a five star all inclusive resort located on Flamenco beach in Cayo Coco, one of the small keys of Jardines del Rey, which in addition to those along Villa Clara’s northern coastline make up the Sabana-Camaguey archipelago.

The establishment boasts a sugar cane plantation combined with a contemporary style main building and a boulevard which stretches from the lobby to the beach, where restaurants, play areas and craft stalls are located. It also has a spa and children’s club.

The hotel was opened on December 24, 2014 with the inauguration of the right-hand zone offering 624 rooms with views of the pool, sea and gardens.

In regards to dining options, there are two buffet restaurants, a snack bar, five restaurants serving Mediterranean, Oriental, Cuban, and International cuisine, a beach local, ice cream parlor and four bars.

In May, and as part of the celebrations for the company’s 25th anniversary in Cuba, the left-hand section will be inaugurated – premiering exceptional suites with sea and garden views, three pools and another snack bar -, bringing the total number of rooms to 1,176.

Meliá Jardines del Rey is the 27th facility managed by Meliá Hotels International Cuba and is recommended for families, couples, weddings, honeymoons and events.

In 2014, more than 60% of Meliá Hotels International Cuba establishments received the Certificate of Excellence awarded by Trip Advisor, the world largest Internet travel site.

TOURISM
Cuban tourism opportunities shown in France
With the objective to let people in Europe and other parts of the world know about the great variety of the Cuban tourist product, Cuba is presenting a sample at the 40th edition of the Paris World Tourism Hall this week in Paris.

"Cuba has been present in the Paris World Tourist Hall for years. This event is of a great importance, since it is addressed to the great tourist public. We are interested in letting them know the novelty and potential of the sector," Carmen Casal, from the Cuban Tourism Ministry's (MINTUR) Commercial Department told media.

"Our participation at the 40th World Paris Tourism Hall has among its main objectives to get new clients, stimulate demand, guarantee the position of Cuba in the world market, especially in Europe, and take all the possible advantage of the media covering this event are giving us," said Casal.“We have worked really hard to make things right, the perfection of what we are offering our clients, and presenting new products," she added.

"We want clients to see Cuba, not only as a country offering a destination with sun, beaches, history and patrimony. We want to offer other things, and we are bringing them to the fair, such as skin diving and exploring of the nature," she said.

The specialist added that during the show they will promote the main events in the industry to be held on the island in 2015, including 35 edition of the International Tourism Fair (5 to 7 May), dedicated this year to Italy as the guest of honour.

The include the international Underwater Photography event Fotosub (April); the Ernest Hemingway Marlin Fishing Tournament of Marlin (May); the Montecristo Golf Cup (April); Quote Turnat Nature Tourism (September), which this year takes place in the province of Pinar del Rio, one of the most natural beauties of Cuba.

The delegation from the island is made up by the Ministry of Tourism Embassy of the Greater Antilles in France, Cubana de Aviación, the International Group of Tour Operators and Travel Agencies Havanatur and their representatives in this nation.

In addition there were delegates from Cubanacán and Islazul hotel chains and associated Iberostar and Blue Diamond Hotels and Resorts.

TRADE
British trade mission to Cuba in April
A British trade and Investment mission is expected to visit Cuba April 27-30 to explore opportunities to increase commercial relations, according to an announcement by the British embassy in Havana.

According to the announcement, the high-level trade and investment mission will be led by Lord Hutton of Furnes, chairman of the Cuba Initiative, which is promoting the participation of British entrepreneurs on the trip.

The visit will take place under the auspices of the Cuban side of Cuban Initiative which is chaired by the Minister of Foreign Investment and Trade, Rodrigo Malmierca, the announcement explains and adds that participants in the mission will be able to meet Cuban ministers and senior decision-makers in state-owned and autonomous enterprises.

The information also explains that this visit will take place “at an important time, when Cuban relations with the US, the EU and the UK are evolving.”

The announcement also stresses the opportunities being offered by Cuba for trade and investment, the highly educated workforce; significant prospects in a range of sectors including energy, mining, tourism, biotechnology, agribusiness, manufacturing, transport and industry; growing interest from companies in Europe and the US; and a renewed effort from the Cuban Government to attract and welcome foreign investment.

Also accompanying is a list of the sector and projects identified by Cuba for possible foreign investment projects.

