EU, Rio group ministers meet
Czech: The 14th Ministerial Conference of the European Union (EU)
and the Rio Group (GRIO) opened Wednesday in this capital with speeches
on cooperation and welcome for Cuba.
Czech Republic Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, Mexico's Patricia
Espinosa, and Benita Ferrero-Waldner, External Affairs Commissioner of
the community bloc, assessed the presence of Cuba and other new Rio
Group members in the event.
Espinosa talked on behalf of GRIO pro-tempore presidency, and Kohout
on the Czech six-month leadership of the EU. Both officials praised the
presence of the Cuban delegation, led by Foreign Minister Bruno
Rodriguez Parrilla.
Cuba is part of the Latin American and Caribbean group, comprised now
of 23 countries, since November 2008.
The world economic crisis and renewable energy sources, the two main
points of the Prague agenda, were analyzed by Ferrero-Waldner, although
with a call to collaboration commitment as a common response.
The forum expects to adopt today a Final Declaration, in which it
will add a special section reinforcing the international alert on the A
H1N1 flu, as well as recognition to Mexico for fighting it.
Thursday's agenda includes deliberations of the EU Troika with Chile,
and Mexico, Central America and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).
Prague, Prensa Latina
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