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MINSK, 17 July (BelTA) - Belarus and Cuba need to jointly defend national sovereignty and the right to determine their own development path, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said as he met with Vice President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Ana Maria Mari Machado, BelTA has learned.
“There is a certain symbolism in the fact that official meetings in Cuba start with a meeting with you - the representative of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba. In both our countries all power belongs to the people, and the parliament is the main link between society and the state. Belarus and Cuba have developed exceptionally friendly relations, which have stood the test of time and have become a vivid example of how interstate relations should be built in the modern world. This is especially important now, when the world situation is becoming increasingly tense, turbulent and even dangerous,” Roman Golovchenko said.
He recalled the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. “Back then, the leaders of the USSR and the United States found the courage and political will to take steps that made it possible to avoid a major world conflict. Unfortunately, now we do not see such political wisdom and will to save the most valuable thing on the planet - peace. Western countries are fanning and supporting conflicts all over the planet. One of the most acute is at our borders right now. In such challenging moments it is necessary to unite even more and jointly defend our national sovereignty and the right to independently determine our development path,” the prime minister said.
“You can rest assured that Belarus will never change its position on the unacceptability of the trade, economic and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba. As you know, Belarus is now also experiencing serious external sanctions and political pressure. I have been thinking about why Western countries use this tool of sanctions and restrictions so actively. I found a very simple answer - they are afraid of us,” the Belarusian head of government said.
“There is a certain symbolism in the fact that official meetings in Cuba start with a meeting with you - the representative of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba. In both our countries all power belongs to the people, and the parliament is the main link between society and the state. Belarus and Cuba have developed exceptionally friendly relations, which have stood the test of time and have become a vivid example of how interstate relations should be built in the modern world. This is especially important now, when the world situation is becoming increasingly tense, turbulent and even dangerous,” Roman Golovchenko said.
He recalled the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. “Back then, the leaders of the USSR and the United States found the courage and political will to take steps that made it possible to avoid a major world conflict. Unfortunately, now we do not see such political wisdom and will to save the most valuable thing on the planet - peace. Western countries are fanning and supporting conflicts all over the planet. One of the most acute is at our borders right now. In such challenging moments it is necessary to unite even more and jointly defend our national sovereignty and the right to independently determine our development path,” the prime minister said.
“You can rest assured that Belarus will never change its position on the unacceptability of the trade, economic and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba. As you know, Belarus is now also experiencing serious external sanctions and political pressure. I have been thinking about why Western countries use this tool of sanctions and restrictions so actively. I found a very simple answer - they are afraid of us,” the Belarusian head of government said.