Havana, June 15 (Xinhua) – Cuba today rejected the presence of a United States nuclear submarine in the illegally occupied territory of the Guantanamo Naval Base, in the eastern end of the nation, about 800 kilometers from Havana.
The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Carlos Fernández de Cossío Domínguez assured local media that, although his country was informed of the presence of the US ship in accordance with procedures established some years ago between Havana and Washington, Cuba does not approve the naval presence in its territory without invitation.
“We do not like the presence in our territory and transiting through our waters of an environment of that nature, belonging to a power that maintains an official and practical policy that is hostile against Cuba,” said Cossío.
The vice chancellor also recalled the “illegal and unacceptable” nature of the occupation of a part of Cuban territory in the eastern province of Guantanamo by a foreign power (the United States) “against the will of the Cuban people.”
“It is an illegitimate military occupation and that is what makes the difference,” denounced Cossío.
Likewise, he stressed that visits by naval media to a country are usually the result of an invitation and “this is not the case.”
The fast attack submarine USS Helena, of the United States Navy, arrived in the waters of the perimeter of the Guantánamo Naval Base this June 13, as announced by the United States Southern Command on its account on the social network .
The Southern Command statement came one day after the arrival at the port of Havana of a detachment of Russian warships, which is on an official visit until June 17.
The fleet consists of the frigate Gorshkov, the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, the fleet oil tanker Pashin and the rescue tug Nikolai Chiker.
Previously, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “none of the ships carry nuclear weapons, so their stopover in the country does not represent a threat to the region.”
According to the Foreign Ministry of the Caribbean island, the visit “corresponds with the historical relations of friendship between Cuba and Russia,” in addition to complying with “the international regulations of which Cuba is a State Party.”
The Cuban Government assured that these official visits constitute a historical practice of Cuba with the nations with which it maintains ties of friendship and cooperation.
From this Friday until June 19, the Royal Canadian Navy patrol ship, HMCS Margaret Brooke, and the training ship AB Simón Bolívar, from Venezuela, are scheduled to arrive at the port of Havana.
