HAVANA, Aug. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Cuba and Panama restored diplomatic ties Saturday, putting an end to a year-long dispute following Panama's decision to pardon four Cuban Americans convicted of plotting to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro.

From left: presidents from Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, Omar Torrijos of Panama, and Fidel Castro of Cuba.

    The move came in a ceremony attended by Castro and Panamanian President Martin Torrijos when Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe PerezRoque and Panama's Deputy Foreign Minister Ricardo Duran exchangeddiplomatic letters.

    Five Americans of Cuban origin and a Panamanian attempted to carry out bombing at an Iberian American summit in Panama in November 2000 and kill Castro who was present at the event.

    Havana has requested the extradition of the five Cuban Americans but the request was turned down by the government led byformer Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso.

    A Panamanian court sentenced the six men to prison terms of four to eight years in April 2004 on charges of harming public security and illegally carrying explosives. However, the sentencing caused strong discontent in Cuba.

    Later, on Aug. 25, 2004, Moscoso pardoned four of the Cuban Americans, leading to Havana's decision to cut diplomatic ties with Panama the following day.

    Cuba said the four men had long been engaged in terrorist activities and were responsible for the explosion of a Cuba airliner in 1976, which killed 73 passengers on board.

    Moscoso's successor Torrijos had vowed to reestablish ties after his inauguration.

    Torrijos arrived in Havana Saturday and attended a medical school graduation ceremony together with Castro, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and many other dignitaries from Latin America and the Caribbean. Enditem