GUYANA HOPES TO BOOST TIES WITH SPAIN

Georgetown, April 25 (EFE)- Guyana, which is hosting the Caribbean Community-Spain Joint Commission in May, said it hoped the mechanism would continue to provide a platform for solid collaboration between Madrid and the 15-member grouping.

President Donald Ramotar commented after accepting the credentials of Spain's newly appointed non-resident ambassador to Guyana, Jose Maria Fernandez Lopez.

Noting Spanish investment in CARICOM member-states, Ramotar said Georgetown is considering support for Madrid's candidacy for one of the non-permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council.

Lopez said Guyana would find in Spain a strong ally and a reliable partner that wants to expand the bilateral relationship.

Spain, the No. 2 investor in Latin America and the Caribbean, wants to increase exchange with Guyana in areas such as tourism, technology, industry and renewable energy, Lopez said.

Guyana is looking forward to developing a program of cooperation with Spain that would raise the profile of bilateral relations to the benefit of both parties.

Madrid and Georgetown established diplomatic relations in 1979.

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