ALBA Political Council meets in Cuba to discuss bloc's challenges

HAVANA, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The 16th Political Council of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) met on Thursday in Havana to discuss current political and social challenges, and integration plans for the coming year.

Foreign ministers and officials from the 11-member ALBA, an intergovernmental organization in Latin America, attended the meeting, which seeks to consolidate regional social, political and economic integration based on progressive principles and shared development.

"Latin American integration is today more necessary than ever, and this concept will be one of the main priorities of the ... meeting in Havana," Cuba's state daily Granma said.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said at the meeting that his country reiterates its commitment "to continue to uphold the principles and values that inspired the foundation of our alliance, especially taking into account our sovereignty and independence, which are an important part of our integration mechanism."

On the agenda is a discussion of the political situation in the region, especially the "economic, political and military" campaigns against Venezuela, the Cuban foreign ministry said.

Also on the agenda are the impact of recent Caribbean hurricanes that devastated several member nations, and work on integration mechanisms to minimize the damage caused by natural disasters.

Cuban President Raul Castro and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro are expected to attend the meeting.

ALBA is founded in 2004 and comprised of Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Venezuela. Enditem