Russia has good potential to boost business in Latin America, the country's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said as he was leaving for an official visit to Nicaragua and Guatemala.
Both countries, Nicaragua and Guatemala, where Sergei Lavrov is expected on Monday, February 15th, have already contributed to the history of cooperation between Russia and the Latin American region. Last December, Managua officially recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. And it was in Guatemala where the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi was announced the host city for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Russia has been actively developing political cooperation with both countries in recent months. In 2009 President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, paid an official visit to Russia. Last July Russia and Nicaragua signed an agreement on visa-free travel. In 2007 Russia opened its embassy in Guatemala. Sergei Lavrov holds regular meetings with his counterparts from Nicaragua and Guatemala there on the sidelines of various international forums, including the UN General Assembly sessions. However, this visit of the Russian Foreign Minister to Nicaragua and Guatemala is to become the first ever in history of bilateral relations between the countries.
"It is not so long ago since we`ve been involved in such intense political dialog with Latin America. We are only beginning to strengthen our business positions in other continents", Mr. Lavrov told the VOR.
"I think we have good potential to boost business there because we have good relations with the majority of countries. And we do not change our policies there depending on the ruling government. We see eye to eye with Latin America and the Caribbean countries on most issues, and are mutually interested to boost our economic and humanitarian ties", Mr. Lavrov said.
Mr. Lavrov also called on the Russian businessmen to be more active in the sphere of tourism in Cuba. He added that Russia is also expected to join Latin America in other projects in car making industry, energy and nanotechnology.
Russia can also enjoy favorable conditions for business in Nicaragua, where Mr. Lavrov is beginning his Latin American tour tomorrow. Moscow has been considering deals to supply Russian buses and spares to Nicaragua. Last year Russia has completed the first stage of the project aimed to launch the fourth generation WiMAX mobile wireless network in Nicaragua. Since December of 2009, the Yota-Nicaragua telecommunications network has been operating in Managua under testing regime. Mr. Lavrov and his Nicaraguan counterpart Samuel Santos are expected to sign an interstate agreement on protection of secret information.
Obviously, despite global financial crisis, Russia is determined to find a worthy place in the Latin American market.
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