Buenos Aires, December 9 (RHC)--The president of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, met with Argentinean businesspeople on Monday.

During the meeting, the Cuban dignitary expressed the desire to strengthen commercial relations between Argentinian and Cuban businesses and referred to the good state of bilateral relations between the two nations.

Diaz-Canel and his wife Lis Cuesta arrived in the South American nation on Sunday to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Alberto and Cristina Fernandez.

His delegation includes Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Minister Rodrigo Malmierca and Cuban Ambassador to Argentina Orestes Perez, among other officials.

The inauguration will take place Tuesday, first in the National Congress, and then in the Casa Rosada, where Alberto Fernandez will welcome visiting delegations and will swear-in his Cabinet.

United by a close relationship of friendship and sustained bilateral ties, Argentina and Cuba are also joined by a universal figure -- the historic guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara.

Relations between the two countries were established on May 12, 1909, and were interrupted in 1962 due to U.S. pressures.   In 1973, President Héctor Cámpora re-established diplomatic relations.

Cuba maintains its unconditional support for Argentina's legitimate claims of sovereignty over the Malvinas, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and the surrounding maritime areas and has several established agreements.

Argentina is Cuba's fourth trading partner in Latin America and the Caribbean and the ninth internationally, as well as the second tourists' source to the island from the region.