Oscar Arias Sanchez, president of the unarmed state of Costa Rica, called on Wednesday for a global reduction of military spending as a matter of international security.

The Security Council later adopted a non-binding resolution inviting other countries to follow this path.

Oscar Arias Sanchez, president of the unarmed state of Costa Rica, called on Wednesday for a global reduction of military spending as a matter of international security.

China and Costa Rica were to launch free trade talks here Monday in a historic visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao at the start of a Latin America tour including Cuba and Peru.

China has increased diplomacy and investment in the region in recent years, with an eye on natural resources and developing markets for manufactured goods and even arms.

Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived Sunday in Costa Rica in the highest-level visit by a Chinese official to the country, just over a year after it gave up six decades of ties with Taiwan.

China has increased diplomacy and investment in Latin America in recent years, with an eye on its natural resources and developing markets for manufactured goods and even arms.

Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived Sunday in Costa Rica in the highest-level visit by a Chinese official to the country, just over a year after it gave up six decades of ties with Taiwan.

China has increased diplomacy and investment in Latin America in recent years, with an eye on its natural resources and developing markets for manufactured goods and even arms.

Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives Sunday in Costa Rica in the highest-level visit by a Chinese official to the country, just over a year after it gave up six decades of ties with Taiwan.

SAN JOSE, Oct 19, 2007 (AFP) - Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias on Monday will start a landmark visit to China aiming to lure investment and promote exports after San Jose switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in June.

Arias, who was to depart Saturday with a delegation of government and business colleagues, was to meet Wednesday, October 24, with Chinese President Hu Jintao. The two leaders are to sign several cooperation deals.

SAN JOSE, Oct 7, 2007 (AFP) - Costa Rica has backed a free trade agreement with the United States, with voters overcoming deep reservations to hand a narrow referendum victory Sunday to President Oscar Arias on the issue.

'The people of Costa Rica have said yes to the free trade agreement, and that for me is a sacred wish,' Arias said in a televised address to the nation after Costa Ricans voted in their tens of thousands on the measure.

'They have given me a mandate and as a committed democrat I will obey it,' he added.

SAN JOSE, Oct 7, 2007 (AFP) - Costa Rica's president Oscar Arias declared victory Sunday in his drive to join a free trade deal with the United States, announcing on television that voters had backed it in a referendum.

'The people of Costa Rica have said yes to the free trade agreement, and that for me is a sacred wish,' Arias said in a televised address to the nation after Costa Ricans voted in their tens of thousands on the measure.

SAN JOSE, Oct 7, 2007 (AFP) - Costa Rican voters narrowly backed a free trade deal to open local markets to US products and boost Costa Rican exports to the United States, according to partial referendum results on Sunday.

With 73 percent of votes counted, just over 50 percent of voters said yes to the agreement against 47.5 percent who voted no, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal said. Turnout was around 60 percent.