Putin and Fidel voice satisfaction with the visit . Presidents Vladimir Putin and Fidel Castro sign joint declaration . Need for multipolar world highlighted . Putin condemns U.S. blockade of Cuba and any other extraterritorial acts . Accords, treaties, agreements and protocols signed in various spheres BY MIREYA CASTAÑEDA (Granma International staff writer) THE presidents of the Russian Federation and Cuba, Vladimir Putin and Fidel Castro, expressed satisfaction with their talks in Havana compiled in a joint declaration, and the signing of four documents covering important issues for bilateral relations. After signing the documents, the heads of state agreed to respond to two questions each from Cuban journalists and from members of the Russian press accompanying Putin on this official visit (December 14-17). Cuban Television and Granma daily asked the Russian president to comment on the visit and the contacts made, and how his country could contribute to achieving a multipolar world. In relation to the first question, Putin recalled that he had already had a meeting with the Cuban president in New York, where virtually all the issues had been covered. "Our expectations of the visit to Cuba," he continued, "have been fully met with the documents signed, which were very well prepared by specialists. Today we agreed on important issues, on the basis of the noblest sentiments of tradition and friendship. We are going to structure our relations on the principles of sovereignty and mutual benefit." Concise in his responses, the Russian president affirmed his active opposition to unipolarity, given that it is an attempt at absolute domination of the international scene. "If we look at universal history," he noted, "this has already been tried and we all know how it ends up; but moreover, there can be no monopoly in the world of today. "In that context," Putin observed, "we have the support of Latin America, including Cuba, and we are going to interact to contribute to new perspectives for the 21st century." For their part, the Russian journalists asked President Fidel Castro about the incidence of politics in economic relations and to outline his view of the prospects for bilateral exchange. "We all have the duty to fight for a just economic order, given the imposition of a globalization-which we qualify as neoliberal-that is leading the world into crisis because it is an unsustainable order." Fidel explained that that process of globalization, visible on all fronts, is aggravating the differences between a handful of rich countries and the overwhelming majority of poor countries. The leader of the Revolution observed that 30 to 40 years ago there was talk of how to bridge the gap between the industrialized and underdeveloped nations but, in real terms, that gap has expanded, and the process of plundering natural resources is greater than ever before in history. He gave as an example Latin America, where the gap between the higher income sectors and the dispossessed is constantly widening, noting that of the 500 million inhabitants of this region and the Caribbean, 240 million live in poverty and of those, 90 million are destitute. "These are awesome figures not often mentioned," he added. "It is my view that that order is unsustainable, that it is leading to all kinds of problems and to the ungovernability of the world, which is a cause of concern for everybody, not only Cuba, but Russia and China as well." Fidel noted that Cuba and Russia have common positions in terms of almost all problems of an international nature and, more importantly, these are concerns shared by the great majority of nations in the world, giving as examples issues such as the environment and world peace. As for bilateral relations, Fidel stated that great prospects are being opened for their development, which are gaining special impetus with the visit of Putin and the high-level delegation accompanying him. As Putin had done previously, the Cuban president expressed satisfaction at the contents of the joint declaration, given that it is based, he noted, on shared principles and standards. He described it as a constructive document which establishes firm bases for bilateral relations. "I am convinced that humanity is entering the 21st century with more problems than ever before," Fidel reflected, "and we are aware of that. "Putin spoke of unipolarity," Fidel continued, "and this is the basic concern of the leaders of many countries. Today, the need for a multipolar world is the most important issue in international politics." He affirmed that the world is currently being subjected to unipolar influences and pressures that have never been experienced before and, in the context of modern technologies and communications, in a far more complex context. "We are living that reality," Fidel stressed, "and who knows that better than we do, located 90 miles from the largest economic, political, technological and military superpower." The Cuban president commented that that neighboring superpower says that there the cold war has come to an end, it is increasing its military spending, improving its conventional and nuclear weapons, trying to establish nuclear missile shields and breaking agreements that have aided balance and peace. "We have condemned that for its irresponsibility and adventurism," he stressed, "and because it is absurd to go on investing in armaments." President Fidel Castro concluded that wisdom, equanimity, intelligence and optimism are needed to face of the great problems at the beginning of the 21st century. SIGNED DOCUMENTS The joint declaration signed by Fidel and Putin affirms that the talks took place in a climate of mutual understanding and that "issues related to the development and prospects of bilateral relations were discussed," while "the traditional sentiments of friendship uniting the two peoples and the validity of the declaration of principles of mutual relations" signed in 1996 were reaffirmed. It notes the international themes covered, including international law, the UN Charter and its principles of sovereignty, self-determination, non-interference, independence and territorial integrity, and the condemnation of any attempt to undermine or manipulate them. The document demonstrates a concurrence of opinion on the significance of the Non-Aligned Movement for a multilateral solution of current problems, on the central role of the United Nations for preserving the peace, and the inconsistency of attempts to apply concepts such as "humanitarian intervention" and "limited sovereignty" in order to justify unilateral military action. In relation to the globalization process within the world economy, it notes that this can be interpreted in various ways and ratifies an intention to strengthen cooperation so as to overcome its negative consequences. The declaration includes the theme of general and total disarmament under strict and effective international controls, particularly in the case of nuclear weapons; and the observance of existing agreements, including the Anti-Missile Defense Treaty. It confirms that Cuba supports the Russian initiative to hold an international conference under UN auspices in 2001 in Moscow, to avert the militarization of space. The declaration also expresses consensus on the part of Cuba and Russia in the battle against international terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime. There is also a paragraph condemning the economic, commercial and financial blockade maintained against Cuba by the United States and all related extraterritorial actions, as well as any discriminatory or interventionist measure. Furthermore, Russian Health Minister Yuri Shevchenko and his Cuban counterpart Carlos Dotres signed a cooperation agreement covering pubic health and medical sciences, taking in science and technology, the training of doctors, medicines and immunobiological preparations. Russian Justice Minister Yuri Chayka, and Esther Recio, Cuba's acting minister of justice, signed a treaty on legal aid and relations in civil and criminal law, replacing the one signed in 1984. It covers, for example, issues like extradition, the transfer of convicted persons and citizens' problems. At the same time, the deputy ministers of finance, Vladimir Chrenukhin and Rafael González, signed an intergovernmental agreement for the suppression of double taxation which "will act as an incentive to trade, investment, sports and cultural development." Foreign Ministers Igor Ivanov and Felipe Pérez Roque signed a protocol for the joint preparation of a compilation of archive documents on bilateral relations during the 1902-2002 period, the centenary of Russia's recognition of Cuba. The presidents of the Cuban-Russian Joint Intergovernmental Commission, Ricardo Cabrisas and Sergei Shoigu, underwrote a trade protocol for 2001-2005, which includes "indicators for the principal products to be commercialized." Government Minister Cabrisas and Vladimir Chernukhin, Russian deputy minister of finance, signed a protocol trade agreement conceding the island a credit deferment. Shortly before the signing ceremony, President Putin was officially received by Fidel in the Plaza de la Bandera at the Palace of the Revolution.
