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| Medvedev in Cuba to improve ties | Medvedev in Cuba to improve ties |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is in Cuba for the final stop in a tour of Latin America intended to strengthen Russian influence in the region. | Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is in Cuba for the final stop in a tour of Latin America intended to strengthen Russian influence in the region. |
| Mr Medvedev and Cuban President Raul Castro are expected to sign deals on nickel mining and and oil exploration. | Mr Medvedev and Cuban President Raul Castro are expected to sign deals on nickel mining and and oil exploration. |
| The Russian leader arrived in Havana from Venezuela, where he and President Hugo Chavez signed a deal on promoting nuclear energy for civilian use. | The Russian leader arrived in Havana from Venezuela, where he and President Hugo Chavez signed a deal on promoting nuclear energy for civilian use. |
| Military co-operation also featured in Mr Medvedev's talks with Mr Chavez. | Military co-operation also featured in Mr Medvedev's talks with Mr Chavez. |
| Russian and Venezuelan warships are scheduled to hold joint military exercises later this week. | Russian and Venezuelan warships are scheduled to hold joint military exercises later this week. |
| Russia is already a major arms supplier to Venezuela, with contracts worth some $4.4bn (£2.39bn). | Russia is already a major arms supplier to Venezuela, with contracts worth some $4.4bn (£2.39bn). |
| New alignments | New alignments |
| The Cuban leg of the tour is likely to concentrate more on trade and investment rather than military co-operation, says the BBC's Michael Voss in Havana. | The Cuban leg of the tour is likely to concentrate more on trade and investment rather than military co-operation, says the BBC's Michael Voss in Havana. |
| Russia companies are interested in drilling for oil in Cuban waters and oil and investing in a nickel processing plant. | Russia companies are interested in drilling for oil in Cuban waters and oil and investing in a nickel processing plant. |
| Cuba is unlikely to want to antagonise the US, says our correspondent, with President-elect Barack Obama taking office in January. | Cuba is unlikely to want to antagonise the US, says our correspondent, with President-elect Barack Obama taking office in January. |
| Mr Medvedev's visit was part of a Latin American tour aimed at boosting both Russia's presence and trade ties in a region traditionally of strategic importance to the US. | Mr Medvedev's visit was part of a Latin American tour aimed at boosting both Russia's presence and trade ties in a region traditionally of strategic importance to the US. |
| Boosting bilateral trade between Russia and Latin America, which could reach $15bn (£9.9bn) this year, is another priority for the Russian president during his talks. | Boosting bilateral trade between Russia and Latin America, which could reach $15bn (£9.9bn) this year, is another priority for the Russian president during his talks. |
| The Russian leader travelled to Venezuela from Brazil, where he and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held talks on boosting trade and technical co-operation. | The Russian leader travelled to Venezuela from Brazil, where he and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held talks on boosting trade and technical co-operation. |
| In Rio de Janeiro, the two presidents expressed their view that the "Bric" countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - should hold their first summit in Russia in 2009. | In Rio de Janeiro, the two presidents expressed their view that the "Bric" countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - should hold their first summit in Russia in 2009. |
| Mr Medvedev's visit takes place just a few days after the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, toured several Latin American nations with a view to strengthening ties. | Mr Medvedev's visit takes place just a few days after the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, toured several Latin American nations with a view to strengthening ties. |