MOSCOW, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Russia will sign deals on
loan and food aid with Cuba during the Caribbean state leader Raul Castro's
ongoing visit in Moscow, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Friday.
"The visit will see a series of documents, including
an inter-government agreement on a state loan and food aid to Cuba," a Kremlin
official was quoted as saying.
The official said that 25,000 metric tons of grain
would be delivered to Cuba.
Earlier, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said
Russia would provide 20 million U.S. dollars to Cuba, which would be used to buy
Russian-made goods. The two leaders enjoyed a nostalgia-tinted meeting at the
presidential residence of Zavidovo outside Moscow on Thursday.
Castro, the first Cuban leader to visit Russia since
the disintegration of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, will have formal talks with
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday, during which they are expected to
discuss further economic, political and humanitarian cooperation.
Castro arrived here Wednesday for a weeklong visit to
Russia aimed at boosting bilateral ties.
Russia's relations with its Cold War ally Cuba cooled
down after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, Russia has recently moved
to revive ties with Cuba, as well as other Latin American states.
Last November, Medvedev paid a visit to Cuba, where
he met with Raul Castro and his brother Fidel Castro and pledged to promote
political and economic ties.