• Submitted by: admin
• Havana
• International
• South America
• Politics and Government
• 10 / 22 / 2007

Upon his arrival at Havanas Jose Marti International Airport, Araujo Perdomo told acn that Colombia and Cuba maintain very friendly relations based on mutual support and benefit and that with his visit to the island, he expects to further strengthen bilateral links between both peoples and governments.

The Colombian foreign ministers agenda includes issues such as bilateral cooperation, the follow up of previous agreements, as well as talks on regional and multilateral subjects.

Colombia and Cuba are developing important cooperation projects in the fields of sports and education said Araujo Perdomo, who pointed to the literacy program undertaken with Cuban assistance in the Colombian department of Boyacá.

The visiting Colombian government official and his delegation were welcomed in Havana by deputy foreign minister Alejandro Gonzalez and by the Colombian ambassador to Cuba Julio Londoño.

Araujo Perdomo will lay a wreath at the monument of Cuban National Heroe on Monday and later he is scheduled to meet with Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Raul de la Nuez and with the President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon. He will also hold official talks with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and with Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage.

A total of 530 Colombian students have thus far graduated from high school and university in Cuba. Another 723 Colombian youths are currently studying in Cuban education centers, including 445 medical students. Some 780 Colombian patients have recovered their sight thanks to the free eye-surgery program known as Miracle Operation, launched by the governments of Cuba and Venezuela.

Source: ACN