Havana, Sep 22

Delegations from Cuba and the US have agreed to a preliminary Operational Procedure for the Aeronautical and Marine Search and Rescue between the two countries, Xinhua reported.

The document, however, will be subjected to the final approval by the two governments, said an official release Saturday.

The document was the result of a technical meeting held in Havana, the Cuban capital, Thursday and Friday, with attendance of experts and officials from the two countries and developed in a climate of respect and cooperation, said local official media reports.

The meeting stressed the importance of strengthening the coordination for the aeronautical and marine search and rescue operations and the need of saving the life of people in danger. 

It pledging to guarantee the efficiency and effectiveness of the operations carried out by the entities responsible for this activity in both countries and to honour obligations arising from the International Agreement on Aeronautical and Marine and Search Rescue and the International Agreement of Civil Aviation.

The US government broke off unilaterally formal relations with Cuba in 1960 for ideological differences. But both countries have maintained interest section offices in Washington and Havana and shared a discreet cooperation in certain issues such as the fight against drugs and human traffic.

By:IANS