Cuban ambassador to Tehran stresses on developing bilateral ties

Cuban ambassador to Tehran emphasized that Iran and Cuba have valuable relations that should be developed, AVA Diplomatic reports.

In an exclusive interview with ISNA, Cuban ambassador to Tehran Alexis Bandrich Vega talked about different issues including Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s previous visit to Cuba and its achievements, bilateral relations, US interference in Latin American countries, Iran’s nuclear deal and Cuba without Castros.

Here is the full text of Mr. Alexis Bandrich Vega’s interview:

1 – President Rouhani visited Cuba two years ago, what are the achievements of this journey?

I think that the first achievement was his contribution to the strengthening of bilateral relations between our two countries, our two Revolutions, one Islamic and the other Socialist, but they have the common goal of increasing the well-being of our peoples, defend our sovereignty and independence, and at the international level: defending peace and a new international order. Our Heads of State ratified they will continue to develop the ties of collaboration and exchange between our nations. In this opportunity were signed MOUs for cooperation in the field of health, research, education, medicine and medical technologies.

A highlight of the visit was the meeting between President Hassan Rohani and the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, on which both agreed on the analysis of international complexity, the need to increase the production of food in a world threatened by climate change, the incessant growth of the world population. They exchanged about the peace´s threats and the role of young people in the political, economic and social transformations.

2. Have commercial relationship between Iran and Cuba improved in recent years? As you know the two countries are under sanctions, how much can Iran and Cuba support each other?

As I have said on other occasions, the level of trade relations and cooperation between our countries, although it has improved, it can increase much more and we are working on that. There are potentials identified in the areas mentioned above: health, scientific research, higher education, and others such as sport, tourism, agriculture and energy.

As a country subjected to sanctions (in the case of Cuba to a genocidal economic, commercial and financial blockade for nearly 60 years), the development of trade relations is an effective way to confront and defeat these criminal policies, which cause  hardship and violate the human rights of our people.

The international rejection to the occupation of our territory increases against the Guantanamo Naval Base and detention and torture Center there.

I take this opportunity to express the infinite gratitude of the Government and people of Cuba to the Islamic Republic of Iran for the support that has always given to our struggle against the blockade at the United Nations. We are sure that Iran will lift your voice in 73 General Assembly against this genocidal, obsolete and failed policy.

3 Saudi foreign minister Adel Al – Jubeir visited Latin America and met with Raul Castro. Does Cuba want to enhance its relations with Saudi Arabia? And how it would affect Cuba relations with Iran?

As it was published by our Government, during the recent visit of the Chancellor Adel Al – Jubeir to Cuba, both parties expressed their willingness to deepen linkages, and increase them in the area of investments. Cuba appreciated cooperation projects executed in conjunction with the Saudi Fund for Development, and the progress of collaboration in other areas, such as the presence of Cuban medical services in that country. During the visit, Cuba reiterated the support of Havana to the just causes of the Arab peoples, and expressed the wishes of peace and prosperity for the region of the Middle East.

In May 2017, Cuba and Saudi Arabia boosted its relations with the granting by the Arab Kingdom of a loan of more than $ 26 million to run the program of rehabilitation and construction of works social of the Office of the historian of the city of Havana. In 2016, agreements were signed to export Saudi products to the island, and to finance infrastructure works in the sector of hydraulic resources in Cuba with long-term loans.

Cuba is a sovereign and independent country with positions and principles that are non-negotiable. Answering your question of how this visit may affect relations with Iran I can respond: absolutely in no way.

 4- What is your evaluation about the US interference in Latin American countries, particularly that Washington has allocated budget for interference in internal Cuba´s affairs?

There is a deep setback in hemispheric relations. As just expressed the Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez at the 8th Summit of the Americas, Our America still being ransacked, intervened and vilified by the American imperialism, which invokes the Monroe Doctrine to exercise dominance and hegemony over our people. There is now the danger of a return to the use of force, the indiscriminate imposition of unilateral coercive measures and bloody military coups. Now, the goal is to restore the imperialist domination, destroy national sovereignties with interventions non-conventional, toppling the popular Governments, reverse social conquests and reinstate, at the continental level, neoliberalism wild. They use the fight against corruption as a political weapon; prosecutors and judges act as “political parties” and prevent the voters vote for candidates with strong popular support. Meanwhile they hides that corruption prevails among Governors, parliamentarians and politicians and electoral systems, corrupt, by nature, to relying on the money, “special interests” corporate political laws and models. Manipulate people from monopolistic private ownership on media and technology platforms. In election campaigns, there is no ethical boundaries, promotes hatred, division, selfishness, libel, racism, xenophobia and the lie; proliferate neo-fascist tendencies and are promised walls, militarized borders, mass deportations, even of children born in the territory.

Chancellor Bruno said: Cuba will not accept threats or blackmail by the Government of the United States. Cuba does not want a confrontation, but will not negotiate any of its internal affairs, or lease a millimeter in its principles. In defence of the independence, the Revolution and the socialism, the Cuban people have spilled their blood, assumed extraordinary sacrifices and the greatest risks.

The progress achieved in recent years in bilateral relations with the United States, based on the absolute sovereign equality and mutual respect, which are now reversed; showed tangible results and civilized coexistence, within the deep differences between Governments, it is possible and beneficial for both.

5- How do you see Cuba without Castro?

Cuba will never be without Castro. The Castros are indispensable part of Cuba’s history, present and future. His works and his ideas will always accompany the destiny of the Cuban Revolution and the people. From April 19,Cuba will have a new president and Cuba will continue to have Fidel and Raúl Castro, I have no doubt about the continuity of the revolutionary project and the defense of our principles of sovereignty, independence and social justice, I have no doubt about the future of our international commitments to fight for peace and a new international order. In dismissing Commander in Chief Fidel in the  Revolution Square at Havana on the occasion of his death, the Cuban people and especially their young people merged in a single idea: “I am Fidel”, which means that as long as only one of us lives there will be Castro, there will be Fidel, there will be Revolution.