Kremlin. At the Russia -Guatemala summit meeting, Mr Medvedev noted the diverse and intensive nature of Russia's cooperation with the countries of this region, which has become an important part of the modern multi-polar world taking shape today, and reaffirmed Russia's desire to deepen its longstanding political, social and economic ties with the Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The two presidents declared particular interest in building up trade and economic ties. The relevant ministries have been instructed to continue talks in the aim of signing agreements on encouraging and protecting investment, military technical cooperation, and also legal agreements.
The joint declaration notes that both countries are specifically interested in jointly combating drugs trafficking, transnational organised crime and international terrorism through the UN and other international and regional organisations.
The declaration also reflects the two nations' common position on the need to continue efforts to exit the global financial crisis and improve the global financial and economic architecture in a way that takes into account the growing influence of developing countries.
Mr Medvedev and Mr Colom reiterated their countries' views on the unacceptability of deploying weapons in space, and the need to expand the use of space for peaceful purposes.
The two presidents underscored the global historic significance of the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II, which led to the creation of the United Nations Organisation.
PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Mr President, colleagues,
Once again, I want to welcome President Colom to the Kremlin. We have just held talks in narrow format, discussing international affairs, the development of relations between Russia and Guatemala, the situation in the world and in South America, and some of the finer nuances of our interaction. Of course, we also discussed cultural matters and development of humanitarian cooperation.
Over the 65 years since our countries established diplomatic relations we have taken steps towards each other, but to be frank, these have been only rather small steps. Only over this last decade have we really begun to intensify our relations.
We were recalling just before the event in 2007, when Russia, in Guatemala [at the IOC 119th session], won the right to host the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014. Certainly, this event will long remain in our memories, and not just as part of the Olympic movement's history, but as a symbol of the relations between our countries, the friendly ties between our peoples. But our contacts do not end here of course.
We also talked about paying some attention to developing our trade and economic ties which have been growing over these last years, but still fall far short of their real potential.
We need to reflect on big projects that we could launch together, and on diversifying our trade with new fields of cooperation. Tourism is an important sphere for developing our relations, and so are education and other areas of cooperation that we can discuss now at these expanded format talks.
PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA ALVARO COLOM (as translated into Russian): Mr President,
Thank you for organising this historic visit. Development of relations with Russia is entering a new stage now, and this applies not only to Guatemala but to all of Central America. We support [Russia's] stronger ties with Latin America and I am wholeheartedly in favour of this kind of intensification.
Mr Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, the president of Brazil, is actively involved in this process. We share the closest of relations with Brazil and welcome as very positive indeed all progress along this road.
We see our trip here not just as a visit, but as marking the start of important ties with our region, with our Central American brothers. We discussed issues today on which we share similar views.
I thank you for your warm and hospitable welcome. I imagined Russia to myself, thought about it a lot, but what I have seen has surpassed all my expectations. I am filled with emotion at being in this wonderful country and this beautiful city.
Thank you very much, Mr President.
Source: Presidential Press Offices Russia, Guatemala
Pictures: Press Office of The President of Guatemala
