'Cuba seeks to study Azerbaijan's experience in power engineering'

Cuba is highly interested in Azerbaijan's experience in the energy sector.

"Cuba, which has recently started exploratory drilling in the Gulf of Mexico near its shores, is interested in Azerbaijan's experience in this field," Cuban Ambassador to Azerbaijan Omar Medina Quintero told Trend today.

Azerbaijan has a rich experience in the development of hydrocarbons. This experience can be useful to Cuba, the diplomat said.

Immense reserves of high quality oil have been found at the national shelf of Cuba in the Gulf of Mexico. The country has announced its plans to begin exploratory drilling in the Gulf of Mexico near its coast last summer. The Spanish Repsol and Norwegian Statoil, Malaysian Petronas and Venezuelan Pdvsa work there today.

The diplomat said that Cuba annually produces about 3 million tons of oil for domestic needs.

"However, we know that there are large reserves," he said. "We are now attracting foreign companies to this work. As it is known, Azerbaijan has experience in deepwater drilling. This experience could be useful to us."

He said that two countries must also actively cooperate in staff training in the oil sector.

"Many Cubans received good education in Azerbaijan in 1970-1980," he said. "They are now highly qualified experts in this field. It is necessary to continue these traditions."

The new ambassador has estimated the relations between Azerbaijan and Cuba as good.

"Everything is changing fast today," he said. "There is always a risk that there is little time for contacts. I think that we must strive for these contacts to be risen to the highest level. The main attention should be paid to the things uniting us most of all."

He said there are many areas for cooperation, namely tourism, sports, economy, education, etc.

"We must not hurry," he said. "We must gradually develop them to achieve significant results."

Quintero's primary task, he said, is to exert efforts to develop the ties between the two countries and to preserve the traditions that have always existed between the two peoples.

"My government has set me the task to develop friendly relations among countries," he said. "I am ready to work in this direction."

He said that the political relations between the two countries have always been at a good level. The governments have the task to raise the economic relations to the same level.

"Azerbaijan is actively developing its relations with Latin America," he said. "I know that this is not at the expense of the relations with Cuba. Our countries have a great potential for cooperation. The sides are examining the mutual interests."

He said there is always the possibility for cooperation in the medical field by inviting Azerbaijani experts to Cuba to get acquainted with medical achievements.

The diplomat has also invited the companies to participate in the development of the tourism industry in Cuba.

"Tourism in Cuba is an open platform for investments," he said.

In particular, the Cuban legislation allows providing platforms for building the hotels by foreign companies.

"We will always consider Azerbaijan as a reliable partner," the Ambassador said.

Gvintero became the second Cuban ambassador to Azerbaijan, replacing Marcelo Caballero Torres. His diplomatic mission was completed in late summer.

Omar Medina Gvintero was born in 1950. He has been working as an ambassador since 1975. He worked at the Cuban Embassy in Poland, former Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro. He held various positions at the Cuban Foreign Ministry.

Before his appointment in Baku, he worked at the Cuban Foreign Ministry. Earlier, he headed the diplomatic mission in Belarus.

He speaks English, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, and Spanish.


/Trend/