Cuba seeks to strengthen military defense

Havana, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Cuban leader Raul Castro has convened some government officials for a meeting to discuss how to strengthen the country's defense capability, the official daily Granma reported Saturday.

The meeting centered on the achievements of the national military exercises held at the end of 2009 and of the preparatory military training in that year.

About 4 million Cubans were involved in the Bastion 2009 maneuvers, the largest in five years, which included an extensive movement of troops, tanks and combat aircraft, according to government sources.

Army Corps General Alvaro Lopez Miera told the meeting that the maneuvers improved the army's performance at all strategic and tactical levels.

The meeting, attended by senior leaders of the Communist Party of Cuba, the State and the Government, as well as chiefs and officers of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of Interior, also touched upon issues related to economic development, and the strengthening of social programs and civil defense.

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