Relations with Cuba at critical stage: Russia

Moscow, Nov 12 (Prensa Latina) Russia's relationship with Cuba stands at a critical stage and both Havana and Moscow look forward to strengthening bilateral cooperation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

Lavrov said the meeting he had with his visiting Cuban counterpart Felipe Perez Roque, who wrapped up his four-day visit to Russia Wednesday, had been 'greatly successful'.

The two countries maintain close cooperation and make efforts to strengthen political dialogue and economic ties, the Russian minister said.

Lavrov and Perez Roque signed a joint declaration and the 2009 Plan for Inter-chancellery Political Consultations.

The Russian official also highlighted the urgency of ending the US blockade against the Communist island.

Perez Roque said Cuba and Russia are willing to develop permanent relations, based on common approaches and mutual potentialities in several fields of cooperation.

He called his meeting with Lavrov cordial and open, and noted Russia and Cuba have the common interest of defending international law and a multipolar world which will help small nations in their fight against poverty.