Cuba, Russia sign diplomatic agreement
Cuba and Russia signed a diplomatic agreement on Tuesday, official sources said.

Representatives of Cuba and Russia stressed the high level of their bilateral ties during the signing of a protocol on political consultation between the foreign ministries of the two countries.

The document, which is believed to push their bilateral ties forward in 2007, was signed by Russian Vice Foreign Minister Sergei Ivanovich Kisliak and his Cuban counterpart Eumelio Caballero.

According to an official text circulated in Havana, the new agreement is an expression of the unity of both governments' will to enhance cooperation and bilateral ties. It demonstrates a sustained inter-government exchange enhanced by a visit to Cuba by Russian Prime Minister Mijail Fradkov this year.

Under the agreement, a political consultation program on bilateral ties and the international and regional situation was created between the two foreign ministries.

Kisliak hailed as excellent the ties between Russia and Cuba and announced the creation of a bilateral economic commission in 2007 which will give an impetus to bilateral ties.

For his part, Caballero stressed both countries' similar points of view on international issues as well as the United Nations role in the peaceful solution to conflicts.

He also thanked the Russian Federation's support for the island's efforts against the American embargo and against manipulation of the human rights issue.