MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cristina Kirchner praises Obama's speech from Havana

Pte. CFK and her counterparter Raul Castro

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, currently on a three day visit to Cuba, praised on Tuesday the inauguration speech of President Barack Obama saying it confirms “the good expectations” about the incoming administration.

"Definitions such as that security can not be imposed at the expense of ideals in a world where in the name of security national sovereignties have been violated, is significant", said Mrs. Kirchner during a conference at the Havana University where she inaugurated a lecture chair dedicated to Argentina's founding father Jose de San Martin. "It is also very positive to listen that markets can act irresponsibly, and therefore it is necessary to keep track and control them", added the Argentine president. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who is the first Argentine president to visit Cuba in 23 years, signed eleven cooperation accords involving health, energy and trade with her counterpart, Raul Castro. "I'm very impressed with the level of development achieved by Cuba in health and sanitary affairs", said Mrs. Kirchner following the signing ceremony which means both countries will cooperate in the elaboration of strategic pharmaceuticals, retroviral and oncology vaccines, according to the Cuban press. But in spite of the good relations between the two countries there have been irritating issues particularly that of Cuban opposition leader Hilda Molina, who has been denied a visa by the Cuban authorities to visit her son and grandchildren in Argentina. A neurologist, Ms Molina has been requesting a visa, unsuccessfully, for almost fifteen years. Although an opponent of the regime, Cuban authorities have argued that Ms Molina's "brains" belong to the country where she received a free scientific education. Ms Molina was quoted saying that she was hopeful Mrs. Kirchner would bring her case up with President Castro. "She's a lady, and if it's not too complicated I'm sure she can bring up the issue with a man (Raul Castro) who, we know here in Cuba, he dearly loves his children, grand children and even great grand children. I don't thing the General should feel embarrassed because two grand children are trying to have their grandmother visit them", said Ms Molina. Apparently media contacts during the Argentine president visit were limited to the official Cuban press and Mrs. Kirchner is said to have accepted the strict diplomatic protocol conditions for her visit which forbids any contacts outside the agreed agenda. On Wednesday Mrs. Kirchner begins her official visit to Venezuela.