Addressing the Heads of State and Government of the Western Hemisphere at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, the President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said the economic crisis threatened to erode major social advances made in the last few years.

The Argentine President, whose country hosted the Fourth Summit of the Americas in November 2005, said in order to maintain social and economic stability there must be a new regional order based on collaboration and cooperation.

President Fernandez de Kirchner also talked about the need to address the economic crisis, noting that in the last few years much of the hemisphere has grown at a healthy rate and made significant social progress.  She stressed the need for funds to be available through multilateral institutions for continued investment in education, job training and infrastructure.

She recognised the steps taken by United States President Barack Obama to lift the absurd restrictions imposed by his predecessor on Cuba and urged him to bring the US embargo against Cuba to an end, noting that the island's officials have indicated their desire to have open dialogue.

The Argentine leader called on her colleagues to exercise courage in moving forward with the policies that come out of the Fifth Summit of the Americas and to use the opportunity as a second chance to make up for lost decades.

Meanwhile in his remarks during the opening ceremony, President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua called on the United States to provide funding without political conditions for Central American countries, arguing that this would help stem the flow of immigrants northward.  Like several other speakers during the evening, he said Cuba belonged at the table at the Summit of the Americas.

Cuba is one of 35 member countries of the Organization of American States (OAS), but it has been suspended from participation since1962.

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