We wish to enhance relations with Syria in all fields to face the coercive American measures imposed on the two countries, says Cuba’s Ambassador to Damascus

Damascus, (ST) – Cuba’s ambassador to Damascus Miguel Porto Parga affirmed his country’s wish to enhance relations with Syria in all fields, referring to the difficulties that the two countries face as a result of the unilateral coercive measures imposed on them 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, he pointed out the importance of the two countries’ reliance on their national and local expertise and capabilities in facing these coercive measures, pointing out that, the United States imposed sanctions on all commercial exchanges with his country, including 128 international banks an amount equivalent to 3 billion and 751 million dollars just for its dealings with Cuba, and the same applies to banks and economic entities that establish commercial exchanges with Syria.

Porto Parga touched on the most prominent historical stages witnessed in the relations between the two countries, in addition to mutual positions in international forums, where Syria condemned the unjust economic and commercial blockade imposed on Cuba in the General Assembly of the United Nations about 27 times. Cuba affirmed its solidarity with Syria when it condemned the sanctions and terrorist war on Syria since 2011 and its embassy has continued to work in Damascus supporting Syria and its people, as it participated in the activities of the Damascus International Fair.

Ambassador Porto Parga indicated that his country will continue to provide scholarships to Syrian students in the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, especially in the field of medicine, indicating 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 confirmed 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.He explained that when the vaccine developed by his country is put on the market, friendly countries, especially Syria, will have priority in obtaining it.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, Cuba was denied the supply of ventilators, masks, and tools to detect infection with the Coronavirus, and it was forced to manufacture them locally, as between 3000 and 4000 tests are done daily to detect infection with the virus. 

Rahgda Sawas