New Delhi: The ruling Communist Party of Cuba today said the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) is needed to be kept "alive and effective" to ensure the rights of third word countries and expressed hope that India will continue to support it.

"We hope India will continue with non-alignment policy as it has played a major role in the struggle for the rights of third word countries," said Fernando Remirez de Estenoz Barciela, head of the Department of International Relations of Communist Party of Cuba.

"Though it is up to Indian foreign policy makers to decide about their relations with any country, but we think Non-Aligned Movement needs be kept alive and effective," he said.

Barciela, who met Union Petroleum Minister Murali Deora, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and MoS for External Affairs Anand Sharma, said there were several areas where the two countries could co-operate.

"There are several areas like energy, agriculture, environment and education where India and Cuba can work together and benefit from each other," Barciela said.

"Apart from it, challenges like poverty and global warming also need to be tackled jointly," he added.

Criticising the US for its "imperialistic" blockades against Cuba, the visiting leader said the island nation's socialist policies has helped it in "getting straight forward growth despite the continuous hostility of the superpower".

Barciela claimed that Cuba has lost almost 80 billion USD due to the financial and trade blockades against it. 
Source : PTI