U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday continued to use soft diplomacy to win back Latin American countries who have long been suspicious about their powerful neighbor.

The U.S. president, who was attending the 5th Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, sat down with 33 other leaders from across the continent to discuss issues of mutual concern ranging from economic crisis to energy security.

"I have a lot to learn, and I am very much looking forward to listening and figuring out how we can work together more effectively," he told reporters at the start of the meetings.

On the sidelines of the summit, Obama made another friendly encounter with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a harsh critic of U.S. policies.

The two presidents exchanged handshakes and pats on the back, with Chavez presenting a book to Obama in front of photographers.

The book, entitled The Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent and written by left-wing Uruguayan Eduardo Galeano, gives an account of the exploitation of Latin American resources by big powers including the United States.

"I thought it was one of Chavez's books," Obama told reporters later. "I was going to give him one of mine."

This was the second time the two leaders met in friendly terms since the opening of the summit on Friday night.

Shortly before the opening ceremony, Obama and Chavez shook hands and exchanged greetings with smile when Obama greeted Chavez in Spanish. "I want to be your friend," said Chavez to Obama.

On Saturday, Obama again expressed his willingness to speak with the Cuban government on issues including human rights and political prisoners.

Though not on the official agenda of the summit, which is supposed to focus on energy, security and economic crisis, the Cuba issue has become one of the dominant issue as Latin American leaders stepped up calls on the United States to lift its 47-year-old trade embargo against Cuba.

Along with some other countries, Venezuela has vowed to withhold support for the outcome document of the summit, the Declaration of the Port of Spain, which is due to be signed by the leaders on Sunday at the end of the summit.

In response, Obama said Friday that he intends to seek a "new beginning" in relationship with Cuba, the only country in the continent excluded from the summit.

"I am prepared to have my administration engage with the Cuban government on a wide range of issues -- from drugs to migration and economic issues to human rights, free speech and democratic reform," Obama said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2009)