CELAC TO BOOST COOPERATION WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND BLOCS

United Nations, September 25 (PL)- In the framework of the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) plans to strengthen its cooperation with China, Japan, South Korea, Turkey and Arab countries.

According to the bloc´s agenda, its Expanded Troika started by contacting several delegations, coinciding with the beginning of the Assembly's general debate.

The Troika, headed by Cuba in its role of president pro tempore, includes Chile (outgoing president), Costa Rica (assuming the presidency in 2014) and Trinidad and Tobago (head of CARICOM), meets today with the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The CELAC Expanded Troika will meet today with the Chinese Foreign Ministry; on Thursday, with representatives of Japan; and on Friday, with Turkish and South Korean officials.

Since its founding in December 2011, the goal of the CELAC bloc has been to promote regional integration, including closer relations with other nations and blocs for strengthening multilateralism and exchaning experiences and strategies to address poverty and the economic crisis.

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