Rio de Janeiro - Cuban President Raul Castro hailed as "historic" Tuesday the first Latin American-Caribbean Conference, which was taking place Tuesday and Wednesday in the northeastern Brazilian seaside resort of Costa do Sauipe.

Speaking as a guest before leaders of the Mercosur trade bloc - which was holding its own summit along with those of three other organizations in the resort close to Salvador de Bahia - Castro said his country had a "brotherhood without restrictions" in relation to all efforts for integration in the region.

Raul Castro had not made official trips abroad since he "temporarily" took over power in the communist island from his older brother, Fidel, in July 2006 and was officially named president this February.

He travelled to Venezuela over the weekend and arrived in Costa do Sauipe late Monday to take part in the Rio Group summit that is set to seal Cuba's admission to the group of Latin American and Caribbean states.

Castro said that Havana is following with "justified optimism" all regional efforts for integration and economic complementation. However, he noted that they are bound to meet "non-negligible obstacles, including particularly the aspects of the unfair and selfish international economic order."

"Latin America's will for integration bumps into acknowledged inequalities in development levels, insufficient infrastructures, great social injustices and huge income disparities," he said.

Castro noted that this is the first summit "gathering all nations south of the Rio Bravo." (dpa)