AFP - Several countries refused Sunday to sign a final declaration at the Summit of the Americas, apparently sticking to an earlier vow that they would not endorse the document in solidarity with Cuba, which was excluded from the meeting.

Several nations, including Bolivia, Venezuela, Honduras and Nicaragua, agreed ahead of time not to sign the final declaration to show displeasure that Cuba was not invited to the summit.

The gesture also was taken to protest Havana's continued exclusion from hemispheric groups like the Organization of American States, from which Cuba was barred in 1962 at Washington's insistence.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning of host Trinidad and Tobago said Sunday that that the statement issued at the end of the three-day gathering had garnered the support of many countries, but could not be unanimously agreed upon, without alluding to the reason for the lack of support by some nations,

"The declaration itself did not meet the complete approval of all 34 countries," he said.

"The document that emerges is a compromise document that met with the approbation of some, and did not met with the approbation of others," Manning said.

"What we agreed to do today is to adopt the document and in adopting it we recognize that there is not unanimity."