MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. Russia plans to expand its ties with Latin American integration associations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday, opening talks with his visiting counterpart from El Salvador Hugo Martinez Bonilla.
"Our relations have been developing dynamically in the recent years and we are satisfied with that," Lavrov said. "We have marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries. El Salvador’s embassy has been opened in Moscow and we have sent our diplomatic representative to El Salvador."
According to the Russian minister, the Russia-El Salvador visa-free travel agreement was coming into force. "We commend your decision to open an office of a honorary consul in St. Petersburg," he said. "We are thankful to you for sending your deputy to Havana conference on cooperation between the former Soviet Union and Latin American countries during World War II." The Russian minister hailed active contacts between the two countries’ foreign ministries and parliaments.
"A major task is to use the good level of political relations to expand trade and economic cooperation," Lavrov said. "We plan to exchange views on international and regional affairs, on prospects for expanding relations between Russia and Latin American integration associations."
Martinez Bonilla, in turn, said that since his first visit to Russia dialogue between the two countries had grown more dynamic. "But we still have a lot of goals yet to be attained," he said. "We are interested in promoting relations in trade and tourism. The visa-free travel agreement will give an impetus in the sphere of trade, investments and tourism.".