HAVANA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The foreign ministers of Cuba and Saudi Arabia, Bruno Rodriguez and Adel Al-Jubeir, expressed on Monday their mutual interest in deepening economic relations and continuing to strengthen political ties.
Rodriguez received Al-Jubeir at the Cuban Foreign Ministry and said his first-ever visit to the island would contribute to the development of bilateral links.
"The Cuban government appreciates the joint cooperation projects with the Saudi Fund for Development," Rodriguez said referring to credits granted by Riyadh for the rehabilitation of water networks in the Caribbean nation.
The minister added Havana also values the presence of Cuban medical services in Saudi Arabia and urged the two sides to continue working together to increase cooperation in other areas.
He also reiterated Cuba's support for the "just causes of the Arab peoples," particularly the situation in Palestine.
Meanwhile, Al-Jubeir conveyed a greeting from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to Cuban President Raul Castro, and acknowledged the progress that bilateral relations have seen in recent years.
"Our government is zealously watching to deepen ties with Cuba," the Saudi foreign minister said.
In turn, he called for an increase in bilateral economic cooperation, to diversify his country's investments in the island and to strengthen political dialogue between Havana and Riyadh.
"There are essential links that unite us such as respect for the sovereignty of countries, international legality and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations," said the Saudi official.
Earlier, Al-Jubeir held a meeting with the island's vice president of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Economy and Planning, Ricardo Cabrisas, with whom he discussed economic cooperation and the prospects for Saudi investments in the Caribbean nation.
In May 2017, Cabrisas visited Riyadh and returned home with a new Saudi credit of 26.6 million U.S. dollars to carry out rehabilitation and construction of social projects in Havana's historic areas.
In July 2016, both nations signed two agreements to boost Saudi exports to Cuba and for Riyadh to finance water infrastructure repairs with long-term loans.
According to official figures, by 2017, the Saudi Development Fund had executed four projects worth 122 million U.S. dollars in Cuba, including three to rehabilitate water networks across the country.
