Quito, March 14 (RHC) -- Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa met on Thursday with his Honduran counterpart Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is in Quito on a brief official visit to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in various areas.

"Relationships are back to normal and resumed at a fairly high expectation," Correa said in a joint press conference with Hernandez following their meeting in the Carondelet Palace, the seat of the Ecuadorian government in the capital city of Quito.

Both leaders stressed that the ties have been further strengthened with the recent appointment of ambassadors.

Ecuador and Honduras broke relations in June 2009, following a coup that deposed former Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.

However, the two countries ended the diplomatic rift with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on political consultations by the foreign ministers of both nations in May 2013.