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NewsWhore
03-04-2009, 02:40 PM
During his official visit to Cuba that began on Monday, President Leonel Fernandez met with former Cuban President Fidel Castro. Fernandez said they discussed the world financial crisis, problems in the DR and Latin America, Dominican history and politics and the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
As reported in the Miami Herald, the Dominican President said that they also talked about the possibility of developing exchange programs with the Cuban Art and Film Industry and Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Institutes. Fernandez said he told Castro about his government's interest in signing agreements with Cuba in the agricultural and educational sectors, and expressed a particular interest in the highly successful Cuban literacy program "Yo Si Puedo".
Fernandez commented that the 50-year US trade embargo with Cuba is a failed policy, which is likely to be reconsidered by US President Barack Obama.
During his visit, Fernandez is expected to attend the signing of several bilateral agreements in agriculture, culture, science and technology and education. One of these would allow Dominican teachers to be trained in pedagogical practices that have already been implemented in Cuba. Fernandez says his goal is to move the Dominican education system away from the rote learning system.
Fernandez commented that continued cooperation between the DR and Cuba could help the development of the DR educational system. Today Fernandez will address the summit on the topic of globalization and the problems with development.
This is Fernandez's third official visit to Cuba as head of state. He was the only visiting head of state to attend the 11th International Economists Meeting on Globalization and Development Problems, in session in Havana. Fernandez also told the press that regional integration would contribute to mitigating the world economic crisis and its impact all around the planet.

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