RIO DE JANEIRO (XINHUA).— Celso Amorim, the Brazilian foreign minister, has defended a greater rapprochement of the Rio Group with Cuba and increased dialogue with the island.

"Cuba must be attracted to a higher level of dialogue within the region. Some people would like to previously define the terms of that dialogue, but we believe that Cuba would prefer to have an integral part in talks," he noted.

According to the foreign minister "that is the objective that Brazil will continue to pursue, although it will do so at the most appropriate time."

In the framework of the Rio Group Summit, Amorim highlighted the growing importance of that bloc and affirmed that the organization "is not here to resolve issues of technical cooperation between one country and another, or to launch programs on this or that."

He added that the Rio Group "was born, and it is necessary to recall that, with the aim of promoting the consolidation of peace in the region."

He went on to observe that the group’s discussions are very graphic in relation to various issues," underlining the responsibility shared by various countries in relation to the difficult situation in Haiti.

"Here in Brazil, we often have the impression that only ourselves (the Brazilians) are involved in the solution of that problem. That is not the case. Brazil commands the Peacekeeping Force, but Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and other countries in the region are with us."