Cuba invites Azerbaijan to apply for membership in Non Aligned Movement

The Foreign Ministers Felipe Perez Roque and Elmar Mammadyarov agreed on exemptions for diplomats, officials and service visas to "contribute to developing friendly bilateral relations and facilitate the movement of citizens between the countries."

Mammadyarov, who is on his first official visit to Cuba – which he said will not be his last – also met with Legislature President Ricardo Alarcon and Foreign Investment and Economic Collaboration Minister Marta Lomas, with whom he also signed a bilateral collaboration agreement to promote "programs and projects that will reap mutual benefits."

Perez Roque and Mammadyarov consider that, since Cuba is president of the Non Aligned Movement and Azerbaijan is co-president of the Organization of Islamic Conference, they will advance enhanced dialogue and cooperation between the two.

There are 118 nations in NAM and 57 in the OIC, the majority Third World countries, for which unity and collaboration will be substantial.

Cuba invited Azerbaijan to apply for membership in the Nonaligned Movement during a meeting Friday between the two nations' foreign ministers.

"We are open to considering your membership in the future," Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque told his counterpart, Elmar Mammadyarov.

Havana and Baku maintain full diplomatic relations with ambassadors, and since 1992 the Euro-Asian country has firmly backed UN resolutions condemning the US blockade on Cuba.

/Prensa Latina/