SAO PAULO, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira on Monday expressed his country's rejection of U.S. threats against Cuba, and called for resolving differences through diplomacy and respect for international law.

Regarding possible U.S. military intervention in Cuba, Vieira said he hopes it would not come to that, and the better option is "negotiation and dialogue."

He noted that the country rejects any type of foreign threat against the Caribbean island, preferring that differences be resolved through diplomacy.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged respect for Cuban sovereignty during his recent visit to Washington, the minister said. "The president referred to Cuba, saying that it is a society that deserves to be respected ... We want balance in the region and for all differences to be resolved through negotiation and diplomacy," said Vieira.

Latin America must be preserved as a zone of dialogue and cooperation to avoid any escalation in geopolitical tensions, he stressed. ■