Havana, December 24 (RHC-ACN) -- Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Rogozin expressed his country´s willingness to increase collaboration in various fields and economic and commercial ties with Cuba.

"We are ready to expand economic and technical and trade cooperation with Cuba in these times of changes in its economic and social model,” Rogozin said at the close of the 12th Session of the Cuban-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation.

Since Tuesday, officials of the two countries participated in working groups at the headquarters of the central government offices. During the meetings, issues related to cooperation in the fields of industry, health, transport, energy, education, sport, information technology, communications, customs relations, and the banking/financial sector were discussed.

Also, Cuban officials gave the Russians details of the Cuban export portfolio for 2015, a step aimed at enhancing and diversifying exports of the Caribbean nation on the Russian market, both in products and services.

At the close of the commission, a protocol was signed between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and Cuba's Science, Technology and Environment Ministry, based on collaboration in this field.