Cuba backs Serbia's right to preserve territorial integrity

Cuba backs Serbia's right to preserve territorial integrity

"My visit to Serbia is taking place with a firm intent to continue the political dialogue at the highest level and contribute to enhancing ties and cooperation," Hernandez told a joint press conference with Gojkovic.

He thanked Serbia for its support for a lifting of the US embargo against Cuba, adding that, 73 years after the establishment of diplomatic ties, Cuban-Serbian relations were developing increasingly.

Hernandez's visit to Serbia is historic because it is the first by a Cuban assembly speaker, Gojkovic said, adding that an agreement on cooperation between the two parliaments - which she signed with Hernandez five months ago - was the first such agreement the Serbian parliament had with a Latin American country.

Gojkovic said they discussed the traditionally friendly bilateral relations and that Serbia was grateful for Cuba's respect for its sovereignty and integrity.

"We are particularly grateful for Cuba's position in the vote on Kosovo's UNESCO membership," she noted. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Monday also received Juan Esteban Lazo Hernandez,who conveyed to him an invitation from Raul Castro, President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, to pay an official visit to Cuba.

Vucic thanked Cuba for its principled position of non-recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called Kosovo and for its support in international organizations such as UNESCO, which has rejected Kosovo's membership bid.

Serbia is interested in further development of bilateral relations and broader economic cooperation, Vucic said, backing the idea of Serbian entrepreneurs taking part in projects in the development zone of the Cuban port of Mariel.

The excellent bilateral political relations date back to the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement, which is a great foundation for utilizing possibilities for developing economic cooperation, Hernandez said.

Cuba is a leader in development in medicine and the pharmaceuticals industry, which, along with agriculture, provides great potentials for cooperation with Serbia, Hernandez said.

Vucic and Hernandez welcomed the successful parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, the Serbian government said in a statement.