Diaz-Canel Holds Talks with Irish Counterpart

Ireland’s President Michael Higgins and Cuba’s Miguel Diaz-Canel held official talks in Dublin on Monday on the second day of the Caribbean president’s visit to this country.

Talks began immediately after the welcome ceremony at the Aras an Uachtarain presidential house, a palace located north of Dublin.

Following the protocol of rigor, which included a military parade to the troops formed up to honor the visitor, and greetings to a group of children from a local primary school waving Cuban and Irish flags, Diaz-Canel and Higgins met behind closed doors with their delegations.

The Cuban head of State, first to carry out an official visit to Ireland, then planted an oak in the palace gardens, in an act that he himself described as the ‘perfect symbol of friendship’ that unites both peoples.

Diaz-Canel’s agenda in Dublin includes a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, a tour of the former Kilmainham prison, and meetings with compatriots residing in Ireland and Irish citizens in solidarity with Cuba.

The Cuban president’s visit to Ireland marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Havana and Dublin, and follows a similar one Higgins carries out to Cuba in February 2017.

Diaz-Canel will depart on Tuesday from Dublin to Belarus, as part of a tour that also includes Azerbaijan and Russia.

The official Cuban delegation is also made up of Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, Minister of Foreign Trade Rodrigo Malmierca, and Director of Europe department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alba Soto.