President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with his Argentine counterpart, Alberto Fernández, in the city of Buenos Aires, after the VII Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) which was based in the Argentine capital.
The meeting took place this Wednesday at the San Martín Palace, headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, and during it both leaders confirmed the mutual objective of “deepening the link” between the two countries and “working to achieve greater integration” of the region, he refers. an agency report EFE.
Díaz-Canel described the meeting with Fernández on Twitter as an “endearing encounter”, in which they were accompanied by the Argentine Foreign Minister, Santiago Cafiero, and his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla; the Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, and the ambassadors of both nations.
“We ratify our willingness to deepen the ties of brotherhood and bilateral ties in areas of common interest,” said the Cuban president.
Endearing meeting with the president of #Argentina, @alferdezto whom I reiterated our congratulations for the role played and the progress at the helm of #CELAC.
We ratify our willingness to deepen the ties of brotherhood and bilateral ties in areas of common interest. pic.twitter.com/956C5HwT3q
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) January 25, 2023
In a communiqué from the Argentine Presidency, quoted by EFEFernández highlighted “the importance of continuing to advance in different cooperation initiatives at the political, economic and commercial level, both in the bilateral and multilateral relationship.”
In this sense, the presidents highlighted the relevance of the Framework Cooperation Agreement for Agricultural Development, signed in January 2022, with the aim of increasing the productive capacity of the agri-food sector, contributing to rural development and favoring the work of small and medium-sized enterprises. Cuban producers, points out the Spanish media.
Fernández reiterated his support for the resolution presented by Cuba, which opposes unilateral coercive measures by States, considering them contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
In turn, the Argentine head of state thanked the “firm support of Cuba and its unrestricted commitment in multiple areas” in support of Argentine rights in the dispute over the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands that it maintains with Great Britain.
Meanwhile, the Cuban president pondered the traditional Argentine position against the US blockade/embargo on the island and thanked Fernández for the message in the same sense at the last United Nations General Assembly.
Díaz-Canel arrived in Buenos Aires on Sunday and, a day later, met with businessmen, artists, intellectuals, academics, social organizations and Cuban residents in Argentina prior to his participation in the Celac Summit, in which he advocated for the strengthening of the organization.
Meanwhile, the Buenos Aires Declaration of the Summit included the need to “end the economic, commercial and financial blockade” of the United States on Cuba and called for the exclusion of the island from the list of States that sponsor terrorism.
After the summit, the Cuban government was satisfied this Wednesday with the results of the meeting, both specifically regarding the island and regarding regional integration.
It has been an “excellent”, “proactive” and “very promising” summit, of “revitalization” and “unity in diversity”, assured the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez, in statements to official Cuban media.
7th Summit of the #CELAC adopted Declaration, where the countries of #OurAmericawith a single and firm voice, endorse their commitment to genuine regional integration and demonstrate their desire to continue strengthening the Community and promoting unity in diversity.#CelacIsUnity pic.twitter.com/0pvddXdtPB
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) January 25, 2023
The foreign minister applauded the fact that the final declaration condemns the US blockade/embargo of his country and its inclusion on Washington’s list of countries that sponsor terrorism, review EFE.
In the regional aspect, Rodríguez highlighted that the meeting in Buenos Aires served to strengthen the revitalization of the bloc, a process initiated during the Mexican presidency of Celac.
“Currently there is a favorable political correlation in the region” for integration and cooperation, said the minister, quoted by the Spanish agency.
EFE / OnCuba