- Title: COLOMBIA-RUSSIA/LAVROV Russia's FM Lavrov in Colombia visit
- Date: 25th March 2015
- Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (MARCH 24, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
- Embargoed: 9th April 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Colombia
- Country: Colombia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVABX7H6OZBLEACMW9YINM0CMRFY
- Story Text: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Colombia on Tuesday (March 24) and held talks with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.
After meeting Santos, Lavrov held a news conference in which he started by offering condolences to victims of the museum attack in Tunisia and the plane crash in the French Alps.
"Firstly, starting my speech I want to offer my condolences to the Colombians who died in Tunisia and also in the accident of the German airline," said Lavrov.
Lavrov, on a Latin American tour, arrived in Colombia from Cuba where he met with President Raul Castro and other top Cuban officials. It was his first to Cuba since it agreed to restore diplomatic ties with the United States.
"Like Colombia we salute the launching of the normalisation of ties between the United States and the Republic of Cuba. We call for the fastest cancelation of the blockade of Cuba, as also for the resolution of other issues between these two countries," said Lavrov.
U.S. President Barack Obama reversed longstanding Cuba policy in December, agreeing with Castro to restore diplomatic relations and seek to end more than five decades of animosity between the old Cold War rivals.
The change has led to bilateral talks in Havana and Washington, with the two sides potentially reaching an agreement on diplomatic relations before Obama and Castro both attend a regional summit in Panama in April.
Lavrov will also visit Nicaragua and Guatemala. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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