The Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council and the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Russia discussed preparations for the Russia — Latin America International Parliamentary Conference.
Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Russian Federation Julio Antonio Garmendía Peña.
Konstantin Kosachev noted that meetings with Cuban diplomatic representatives were a regular occurrence. “The inclusion of the tool of parliamentary oversight over the implementation of agreements reached at the state level makes it possible to effectively promote bilateral interaction,” the senator said.
He confirmed that the Federation Council closely monitored events taking place in Cuba and around the island state, welcoming successes and being concerned about the existing problems. “The Cuban economy has been affected by such shocks of recent years as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and, of course, we are highly concerned about the protracted story of the illegal US sanctions against your country.”
Konstantin Kosachev noted that the recently drafted agreement on Russian investors’ working conditions in Cuba had passed all the necessary approval procedures and entered into force.
“At the same time, discussions continue on the restructuring of the Cuban debt, as well as on Cuba’s purchase of energy and fertilisers. The process of resolving these issues is still under parliamentary control,” the Deputy Speaker stressed.
Julio Antonio Garmendía Peña noted the high dynamism and a high level of the interstate visits paid earlier this year. According to him, Russia and Cuba have established mutually beneficial relations, which are comprehensive in nature.
The Cuban Ambassador also stressed that the Russia – Latin America International Parliamentary Conference, which would be held from 30 September to 2 October, would make it possible to outline further areas of mutually beneficial cooperation not only with Cuba, but also with many countries of the Latin American continent.
In the course of their conversation, Konstantin Kosachev and Julio Antonio Garmendía Peña also discussed issues related to high-level inter-parliamentary contacts.