Americas

Home page

Americas

United States slammed for maintaining five-decade embargo against Cuba

27 October 2010 00:18 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. "Criminal," "genocidal policy," "violation of international law," "disregard of noble principles of the Charter of the United Nations" and "callous disregard of the will of the United Nations" were the words used by countries on Tuesday when they slammed the United States again for maintaining the five-decade embargo against Cuba, APA reports quoting Xinhua News Agency.

At least 27 countries speak at an open debate of the UN General Assembly on "the necessity of ending economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba."

Jorge Valero, Venezuela’s permanent representative to the United Nations, told the General Assembly the U.S. embargo against Cuba is "criminal," a "genocidal policy" in nature, and "a repeated and unilateral denial" of the right of Cuba and its people to development.

Valero also criticized the United States for continuing to " ignore the voice of the peoples of the world that demand the end of this genocidal policy."

"The blockade is, in short, a repeatedly and unilateral denial, by a signatory to the United Nations Charter, of the right to development of another member states," he said.

Also speaking at the General Assembly, Baso Sangqu, the South African permanent representative to the United Nations, told the General Assembly that the U.S. embargo against Cuba " constitutes a violation of international law and its imposition shows disregard for the noble and abiding principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations."

"For almost 50 years, the people of Cuba have suffered as a result of the economic, commercial and financial blockade by the United States of America which is a major hindrance to the development of Cuba," he said.

Joseph Goddard, the permanent representative of Barbados to the UN, said, "Barbados views the continued imposition of the economic, commercial and financial embargo against the Republic of Cuba as a violation of the principles of the UN Charter."

"Barbados opposes the imposition of unilateral punitive measures, especially where they involve the extraterritorial application of legislation that violate international law and restricts freedom of trade and navigation and the sovereignty and freedom of States," he said.

Also on Tuesday, the 192-member General Assembly adopted a resolution by an overwhelming majority of votes on Tuesday to call on the United States to immediately end its embargo against the Caribbean country, which Washington imposed the trade embargo on Cuba in early 1960s when both countries severed diplomatic ties.

The draft resolution was adopted by the 192-member General Assembly with 187 votes in favor and 2 votes against, with 3 abstentions. It was the 19th consecutive year that the General Assembly has adopted the resolution by an overwhelming majority of votes to condemn the Cuba embargo.

The United States and Israel voted against the draft resolution.

For his part, D. Raja, member of the Indian Parliament, said, "Despite these repeated calls of the General Assembly, its resolutions remain unimplemented in contravention of world opinion. Such callous disregard of the will of the United Nations undermine the credibility of this august house and weakens multilateralism."

"More importantly, meanwhile, the Cuban people continue to face the hardships induced by the embargo in their daily lives," he said.

"The embargo, particularly through its extraterritorial effects, is adversely affecting the lives of the Cuban people and their efforts for the socio-economic development in their country, " the Indian official said.

Wang Min, the deputy Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, called upon the United States to put an early end to its economic, commercial and financial embargo against the Caribbean island country.

"The international community is faced with multiple serious challenges of the financial, food and energy crises as well as climate change, which make the embargo and sanctions against Cuba all the more unreasonable," Wang said. "The Chinese government urges the country concerned to terminate as soon as possible economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba."

Echoing the Chinese statement, Leslie Kojo Christian, the Ghanaian permanent representative to the United Nations, said, " The over half a century embargo has taken its toll on the well- being of the ordinary people of Cuba, women and children, who are continuing on the support of the rest of the world for an end to the embargo which has had a debilitating effect on the lives of the Cuban people."

"Ghana has chosen to offer that support today, in the spirit of fellow-feeling for our brothers and sisters in Cuba and urge the USA to end its embargo," he said.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla, who took the floor at the General Assembly, said, "Especially under the present circumstances, the U.S. policy against Cuba is devoid of any ethical or legal grounds and lacks credibility and support. "

"So it has been evidenced by the more of 180 votes at this United Nations General Assembly which during the last few years have been calling for an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade," the Cuban foreign minister said.

"Besides, the U.S. government has ignored the many declarations and proposals submitted by the Cuban government, both in public and in private, which ratify our willingness to establish a serious and constructive dialogue under conditions of equality and with full respect for our independence," he added.