United States President Barack Obama and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet confirmed today in Washington the "strong friendship" that unites their countries and they manifested their intentions of "deepening" their relationship through clean energy projects and cooperation in Latin America.

According to Obama, after his first official meeting with Bachelet in the White House, both governments initiated a "project of cooperation" in Chile in order to take advantage of the "fantastic conditions" for solar and other clean energies.

"There is a huge interest from the US and Chile concerning the development of solar and wind energy, biofuels, and a whole series of clean energy strategies that would help people in both countries prosper and become less dependent on energy imports," said the US President after the bilateral meeting, in which he manifested his hope of visiting the South American country "soon."

"We are very excited about clean energies," Bachelet agreed, and said that both governments share the idea that the current global economic crisis should receive a response "that also considers climate change."

Obama highlighted as well the "tremendous possibilities of bilateral cooperation" in the fields of science and technology and said that he had in mind a cancer research centre, while Bachelet revealed her intention to investigate the new H1N1 virus.

Aside from specific bilateral projects, Obama and Bachelet announced their intention of cooperating "closely" in the next few months in order to achieve a better relationship between the US and Latin America.

"I expect good advice from President Bachelet on how the United States can continue building a strong relationship with all of Latin America," Obama said, who classified Chile as one of its most important partners in the process.

"Chile is prepared to be a very good partner of the United States in this cooperation with the region," responded Bachelet, according to whom the "leadership" exercised by Obama is "inspiring" and makes her government feel "trusting" in the possibilities for the future.