Cuba Wants Close Ties With Russia, Despite Its Relations With US – Analyst

Cuba Wants Close Ties With Russia, Despite Its Relations With US – Analyst

A Cuban foreign policy expert said that the recent visit of Russia's
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Cuba has shown that Cuba is interested
in maintaining close ties with Russia regardless of the current state of
its relations with Washington.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The recent visit of Russia's Defense Minister Sergei
Shoigu to Cuba has proven that Havana is interested in maintaining close
ties with Russia regardless of the current state of its relations with
Washington, a Cuban foreign policy expert told RIA Novosti.

"The visit [of Russia's Defense Minister Shoigu] to Cuba has reaffirmed
Havana's willingness to continue maintaining high-level relations with
Russia under any circumstances including in the context of the
improvement of its [Havana's] relation with the US," Arturo Lopez-Levy,
an expert on US-Cuban relations at the University of Denver told RIA
Novosti.

According to the political analyst, Shoigu's Latin America tourney is a
part of Russia's foreign policy strategy which meets the aim of
restoration of Russia's influence as an international power.
On Wednesday Russian Defense Minister went on a three-day Latin American
tour which included visits to Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

During his visit to Cuba Shoigu stated that Moscow is interested in
expanding its naval cooperation with Havana. He also invited Cuban
military delegations to come to Russia for Tank Biathlon World
Championship, fourth international security conference and the
international military-technical forum "Army 2015." Cuban President Raul
Castro said that the delegations from his country will accept Moscow's
invitation.

The relations between Cuba and the United States have been in the
spotlight of international attention since mid-December, 2014 when US
President Barack Obama announced his decision to normalize US relations
with the islands. Obama's plans include opening an US embassy in Havana
and easing certain sanctions imposed on Havana.

Source: Cuba Wants Close Ties With Russia, Despite Its Relations With US
– Analyst / Sputnik International -
http://sputniknews.com/analysis/20150215/1018287738.html