According to the British Council webpage, the Cuba Initiative was founded in 1995 in response to a request from the Governments of the United Kingdom and Cuba for an independent, bi-lateral, non-governmental body able to support and develop programs that enhance the UK-Cuban relationship.

The principal focus of the Cuba Initiative is on trade and investment.

The present Chairman of the UK-side of the Initiative is the Rt. Hon. Lord Hutton of Furness and similar body in Havana is chaired by Rodrigo Malmierca, Minister for Trade and Investment.

ENVIRONMENT
UN representative praises Cuban mountain ecosystems preservation
The draft plan for a “landscape” approach to conservation in Cuba of mountain ecosystems contributes to the preservation of the environment and sustainable development, Myrta Kaulard, representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) told media.

She stressed that this was a novel and challenging perspective that included not only the cooperation of several sectors of the country, but also the participation of man as the core to the care of flora and fauna

She emphasized that the initiative is in line with UNDP's global strategy for biodiversity and ecosystems in the period 2012 — 2020 and responds to the Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy of the Party and the Revolution.

Maira Fernandez Zequeira, director of the Institute of Ecology and Systematics, the organisation sponsoring the investigation, told ACN that the study will cover sensitive areas belonging to Guaniguanico, Bamburanao, Guamuhaya and Nipe-Sagua-Baracoa, totalling some 13 percent of the country.

These areas are home to significant biological diversity, sometimes threatened by man, which include forest fires, inadequate farming practices and opencast mining.

She added that there are initiatives to reverse this situation, so the landscape approach proposes a new paradigm for safeguarding the environment, since it integrates man as part of that context.

Around 900 000 people live in the mountain ranges, which account for eight percent of the Cuban population and they are located in six watersheds of national interest.

A panel of specialists and managers of several institutions and agencies, who assessed national and sectoral strategies related to that project were also present at the meeting.

ENVIRONMENT
Cuba to review national biodiversity strategy
The Institute of Ecology and Systematics (IES) will host a workshop on updating the National Biodiversity Strategy and its plan of action, in Havana next week.

Reviewing and considering actions and proposals presented by specialists from all the provinces in the country is one of the objectives of the meeting, forming part of a project of the World Program for the Environment and the Programme of United Nations for Development (UNDP).

During the work, sessions will also be presented the international projects (Sabana-Camagüey, Invading Exotic Species, Connecting Mountain Landscapes, southern archipelagos, Biological Caribbean Corridor, Reduction of environmental vulnerability), integrated experiences to the National Strategy.

Daysi Vilamajo, expert of the IES, explained to media that the workshop intends to generate a document that reflects the biological diversity of the country, and how to handle this issue in the communicational media.
She said that in this event will participate journalists and communicators, who with their contributions and experiences, will favour the design of actions.
It´s the first time the press will work with scientists in the preparation of a report of this category, giving ideas and strategies", affirmed Vilamajo.
The National Strategy for Biological Diversity and the Plan of Action of the Republic of Cuba are based on three basic pillars: know, conserve and use sustainably the biological diversity and includes, among other, directives, targets, objectives and diagnostic.

INSIDE CUBA
Santiago de Cuba Trova Festival pays tribute to musical legends
A tribute to great Cuban musicians in their graves at the cemetery of Santa Efigenia was one of the most emotional moments of Santiago de Cuba Trova Festival, Pepe Sanchez, a Cuban musician considered the initiator of the Cuban traditional troubadour song told media Fresh flowers were laid as tribute to the"Ruta del Trovador" (Troubadour Route), where the remains of iconic singers such as Miguel Matamoros, Sindo Garay, Ñico Saquito, Compay Segundo, Reinaldo Creagh, Pepe Bandera, Ramon Ivonet and Pepe Sanchez are buried.

Cuban Troubadour Day is celebrated each 19 March — the date of birth of the artist giving name to the event: a tailor who became a composer and creator of the first bolero "Tristezas". This is an occasion to bring together promoters of that musical genre without distinction of age or style throughout the country.
Santiago de Cuba, the birthplace of trova and close to celebrating its half millennium, has hosted this event since the 1950s, which has become the oldest celebration of Cuban music.
The opening of Troubadour Day took place on Tuesday evening in Cespedes Park, with the performance of artists from Santiago de Cuba, Havana and other Cuban cities.
The artistic programme gathers older and newer trova promoters, but all remarkably popular such as Raul Torres, David Torrens, Pedro Romero, William Vivanco, Marta Campos, Pepe Ordaz, Jose Aquiles, Adrian Berazain and Eduardo Sosa.
The “theoretical” sessions of the festival include the presentation of the book "La trova y el bolero", by the musicologist Lino Betancourt, as well as other texts, art exhibits and audiovisuals alluding to the trova artistic evolution.
The Pepe Sanchez Trova Festival closed March 22.

