The End of the Soviet Union Revisited. Evidence from Ministerial de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba (MINREX)

This article uses a qualitative historical analysis to scrutinise previously underutilised documents housed in the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores Cuba (MINREX) archive Havana examine Cuban-Soviet relations during 1991, final tumultuous year of close Havana-Moscow relations. Specific focus will be given MINREX reaction August 1991 coup Moscow and its aftermath. offer several new findings. Principally that throughout officials firstly attempted affect bilateral relationship by both lobbying Soviet while Cuba, they proposed utilising glasnost for their own purposes. proposal was despite conceptual aversion process. Secondly, endeavoured lobby Russian officials, including trying facilitate meeting with Andrei Kozyrev Foreign Minister. These endeavours were notwithstanding adverse reporting Boris Yeltsin, President, his actions Cuban state media.