BBC News. Monday, 10 April, 2000, 08:56 GMT 09:56 UK
A senior member of the Cuban Government is encouraging Scottish firms to become involved in developing the country's oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico.
Minister for Basic Industries, Marcus Portal, is spending three days in Scotland, to discuss possible partnerships in Cuba's fledgling industry.
He is in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen to meet representatives of the oil and gas sector, the Scottish financial community and leading polticians.
Mr Portal is being accompanied by Scotland Office Minister, Brian Wilson, who visited Cuba last year and said there were "clear possibilities" for the Cubans to learn from the Scottish offshore experience.
Mr Wilson said: "There are a number of Scottish companies doing good business in Cuba and I very much want to encourage the further growth of trade and investment.
"Commercial relations between Britain and Cuba have improved greatly over the past few years and there is real potential for Scottish exports.
"The Cubans are anxious to promote relations specifically with Scotland, as well as with the UK as a whole, and I have no doubt that this visit can contribute to that process."
UK exports to Cuba amounted to nearly £34m in 1998, compared to £20m the previous year.
The figures, however, are short of the full potential of the Cuban market, because many British goods find their way into Cuba via third countries, mainly Spain and Mexico.
With the downturn in the North Sea oil industry, the government is keen to encourage companies to look for work abroad. |