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1st LD: U.S., Cuban presidents shake hands at historic American Summit

Xinhua, April 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban leader Raul Castro shook hands here Friday in a highly symbolic exchange of greetings at a historic Summit of the Americas.

The face-to-face interaction came after the two countries began their rapprochement in December.

This is the first time that a Cuban leader has been invited to attend the regional gathering since the first summit in 1994, as the Caribbean island country was shut out of the past summits due to U.S. opposition.

Cuba's participation in the meeting has offered opportunity for the encounter of Obama and Castro.

The two spoke by phone Wednesday before Obama left Washington, Jorge Leganoa, deputy director of Cuba's state-run National Information Agency, said on Facebook. Endi