Leaders from Ibero-American countries adopted a final statement demanding an end to the US economic blockade on Cuba, as they wrapped up a two-day summit on Saturday.

"We call on the United States of America to comply with that laid down in 13 successive resolutions approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations, and to bring an end to the economic, trade and financial blockade it maintains against Cuba,"said one of a set of final documents.

On Thursday, the foreign ministers of the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries made a call on Washington to end theblockade.

Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque welcomed the decisionsaying it represented an "unequivocal signal of support for the Cuban people."

The US embargo against Cuba, which aims to squeeze the island'seconomy and push out Cuban President Fidel Castro, has lasted for more than 40 years. Cuba says the embargo has cost it 82 billion US dollars.

The move drew immediate concerns from the US side and its embassy officials in Spain said it could be interpreted as supportfor the Castro rule.

The officials also protested against the use of the word "blockade" rather than "embargo" in describing the US actions on Cuba. Spanish officials countered that the word "blockage" had been used in UN resolutions as well.

A total of 17 leaders of the Ibero-American countries were present at the summit, held annually among Spain, Portugal, Andorra and 19 Latin American countries.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also attended the summit. In a special address, Annan called for greater progress in trade talks,particularly in agriculture and aid to developing nations.

The presidents of El Salvador and Guatemala missed the summit to cope with domestic disaster relief in the wake of the HurricaneStan which killed over 1,400 in Central American and Mexico. The presidents of Nicaragua and Ecuador also stayed away.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has pledged65 million US dollars in aid to El Salvador and Guatemala to help with relief efforts.

Summit Secretary General Enrique Iglesias said his office wouldwork over the coming year to set up a fund to which each member country could contribute money to render help in future catastrophes.

The leaders discussed plans to forgive debt in return for investment in education, as well as efforts to strengthen coordination on immigration policies.

They also approved a Cuban-backed resolution on terrorism. The leaders said they supported steps "to achieve the extradition or bring to justice the person responsible for the terrorist attack on a Cubana de Aviacion plane in October 1976 which killed 73 civilians."

Luis Posada Carriles, a former CIA operative, denied involvement in the attack and a US judge has ruled that Posada maynot be deported to Cuba or Venezuela, on grounds that he may face torture.

Source: Xinhua