Representatives of Cuba and Switzerland expressed this Monday the desire to continue strengthening their bilateral relations with a long history of friendship and cooperation.
The Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez, spoke in Havana with the federal adviser and head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, Ignazio Cassis, who is making an official visit to the island.
The European diplomat thanked the warm welcome given by his Cuban counterpart, and highlighted the efforts of the Caribbean nation to develop, despite the adversities in the economic field.
Cassis acknowledged that Switzerland is very close to Cuba in promoting various mutual cooperation programs, and expressed his desire to contribute more to the development of the island “which has a vast cultural richness,” he said.
Rodríguez, for his part, characterized relations with Switzerland as harmonious, respectful, productive and mutually enriching, in the cultural, academic and scientific fields.
“Switzerland is a peace-loving nation and this fact is significant for the Latin American region, which has proposed the maintenance of a peaceful climate in the area,” the Cuban foreign minister said.
The distinguished visitor participated in the ceremony of laying a wreath before the statue of José Martí, the National Hero of Cuba, in the 13 de Marzo Park, in Havana, and will hold talks with Cuban authorities, in addition to other activities of interest.
Cassis’s visit is the first by a Swiss federal councilor to the Caribbean nation. It is carried out in the context of a tour that includes the United States and Mexico.
