Historic Summit of Americas starts with Obama, Castro

US President Barack Obama and Cuba's Raul Castro stood with other regional leaders at the start of a historic Summit of the Americas on Friday, AFP reports.

Obama and Castro, separated by the presidents of Ecuador and El Salvador, stood in the second of three rows at a Panama City convention center as the country's national anthem was sung.

The sight of Obama and Castro in the same room instantly became a potent symbol of their bid to renew diplomatic ties that were severed in 1961. It was the first time that a Cuban leader attended the summit in its 21-year history.

They 30-odd heads of state were then heading to a seaside dinner. Obama and Castro are expected to hold talks on the second day of the summit, on Saturday.