RUSSIAN FM HIGHLIGHTS CELAC'S ROLE

Moscow, January 22 (PL)- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted the importance of relations with Latin America and highlighted the role of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as a factor of unity in the continent.

In statements to Prensa Latina, Lavrov pointed out that CELAC is the first international organization in the region that groups all Latin American countries.

Our relations with Latin America and the Caribbean are important and we have done a lot in practical terms and very useful over the past few years, said the head of Russian diplomacy in the annual news conference with national and foreign correspondents.

Lavrov perceived great prospects for Latin American integration within CELAC, which allows harmonizing the process of complementarity of all states of the region. "A process necessary for all Latin American countries," he pointed out.

We are interested in working in that format, bilaterally, but also multilaterally with other regional structures, and I think that other stakeholders might be interested, Lavrov added.

He recalled Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez's visit to Moscow in May 2013, when both parties held very useful meetings, he stressed.

Asked about the creation of a permanent mechanism for consultations with CELAC, Lavrov recalled that at the meeting of the troika, held in Moscow, that initiative was analyzed.

I expect that the upcoming CELAC Summit in Havana will adopt a decision in that regard and we will start working within that mechanism, the minister commented.

He also referred to Russia's relations with other regional organizations such as UNASUR and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), and ratified Moscow's willingness to prepare a memorandum on interaction with the Central American Integration System (SICA).

We have very good prospects of cooperation with MERCOSUR, similar to the mechanisms we have established with Belarus and Kazakhstan, the Russian foreign minister noted.

With Paraguay, he added, we signed an agreement on the visa exemption and there are accords of that nature with 11 countries in the region. I am convinced that in a near future, all the territory of CELAC will allow free transit for all Russian citizens, Lavrov said.

In previous statements to Prensa Latina, Lavrov had described political contacts with Latin America in 2013, even at the highest level, as very productive.

He highlighted the prospects of cooperation and dialogue with the members of CELAC in particular, a forum that groups 33 countries and a total population of more than 500 million.

Lavrov described Latin America not only as an attractive region for other foreign partners, but also as a territory that is constantly growing and has strong aspirations of independence, not very common today in international affairs, he noted.

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