Vietnam and Cuba's Defense Ministries promote friendly relations

At the invitation of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba (FAR), a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam People's Army led by Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Director of the General Department of Politics, paid an official friendship visit to Cuba from October 21 to 25.

On the afternoon of October 21, a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam People's Army held talks with a Cuban delegation led by Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias, Politburo member and Minister of the FAR. Also attending the talks on the Cuban side were Senior Lieutenant General Alvaro Lopez Miera, Politburo member, Chief of the General Staff, and Lieutenant General Jose Carrillo Gomez, Party Central Committee member and Political Director of the FAR.

At the meeting, Senior Lieutenant General Cintra Frias warmly welcomed Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich and the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam People's Army to Cuba; highly appreciated and believed that the delegation's visit would significantly contribute to bringing the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation, including defense relations, between the two countries to new developments. Minister Cintra Frias affirmed that the Cuban people and revolutionary armed forces always have special affection and consider the people and the Vietnam People's Army as comrades and brothers.

Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich and Senior Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra Frias review the honor guard of the Cuban revolutionary armed forces at the official welcoming ceremony.

Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich expressed his joy at visiting Cuba for the first time as Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, especially on the occasion of the two countries celebrating the 40th anniversary of the historic visit of leader Fidel Castro to Vietnam. Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich affirmed that Vietnam and Cuba are two countries with a special traditional relationship founded by President Ho Chi Minh and leader Fidel Castro, and nurtured by generations of senior leaders of the two countries, which has become a model of international relations. He also emphasized that the people and army of Vietnam always remember the immortal words of comrade Fidel Castro: "For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to sacrifice its blood".

Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich highly appreciated the results that Cuba has achieved in bringing the guidelines for updating the socio-economic development model of the 6th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba into life; affirmed Vietnam's consistent support for the cause of building socialism in Cuba.

Discussing bilateral defense relations, Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich and Senior Lieutenant General Cintra Frias expressed satisfaction with the good development of defense cooperation between the two countries in recent times in many fields, including Party work, political work, especially since the two sides signed the "Agreement on developing defense cooperation between the Ministry of National Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba"; agreed to continue to develop defense cooperation more effectively in areas such as exchanging delegations at all levels, vacation delegations, exchanging young officers; exchanging information; exchanging experiences in military building; training cooperation.

Regarding Party and political work, the two sides agreed that, given the complicated developments of the situation, it is necessary to do a good job of propaganda and education about the special friendship between the two countries, and to build the mettle and fighting spirit of the troops. The leaders of the two sides emphasized the need to take political building as the foundation, enhance the fighting capacity of Party organizations, defeat all plots and tricks of hostile forces to sabotage the revolutionary achievements of each country, and contribute to enhancing the strength of the army.

The talks took place in an atmosphere of friendship, sincerity, trust and mutual understanding. Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich invited Lieutenant General Carrillo Gomez to visit Vietnam and conveyed the greetings and invitation to visit Vietnam from General Phung Quang Thanh, Minister of National Defense, Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty, Chief of the General Staff to Senior Lieutenant General Cintra Frias and Senior Lieutenant General Lopez Miera at a suitable time. The comrades happily accepted the invitation.

Before that, a solemn welcoming ceremony for the delegation of high-ranking political officials of the Vietnam People's Army took place at the memorial site of General Antonio Maceo, the hero of the Cuban national liberation during the struggle for independence against Spanish colonialism. Senior Lieutenant General Ngo Xuan Lich reviewed the honor guard of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces. After the welcoming ceremony, the delegation laid a wreath at the tomb of General Antonio Maceo and visited the FAR armored unit.

According to Tin Tuc Newspaper - HQ