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HAVANA, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Cuban President Raul Castro on Thursday met with visiting Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, with the two sides agreeing to boost cooperation and ties.
Castro hosted Sellal at the presidential palace where they talked about strengthening bilateral relations and exchanged views on issues of common interest, according to an official release.
The two leaders later attended the signing of an agreement for cooperation in the field of health, which was endorsed by ministers of the two countries.
Both sides are scheduled to ink other accords in biotechnology and higher education, the official release added.
Sellal arrived Wednesday in Havana with the aim of stimulating the historical bilateral relations.
At the Havana airport he said "I bring a message of friendship from my President Abdelaziz Bouteflika for (President) Raul Castro and the Commander Fidel Castro," adding that "being in Cuba is like being at home."
On the same day, Sellal held talks with Cuban parliament leader Esteban Lazo.
Cuba was the first Latin American nation to establish diplomatic relations with Algeria in 1962 after the latter gained independence from France.
