Belarus, Cuba military officials hold talks in Minsk

April 8, Pozirk. Belarusian-Cuban military relations continue to develop with the arrival of a Cuban military delegation in Minsk on a working visit.

Gen. Mario Ernesto Rodríguez Peñaranda, commander of the Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force, leads the delegation, the Belarusian defense ministry reported.

The Cubans held talks with Andrej Łukjanovič, commander of the Belarusian Air/Air Defense Forces. “A detailed exchange of views on issues of further cooperation took place,” the ministry said.

“The parties confirmed their mutual interest in developing contacts between the Air/Air Defense Forces,” it added.

The Belarusian-Cuban military relations were evidently intensive this year.

On March 20, the Belarusian defense ministry reported on negotiations between General Staff Chief Viktar Hulevič, his Cuban counterpart Roberto Legrá Sotolongo and Cuba’s minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Álvaro López Miera.

On January 30, Belarus had announced that its Defense Minister Viktar Chrenin met with his Cuban counterpart during a visit to the island country. They discussed cooperation, the international situation and other issues. Documents on military cooperation were signed.

The ministers highlighted “similarities between their states’ positions in the international arena, strong historical ties and common approaches to evaluating the key problems of our time.”

Chrenin described Cuba as “an important partner in the international arena and a strategic ally in the Western Hemisphere.”

Cuba was one of the six members of the UN Human Rights Council that voted against a resolution on the Belarusian human rights situation. The UNHRC adopted the resolution in Geneva on April 4.