Senator Arlen Specter said on Wednesday that he would like to meet with Cuban leader Raúl Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez during a Latin American tour next August.

"I am a firm believer in dialogue." The Republican lawmaker told reporters that, based on his experience, meetings with foreign leaders produce changes.

The senior official added that he wrote a letter to Raúl Castro asking him for an interview, but so far he had received no reply.

Specter claimed to have met with Chávez on August 2005 in Venezuela. As part of his visit, a meeting was agreed with a Venezuelan government official and the US ambassador, whereby a joint protocol could be set concerning cooperation in anti-drug efforts.