[NYTr] Cuban Foreign Minister Meets with Top Japanese Diplomat

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Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN)
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Cuban Foreign Minister Meets with Top Japanese Diplomat

Havana, Nov 15 (acn) Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque met on 
Thursday, in Havana, with the general director of the Latin American 
and Caribbean bureau of Japan's Foreign Ministry Akira Miwa. Both 
officials addressed the development of bilateral relations.

The meeting, which was also attended by Cuban deputy foreign minister 
Marcos Rodriguez, also reviewed  issues of regional and international 
interest for both parties.

The Japanese diplomat, who arrived in Havana on Tuesday, headed his 
delegation at the 9th Session of Political Dialogue between both 
foreign ministries. The session revealed the continuity and fluency of 
bilateral links and allowed discussions on significant issues for 
bilateral relations between the governments of Cuba and Japan.

During his visit to Havana, which concludes on Thursday, Akira Miwa has 
also met with Cuban government minister Ricardo Cabrisas, with deputy 
foreign ministers Abelardo Moreno and Alejandro Gonzalez, as well as 
with first deputy minister for Foreign Investment and Economic 
Cooperation Ramon Ripoll.

Cuba and Japan will mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of 
bilateral relations in 2009. Since 1997, Japan has voted, at the United 
Nations General Assembly, in favor of the Cuban Resolutions against the 
over-45-year US economic, commercial and financial blockade of the 
island.

According to historic information, the first inter-cultural contacts 
between Japan and Cuba took place in 1646, when Samurai Hasekura 
Tsunenaga stayed in Havana for nearly two weeks  as part of a world 
tour undertaken by a Japanese mission sent by Date Masamme, Lord of 
Sendai City.

At present, Cuba-Japan relations continue to develop through political 
dialog, cooperation and economic relations.