• José Ramón Machado Ventura attends closing session of seminar on business opportunities in the context of the Argentine president’s visit CUBA, January 21, 2009. PRESIDENT Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Vice President José Ramón Machado Ventura yesterday attended the closing session of the business opportunities seminar organized within the official visit by the Argentine leader, which ends today. More than 80 Argentine business representatives attended the seminar at the Nacional Hotel and discussed possibilities with representatives from around 200 Cuban enterprises. Fernández de Kirchner provided some economic information about her country and acknowledged the great effort made by Cuban society, its men and women to achieve the technological and heath advances attained "in totally adverse circumstances." She noted, "And given that they have been able to achieve this level of development with all the difficulties and a commercial blockade unparalleled in the world, how much more could be done when some of those barriers are definitively brought down?" The Argentine president had words of praise for "this beautiful and beloved country" and expressed her feelings of "gratitude for the treatment and affection that I have received on the visit, the first in many years by a president of the Republic of Argentina to the sister Republic of Cuba." In her speech, she also highlighted "the need for South-South integration, association and cooperation," and spoke of the bases of relations between Argentina and Cuba, structured on complementariness, cooperation and integration and technological transfer. In that context she stressed "the strong possibilities that we Argentines and Cubans have, not just for being friends, but also partners in good businesses that will redound in greater benefits for our peoples." The head of state recalled the links between "the sister Republic of Cuba and the Argentine Republic, whose societies and peoples have always been totally identified, not only with the legendary figure of Ernesto Che Guevara, but also by the great affection and warmth that both peoples have dispensed and, historically, will continue dispensing." For his part, Machado Ventura commented that our region is experiencing a highly significant moment in its history where "diverse processes of social, political, economic processes and those related to defense, independence and national sovereignty are being consolidated and expanded." He also noted the urgent task awaiting us to construct a more just and better world for our peoples "with our own solutions. Within that intention the recent integration mechanisms we have created, without foreign interference, constitute our strengths." Machado Ventura confirmed that the events at the Salvador de Bahía Summit last December demonstrate that "there is a consensus in the region on the need to revitalize an integration with its own vision." He stressed that Cuba’s relations with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have been fortified: "the circumstances speak for themselves," he stated. At the close of 2008 the weight of the region in our trade balance rose to 39% as opposed to the 5% of 20 years ago. He added that trade between the two nations is stable and has been recovering, to a value of approximately $150 million, which puts Argentina in fifth place among our trade partners in the region. Finally, Machado emphasized that the call made by President Raúl Castro to work hard "is the best guarantee of our future successes." Also present at the closing session were Ministers Ulises Rosales, of Agriculture, José Luis Rodríguez, of Economy and Planning; and Raúl de la Nuez, of Foreign Trade, among other officials. In the afternoon, President Fernández attended the inauguration of the Liberator José de San Martín Chair at the University of Havana which, while paying tribute to this emblematic figure of Latin American independence struggles, will promote academic and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The ceremony, in the institution’s Aula Magna, was headed by Vice President Esteban Lazo; Ricardo Alarcón, president of the National Assembly; Rubén Zardoya, rector of the University; and Juan Vela, minister of higher education. In the presence of her delegation, diplomatic personnel, and Argentine and Cuban students, Fernández de Kirchner gave a master lecture in which she highlighted the importance of the development of a Latin American independent thought and integration, in order to confront the new world scenario. At the end of her lecture, Zardoya presented her with the plaque for the 280th anniversary of the founding of the University of Havana. Later, Fernández met with Ricardo Alarcón in the Nacional Hotel, where they discussed current international issues. After her three-day visit, the Argentine president leaves Cuba today to fly to Venezuela.(Cubaminrex –Granma Internacional)
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