MOSCOW, February 19 (RIA Novosti) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will depart Tuesday on a short Latin American tour, which includes visits to Brazil and Cuba.
During his visit to Brazil on February 20-21, Medvedev will hold talks with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and co-chair with Vice-President Michel Temer the fifth meeting of the Russian-Brazilian high-level bilateral committee on cooperation.
A source in the Russian delegation told RIA Novosti on Monday that Russia and Brazil are expected to sign several intergovernmental agreements and up to five contracts in such areas as metallurgy, medicine and hi-tech industry.
Russia is also hoping to participate in a tender for the construction of four nuclear power plants in Brazil until 2030 and expand military-technical cooperation with the Latin American country, the source said.
On February 21, Medvedev will arrive in Cuba for a two-day working visit and hold talks with Chairman of the Cuban State Council and the Council of Ministers Raul Castro. He may also meet with Fidel Castro if the medical condition of the leader of Cuban Revolution permits.
The agenda of Medvedev’s visit also includes the signing of seven intergovernmental documents, including an agreement on cooperation in space research and a memorandum on mutual understanding between the Russian state corporation Rosatom and the Cuban national nuclear safety center on cooperation in nuclear medicine.
The Russian-Cuban talks will most likely focus on the growth and diversification of the bilateral trade, which totaled a mere $194.9 million for 11 months of 2012.