Palmerston North, May 16th, 2019. Yesterday morning, Cuban Ambassador, Mario Alzugaray Rodríguez, attended a Seminar on Asia Pacific, organized by the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA) in Palmerston North and the Institute of the Pacific United (IPU).
The Cuban diplomat addressed relations between Cuba and New Zealand, emphasizing the coincidence of both nations on issues such as climate change and nuclear disarmament. He also underlined the importance that Cuba confers to links with New Zealand, based on mutual respect and trust, bearing in mind that both are small and distant nations that have managed to maintain reciprocal attention, with practical results in bilateral cooperation on topics of common interest.
Regarding the Pacific Region, the Ambassador draw attention to the presence of Cuban doctors in Kiribati, Nauru and Vanuatu, as well as the young people from the Pacific Islands who are studying medicine in Cuban Universities. About Medical Cooperation of Cuba in the region, he pointed out the importance of the agreement signed between Cuba and New Zealand to provide English training to Cuban doctors who will render their services in small Pacific nations.
As part of the debate, the Diplomat also highlighted the position of our country on the main issues of the regional and international agenda, stressing the rejection of the increased hostility from the US Government and the strengthening of the economic, financial and commercial embargo, as a result of the activation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act. On the situation in Venezuela, he confirmed the strong support and consistent solidarity of Cuba with the Venezuelan people, based on the principles of respect for their sovereignty, self-determination, the right of peace and development of our communities, endorsed in the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace in 2014, assuring that Cuba will always support and contribute to the solution of differences through respectful dialogue, based on the international law principle for all parties to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. (Embacuba NZ).