Moscow, May 11 --(EFE)-- Russian and Cuba will sign a new economic cooperation agreement during a meeting between their respective trade ministers in Moscow, a Kremlin official said Tuesday.

According to a Russian Trade Ministry spokesman, the signing of the accord on Wednesday will be the highlight of the third meeting of the Russo-Cuban economic and trade cooperation committee.

A Cuban diplomat in Moscow told EFE that Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrizas would arrive on Tuesday to head Havana's delegation for the negotiations.

Cabrizas is scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, the diplomat said.

Russian officials said the talks would decide ib the creation of a bilateral mechanism to finish the construction of the first block of the Juragua nuclear plant in Cuba.

The two panels are also to discuss the possibile participation of Russian companies in finishing a nickel factory in Cuba.

Trade between Russia and Cuba, mostly in Russian oil and Cuban sugar, reached 604 million dollars in 1998. EFE

tom/wdp