Thursday 18 September
2008, San José, Costa
Rica
Panama's President
Continues Push For Free
Trade Pact Passage
Russian Deputy PM Visits
Nicaragua As Part Of
Latin American Tour
Three Killed In Rio
Police's Operation
Against Drug Dealers
Venezuelan FM, Russian
Vice PM Meet On
Bilateral Cooperation
Insulza Defends OAS
Role, UNASUR Appoints
Envoy For Bolivian
Crisis
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Russian Deputy PM Visits
Nicaragua As Part Of
Latin American Tour
MANAGUA - A Russian
delegation led by a
deputy prime minister
has visited Nicaragua as
part of a Latin American
tour to revive ties with
the region.
Igor Sechin visited
Nicaragua on Wednesday
after trips to Cuba,
where he pledged aid
after two recent
hurricanes, and
Venezuela where talks
were focused on energy,
manufacturing, and
shipbuilding.
Sechin said the visit,
which was also part of
preparations for
Nicaraguan President
Daniel Ortega's visit to
Moscow, "is aimed at
reinvigorating bilateral
ties, including in the
economic sphere." He
also highlighted joint
education projects.
Nicaragua said it looks
forward to cooperation
with Russia in off-shore
oil prospecting and
hydrothermal energy.
Nicaragua is the only
country that has joined
Russia in recognizing
Georgia's breakaway
regions of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia as
independent states.
Ortega, leader of the
ruling Sandinista party
that battled against
U.S.-backed forces in
Nicaragua in the 1980s,
has recently allied
himself with Venezuelan
leader Hugo Chavez,
another fierce critic of
the White House. During
talks with Sechin,
Ortega said that other
Central American
countries could
recognize the Caucasus
republics soon.
Ortega said he had
"talked the issue over
with some of his
colleagues in the
region," but refused to
give any names, citing
diplomatic practice.
The majority of Western
nations condemned
Russia's recognition of
the Georgian breakaway
regions and its military
response to Georgia's
offensive to retake
South Ossetia in early
August. Nicaragua and
other leftist Latin
American states
criticized the United
States' support for
Georgia.
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