Central American leaders are putting in their request for a group meeting with U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, Guatemalan authorities said.

Guatemala's foreign minister, Haroldo Rodas, said that embassies of Central American countries in Washington, D.C., have begun placing formal requests to meet Obama.

“It has been difficult,” said Rodas, to set a date for the meeting due to Obama's tight schedule, but the bloc will continue trying until they receive a positive response.

Rodas said the region is interested in talking to Obama about issues related to immigration, security, trade and the world financial crisis.