SANTIAGO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chile's president Michelle Bachelet held a comprehensive discussion with visiting Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon for 30 minutes on Wednesday.

    They discussed Chile and Norway's geographical similarity, which they hoped could be exploited in an effort to boost ongoing economic cooperation.

    Bachelet praised Haakon's commitment to human rights, demonstrated by Thursday plans to visit Villa Grimaldi, a clandestine concentration camp during the 1973-1990 dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. Bachelet was briefly held prisoner there.

    Haakon's official visit began with a ceremony in Ciudadania Place, immediately outside Chile's seat of government, where he was formally welcomed by presidential spokesman Francisco Vidal. There Haakon left a floral tribute to pay homage to Chilean independence hero Bernardo O'Higgins.

    Haakon's visit includes several academic events designed to bring Norway and Chile closer economically and culturally, one of which is the opening of an exhibition on modern Norwegian architecture.

    Haakon will be in Chile until Friday at the invitation of Bachelet, who made an official visit to Norway in May last year. His wife, the princess Mette-Marit, had been due to accompany him, but cancelled at the last minute for health reasons.