Cuba’s Ambassador in Damascus: We wish to enhance relations with Syria in all fields

Damascus, SANA-Cuba’s  Ambassador in Damascus, Miguel Porto Parga, affirmed his country’s desire to strengthen relations with Syria in all fields, pointing out to the difficulties that the two countries face as a result of the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the American administration.

In an interview with SANA on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Syria, the Ambassador pointed out the importance of the two countries’ reliance on their national and local expertise and capabilities in facing those coercive measures.

“The United States imposed sanctions on all commercial exchanges with Cuba , including the banks and economic entities that establish commercial exchanges with Syria,” the Ambassador said.

He indicated to the most prominent historical phases witnessed in the relations between the two countries, including sending his country a battalion of tanks to fight alongside Syria during the October Liberation War, strengthening cooperation, consultation, trade exchange, in addition to mutual stances at international forums.

“Syria also condemned the unjust economic and commercial blockade imposed on Cuba at the General Assembly of the United Nations’ about 27 times, while Cuba has condemned the sanctions and terrorist war on Syria since 2011, and its embassy has continued to work in Damascus,” the ambassador affirmed.

Mr. Porto Parga referred that his country continues to provide scholarships to Syrian students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, especially in the field of medicine,  adding that the Cuban Embassy in Damascus will receive in the coming days the files of students who will leave to study in Cuba.

The Cuban Ambassador affirmed that the experiments of Cuban scientists to develop a vaccine against the Coronavirus have entered the first phase of clinical trials, and it is expected that the vaccine called (Soberana) or (sovereign) will be ready for use in early February of next year.

Manar Salameh/ Mazen Eyon