Havana, Dec 16 (Prensa Latina) The Council of State of the Republic of Cuba has appointed Beatriz Garcia Rivera as its new ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Jamaica, according to an official note relased Thursday here.

Before her appointment, Garcia Rivera was senior specialist of the Latin American and Caribbean Department at the Cuban Foreign Affairs Ministry, stated the local press.

Havana and Kingston established diplomatic relations on November 12, 1903, at a consular level, which was upgraded to embassy level on December 8, 1972, with an aim to expand exchanges in several areas.

On October 29, 1981, the Jamaican Labor Party (JLP), led by Edward Seaga, severed diplomatic links with Cuba, until July 27, 1990, when the People"s National Party (PNP) resumed bilateral relations, following a new mandate by former Prime Minister Michael Manley.

Both countries are developing exchanges in economic and trade field, and cooperate in health, education, culture, science and tourism.

This year, Jamaica presented at the UN General Assembly the CARICOM countries´ position, favoring a resolution tha seeks to end the over four-decade US blockade against Cuba.