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All that Granma, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba, could quote in support of their assertion that Vladimir Putin's recent visit to the island had been a success for Fidel Castro's regime was that the Russian president had said that "there is no problem of any kind between the two countries." But even this lame statement, that reflects a vague pledge to reinvent the relationship that fell apart when the Soviet Union collapsed, basing it on a modest agenda of trade and an equally modest smattering of ideological alignment, was contradicted by other more pointed words from Putin.
Speaking at a news conference from which, significantly, the Cuban dictator was absent, Putin made clear at the end of his two-day visit that he did not travel to the former bastion of the Cold War to recreate a "union" with Cuba against the United States, but rather to clean up the economic "mess" left over from the Soviet era.
Putin indicated in several ways that Russia's relations with the United States, though difficult at times, were important to Moscow. He joined Castro in condemning the continuing U.S. economic embargo of Cuba. And they found some common language in complaining about the advent of a world dominated by the United States.
But Putin signaled that the world has changed and that Russia is not looking to return to the era of confrontation with the United States. Just as he arrived in Cuba, the Kremlin acted on his decree and released Edmond Pope, the American businessman convicted of espionage by a Moscow court and sentenced to 20 years in jail. And in a telegram to president-elect George W. Bush, Putin sent good wishes for "success in this important and responsible post," adding, "I am counting on an intensive and constructive dialogue with you and your administration" with a goal of "further deepening of the productive and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and the United States" and a "strengthening of international security and strategic stability."
According to Granma, Cuba's debt inherited by Russia from the Soviet Union "was not even a topic in the official talks. The debt exists, with certain special characteristics, assumed with the Soviet Union, with whom there were pacts, agreements, and all that was abruptly interrupted."
But Putin showed the debt was very much on his mind. "This level of trade is not bad," he said. "But there are still some problems that have accumulated in the last 10 years, and they demand especially close attention. The Soviet Union has invested a lot in Cuba's economy. This is worth billions of dollars, and we have to understand what to do about this."
Russian officials traveling with Putin were quoted as saying that Moscow is most concerned that if it does not re-establish strong trade ties with Cuba, Europe, Canada and eventually the United States will move in and capitalize on abandoned Soviet-era investments and equipment, which still form much of the island's industrial base. Those officials said Putin had presented to Castro several proposals for swapping Cuba's debt for Russian stakes in potentially profitable Cuban enterprises in oil refining, nickel production and other sectors. But Cuban officials are looking for debt forgiveness as part of the bargain, pressing Cuba's standing grievance that aid was withdrawn by Moscow so abruptly that Cuba's economy suffered billions of dollars in damage and has yet to recover.
Putin brought along his defense minister, Marshal Igor D. Sergeyev, for discussions that appeared to be related to the degraded state of the Cuban armed forces since Soviet advisers were withdrawn and spare parts for Soviet equipment left in Cuba dried up. And both, together with Castro, toured the secret intelligence base that Russia inherited at Lourdes, outside Havana, where a huge array of antennas allows Russian military technicians to monitor civilian and military communications in the United States and Latin America. Russia still pays rent for the facility with oil shipments.
According to official Cuban sources, Castro rejected Putin's offer of possible help to finish several incomplete Soviet-era industrial projects in Cuba, including the unfinished nuclear power facility at Juragua, near Cienfuegos. "Our Cuban friends are not showing any interest in continuing the construction of this plant," Granma quoted the Russian president telling reporters after talks with Castro, adding that Putin got a similar answer regarding another unfinished project, the incomplete nickel operation at Camarioca, in northeastern Holguin province. "After careful studies we concluded that it is more rational to increase the capacity of the plants we have," said Granma, quoting Cuban official sources.
However, in talking to reporters Russian officials said Castro, facing chronic power shortages and an international credit crunch, had hoped Putin would commit more than $1 billion to restart construction of the nuclear power plant, as well as an oil refinery in southern Cienfuegos, but that the Russian president suggested decisions on those issues would have to wait until the two countries can resolve Cuba's debt to Russia.
Putin and Castro signed minor accords to cooperate in medical research, reopen a $50 million line of credit for Cuba and lay the groundwork for future trade, but no announcement was made on how Cuba might repay its estimated $20 billion in debt accumulated over three decades during which Moscow subsidized Cuban agriculture, industry and a significant military buildup.
Claudio Campuzano (claudio-campuzano@hotmail.com) is U.S, correspondent for the Latin American newsweekly Tiempos del Mundo and editorial page editor of the New York daily Noticias del Mundo. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com