Raul and Medvedev held a cordial meeting on Thursday evening, in which they addressed the excellent state of bilateral relations between their two countries and they ratified their political will to further enhance those links in the fields of trade, investment, tourism, health, education, science and culture. They also addressed issues of international interest.

The Russian Prime Minister was accompanied by the first deputy chief of the Russian cabinet Serguei E. Prijodko, and by Russia’s Industry and Trade minister Denis V. Manturov.

On the Cuban side were government vice-president Ricardo Cabrisas; foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez and Foreign Trade and Investment minister Rodrigo Malmierca.

Following the talks, Raul Castro and Dimitri Medvedev presided over the signing of 10 bilateral cooperation protocols in different economic areas.

Ricardo Cabrisas, vice-president of the Council of Ministers and Serguey Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister signed an agreement on the regularization of the Cuban debt to the Russian Federation based on credits granted by the former Soviet Union.

Candido Regalado, head of the National Office of Hydrography and Geodesy, and Vladimir Popovkin, head of the Russian Federal Space Agency, signed an agreement on cooperation in the exploration and use of the outer space with peaceful purposes.

Other agreements included the areas of hydrometeorology, the environment, and customs.

The two parties also signed memorandums of understanding to cooperate in the fields of nuclear medicine and the production of radioactive preparations with medical purposes. They also agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of education.