Russia interested in earliest possible clearing of problems with Cuba -- official

KAZAN, April 22. /TASS/. Russia is interested in an earliest possible solution of problems still remaining in relations with Cuba and it thanks Havana for its stance on the situation around Crimea, which turned over to the Russian jurisdictions in March 2014, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday at a session of the bilateral intergovernmental commission for cooperation in trade, economy, science, and technologies. "This session has a special character and is held at a particular time when we must do all the homework that's long overdue," Rogozin said. "Now have interest in clearing out the backlog of problems very fast and I think we'll succeed in this." "We thank the Cuban side for the principled stance that Havana took on the crisis in Ukraine and on the situation around Crimea," he said. "We praise the public statements the Cuban government made on the issue in the key of solidarity with Russia." He recalled Russia had been a dedicated supporter of the lifting of unlawful sanctions against Cuba and the embargo imposed on the Freedom Island by the U.S. The removal of these contrived barriers will facilitate the development of all sectors of the Cuban economy and will exert a favorable influence on Russian-Cuban trade as well. As Rogozin mentioned economic cooperation, he proposed to organize the assembling of the Ansat helicopters in Cuba and their sales from there. "I think the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean really need a helicopter of this kind," he said. Read more