Rutte and Eman meet with Raúl Castro

April 14, 2015 10:14 AM
THE HAGUE - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte held talks with Cuba President Raúl Castro and several Latin American leaders of government in Panama City over the weekend.
 
The meeting between Castro and Rutte, who was accompanied by Aruba's Prime Minister Mike Eman and Curaçao's Minister of Finance José Jardim, on Saturday evening lasted an hour and mostly focused on the historical reconciliation between Cuba and the United States of America and its consequences for the Caribbean.
 
"Hopefully the reconciliation will result in a more open Cuba, as well as economic growth and democratic development. That is important for the region, including the Caribbean part of our Kingdom," Rutte stated in a press release issued by the Dutch Government on Monday.
 
The strengthening of the ties between the Kingdom and Cuba was also discussed. The Kingdom already has diplomatic ties with the communist country. About the meeting between Castro and US President Barack Obama, Rutte said: "It is an important step to normalise the relations between the US and Cuba."
 
Rutte told the media at the Summit of the Americas that this first step was important for the region and the economic opportunities that could materialise from the improved relations between the US and Cuba.
 
At the summit Rutte also met President Obama and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, as well as government leaders from, among other leaders, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico. Discussed were political developments and economic relations between the Latin American countries and the Kingdom.
 
Rutte said that the Netherlands and by extension the Kingdom, maintained close ties with countries from this region. "Also because we are direct neighbours with the Caribbean part of our Kingdom," he stated. PM Eman joined Rutte during the meetings with the Latin American leaders.
 
Sint Maarten's Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Claret Connor joined Rutte, Aruban PM Eman and Panama City Mayor José Isabel Blandon in placing the first stones to a second artificial island project in Panama on Sunday.
 
The ceremony took place after a guided tour of the first artificial island, constructed by Dutch company Royal Boskalis Westminster, off the coast of the Punta Pacifica residential area of Panama City.
 
Boskalis announced just a month ago that it had been awarded the contract by Compañía Insular Americana, S.A. to construct the second island. The first artificial island project was handed over to the client in early 2013.
 
"With a contract value of more than 55 million euros, the project is scheduled to commence in the course of the second half of 2015 and is expected to last for two years," the company announced.
 
"Nine hectares of land will be created by using approximately 600,000 cubic metres of rock to form a perimeter and filling it with 1.3 million cubic metres of sand. A bridge will be built to connect the second island to the first island.
 
"Boskalis will use tugboats and barges to transport the rock and a clamshell and excavators to install the rock perimeter. Thereafter, the island will be filled with sand supplied by a large trailing suction hopper dredger."
 
Rutte also kicked off the Kingdom trade mission of the maritime and logistic sector led by Mike Eman. Eman remained in Panama to head the trade mission while Rutte flew back to the Netherlands on Sunday. Companies from Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Netherlands are taking part in the trade mission.
 
Rutte visited the Panama Canal before heading home. Dutch companies are involved in the design of 16 large sluice doors for the new canal. "The agreement that I signed earlier this weekend with the Panama Government should strengthen the relations between our countries." He added that Dutch experts, for example, can assist Panama in the area of water management.
 
The Daily Herald

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