Havana, May 18, 2019. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, held talks in Havana with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, in which they analyzed projects to consolidate bilateral relations. In that meeting, Çavuşoğlu sent an invitation to the Cuban president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, to visit Turkey.
Rodriguez Parrilla said that there is a great historical relationship between both countries and at the same time good potential to strengthen the bond that unites them.
The visit to Cuba will help boost collaborations in all sectors, even when the international situation is complex, said the Cuban diplomat.
Also, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, met with the president of the Parliament of the Caribbean island, Esteban Lazo where he reaffirmed the need to increase relations with Cuba, especially in the economic-commercial sphere.
From the seat of the National Assembly in the Capitol, the Turkish diplomat said that his country will maintain the exchanges of work due to the existing potential to develop the links with Havana.
Çavuşoğlu affirmed that Cuba and Turkey have the same positions in several matters of the international sphere and reiterated its condemnation to any type of intervention or threat against third countries.
He also reiterated the support for the Caribbean nation in its fight against the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States. The Turkish Minister said that his stay in Cuba responds to the purpose of his Government to strengthen relations with Latin America and the Caribbean.
He added that inter-parliamentary ties will also be included in these high-level exchanges.
For his part, Lazo extended an invitation to his counterpart of the Turkish Grand National Assembly to visit Cuba as part of the efforts of both countries to boost ties in various spheres.
The Cuban deputy addressed the historical ties with Turkey and highlighted the great business and investment opportunities with the Eurasian nation.
Lazo offered the Turkish delegation an update of the Cuban socio-political panorama and thanked the courtesy visit to the parliamentary headquarters.
During his stay in the Caribbean island, the diplomat honored the Distinguished Service Medal to the historian of Havana, Eusebio Leal.
The two countries have diplomatic relations since 1952, which now go through a period of revitalization with political and commercial exchanges at the highest level, according to official data.
An example of this was the development last February of the Cuba-Turkey Business Committee with the signing of several memorandums on biotechnology and other areas.
In 2018, commercial trade registered an increase of more than 30 percent and direct purchases of anthracite coal and metals by Cuban companies. (EmbaCuba Turkey).