INSIDE CUBA
Cuban civil society debates Seventh Summit of the Americas
Cuban civil society has held an event where issues such as democratic governance and citizen participation were addressed, towards the Civil Society Forum of the Seventh Summit of the Americas, to be held in April in Panama.
Religious leader Orlando Gutierrez has expressed his solidarity with Venezuela due to the US hostile policy and demanded respect for the Bolivarian constitution and the right of the South American country to self-determination, and forging its own path.

In addition, journalist Yoerky Sánchez enumerated the great possibilities for Cuban youth to participate in the political arena and in the process of decision making based on the characteristics of the electoral system of the island, which is open to being elected councillor from the age of 16 years and deputy from 18.

Mean while Joel Suarez from the Martin Luther King Memorial Centre proposed to highlight the contributions in terms of democracy and citizen rights of the constitutions of countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador.

In trade union matters Heriberto Gonzalez, member of the America's Office of the World Trade Unions Federation- highlighted the participation of Cuban workers in the social life of the country and the guarantees of their rights.

Another recommendation from the participants was to support the fight against the economic blockade imposed for over half a century to Cuba by the United State, despite international rejection.

In addition to democratic governance and citizen participation in this Cuban Civil Society Forum, other issues such as migration, security, energy, environment, health and education were also addressed.

Cuba's achievements in education and health — recognized worldwide — would not be possible without the joint participation of actors and social organizations, scientific societies and professional associations, said Jaime Gomez, moderator of a working group based in Casa del ALBA Cultural.

With this forum, the Cuban civil society aims to encourage reflection and make recommendations to the national delegation representing Cuba in Panama, as well as to generate concrete actions to address the current challenges in the Americas.

MEDICINE
Cuban doctors successfully concluded ebola mission in Liberia
Liberian authorities acknowledged the work carried out by the Henry Reeve Cuban medical brigade that fought the ebola virus there, and which along with other forces, have helped Liberia advance towards its declaration as a country free of the disease.

During a farewell ceremony at the Palm Spring Hotel in the capital Monrovia on Tuesday, the commendable role played by the 52-member Cuban medical brigade was acknowledged by local and international authorities, such as acting health minister Bernice Dahn, UN representative Peter Graaff and World Health Organization official Emmanuel Musa.

They praised the decision of Cuba to have sent the group of health professionals so well prepared and who met such a risky mission in that country, according to the Cuban Foreign Ministry's website.

Also present at the ceremony was Cuban diplomat Pedro L Despaigne and the representative of the US Centre for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases Kevin de Cock.

BLOCKADE
Cuba-US meeting held in a professional climate
Cuba and the United States have reported on specific topics related to the process of reestablishment of the diplomatic relations between both countries, a Cuban chancellery source has reported.
In press release published in the web site CubaMinRex, the director of Bilateral Matters of the General Direction of the United States of the Department of Foreign Affairs he added that on having finished the meeting, which developed in a professional climate, two delegations agreed to maintain the communication in the future as part of this process.

The Cuban chancellery pointed out that the delegations would be presided over by the general director for the United States of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Josefina Vidal, and the assistant secretary for the of the Western Hemisphere of the US Department of State, Roberta Jacobson.

Also, that the meeting would take place "in correspondence with the communication that both parts agreed on after the celebration of the second round of conversations which took place on February 27, 2015, in Washington.”

DIPLOMACY
On the Special Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ALBA TCP
Speech by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Councils of State and Ministers, at the 9th Extraordinary Alba-TCP Summit, convened in solidarity with the sister nation of Venezuela, held in Caracas, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, March 17, 2015.
Read in full

Statement of the Special Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Americas – Trade Treaty of the Peoples (ALBA – TCP) on the Executive Order issued on March 9, 2015 by the Government of the United States of America.
Read in full

Statement of the Special Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ALBA TCP on the participation of its state members in the Seventh Summit of the Americas.
Read in full

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