Haiti to seek membership in Ibero-American summit

Haiti will seek full membership in the ongoing Ibero-American summit, Haitian Foreign Minister Laurent Lamothe said here Friday. "During this summit, I want Haiti to be officially considered as a permanent member. This will represent a great achievement for our country," Lamothe said at a press conference. Haiti currently holds an observer status to the Ibero-American summit. Lamothe said Haiti's incorporation to the forum will help his country strengthen its relations with the Ibero-American countries. "We have always felt near the Ibero-American countries, sharing their suffering and celebrating their victories, just as they have shared with us," Lamothe said. Lamothe was attending the two-day Ibero-American summit taking place here on Friday and Saturday under the theme "Transformation of the State and Development."