Vietnam, DPRK Join Voices against US Blockade to Cuba
Vietnam and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday denounced the damage that the US economic, financial and commercial blockade of Cuba, implemented since 1959, has caused on the Cuban people.
That measure is a violation of the principles of international law, Vietnamese Ambassador at the United Nations Dang Dinh Quy said during a debate at the General Assembly on a draft resolution calling for the end to the blockade.
The diplomat recalled the progress of relations between Cuba and the United States under the Barack Obama administration, but regretted the rollback in relations due to the actions taken by President Donald Trump.
In 2017, 191 of 193 UN member State voted in favor of the resolution that condemns condemned the blockade, thus confirming the rejection by almost the entire international community of Washington's actions, he said.
Only constructive dialogue can foster trust as relations between the United States and Vietnam demonstrate, he stated.
for his part, the DPRK representative at the UN, Kim Song, noted the high economic losses reported by Cuba as a result of the US policy.
Trump's new strategy shows that he has no intention of ending such a strategy, Kim said.
The ambassador predicted the approval of the resolution by most of the international community, which shows the global support 'for Cuba's justified struggle,' he added.
Kim reiterated the DPRK's strong support for Cuba and denounced the US blockade.
Morocco Condemns US Blockade of Cuba at UN
More than 30 delegations and permanent countries representatives at #UNGA, including regional organizations from all ovee the world,calling to support #Cuban resolution to put and end to the #UnitedStates #blockade vs #Cuba #Embargo #NoMoreBlockade https://t.co/FfcpWYOSM0
— Johana tablada (@JohanaTablada) 31 de octubre de 2018
Morocco's ambassador at the United Nations, Abdeslam Jasni, on Wednesday condemned the US financial, economic and commercial blockade of Cuba and called for its end.
In his speech to the plenary of the UN General Assembly on behalf of the African group, the diplomat urged Washington to end that punitive measure, which he considered a stumbling block in Cuba's development.
Jasni also regretted the rollback in bilateral relations between the United States and Cuba as a result of the measures imposed on Havana by President Donald Trump.
That is why, the African group reaffirms its support for the resolution on the need to end the blockade, said the Moroccan ambassador.
Last year, 191 of the 193 UN member States voted in favor of the Cuban resolution. Only the United States and Israel were against it and there were no abstentions.
However, in an effort to boycott the initiative, the White House has now submitted eight amendments, which have been rejected by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
The head of Cuban Diplomacy denounced on Tuesday the aggressiveness of these amendments and their manipulation of several issues such as human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals.
For that reason, unlike previous years, the process will take two days: at Wednesday's session there will be a debate at the General Assembly about the resolution presented by Cuba, the Foreign Minister said.
Meanwhile, the voting on the draft resolution to end the blockade will be held on Thursday because instead of facilitating a brief vote as usual, the US Department of State seeks to alter the process and to analyze eight different amendments, Bruno Rodriguez added.
Blockade of Cuba Affects All Sectors, NAM Denounces
The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Wednesday called on the United States to end the nearly 60-year-old blockade of Cuba, a unilateral coercive measure that affects all vital sectors of the economy.
The economic, commercial and financial blockade violates international law and the United Nations Charter, and is a violation of Cuba's right to interact fully with humanity, Venezuelan Ambassador at the UN Samuel Moncada said on behalf of NAM.
The financial sector, he said, has received a significant blow in 2018, considering that dozens of institutions decided to close bank accounts related to Cuban citizens.
In addition, the blockade is the biggest obstacle to greater access to the Internet, to the exchange of ideas and to the development of scientific, sports and cultural relations, he stressed.
This unjust policy goes against Cuba's objectives to achieve sustainable development and the goals established in the 2030 Agenda.
Moncada recalled that NAM has historically maintained a position of principle rejecting unilateral coercive measures used as a tool of political, economic and financial pressure against States, especially against developing countries.
"We reaffirm that the extension of the blockade is unjustifiable and does not correspond to our historic time," he said.
The Venezuelan ambassador informed that his country will vote at the UN in favor of the resolution presented by Cuba on the need to end the US blockade.
Moncada called on the international community to reject the proposed amendments submitted by the United States, which are intended to divert attention from the issue at hand: the illegal blockade that has been imposed on Cuba for almost 60 years.
??#Angola at #UNGA made reference to the right of #Cuba people to development
— CUBAONU (@CUBAONU) 31 de octubre de 2018
Blockade is against international law and #UNCharter#UnblockCuba pic.twitter.com/fx8SvAiFLV
CELAC to Support Resolution against US Blockade of Cuba
El Salvador's ambassador at the UN, Rubén Escalante, assured on Wednesday that the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) will support the resolution against the US financial, economic and commercial blockade of Cuba.
In a brief speech at the Plenary of the United Nations General Assembly, Escalante noted that the organization condemns the hostile US policy and emphasizes its extraterritorial and interfering nature.
We regret that the blockade is a reality for the Cuban people and an obstacle to the economic development of the nation, he added.
Likewise, the diplomat said that CELAC urges the US government to end the implementation of the blockade and to heed the international community's call.
This policy must end. President Donald Trump, if he wished, could use his prerogatives to change it, the diplomat affirmed.
In addition, he demanded the return of the occupied territory in Guantanamo, as an essential step to return to the normalization of relations between the two countries, which started during the Barack Obama administration.
In 2017, 191 out 193 UN member States voted for end to the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by Washington on Cuba.
The only two nations that opposed the resolution were the United States and Israel.
G-77 and China Reaffirm Support for Cuba
The US policy tightens the economic, political and financial blockade of Cuba, Egypt denounced on Wednesday on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, at the United Nations General Assembly.
Speaking on Item 43: Necessity to end the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, Egyptian Ambassador Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta regretted the Donald Trump government's policy.
The group, he said, recalls the positive steps by the previous government headed by President Barack Obama, and stressed that the actions taken by the current US administration are a rollback in the normalization of relations between the two countries.
I reaffirm the Group's commitment to the UN Charter, in particular the principle of non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of States, which must be assumed by all.
Any policy or measure that affects these principles should be immediately suspended, stressed the diplomat, who expressed deep concern about the impact of sanctions and travel bans on the Cuban people, among other measures taken by Washington.
He also noted the negative impact on Cuban trade due to unilateral measures that, he pointed out, have represented losses worth more than four billion dollars for Cuba this year alone.
Aboulatta highlighted Cuba's example in the fight against Ebola in Africa and other expressions of solidarity with other nations despite its limited resources.
He also expressed hope that Cuba will have the opportunity it has long deserved to cooperate further with the international community and that the effects of the blockade limit that cooperation.
The Group of 77 and China expressed unconditional support for the implementation of the recommendations of the UN General Assembly on this issue, and reiterated the call for an end to the measures unjustly imposed by the United States on Cuba.
#UnblockCuba: #Cuba will maintain its just claim in all possible international forums, including #UNGA as long as this unjust policy persists pic.twitter.com/NmyLkRBZjX
— CUBAONU (@CUBAONU) 31 de octubre de 2018
China: US Blockade Hinders Cuban People's Development
The blockade imposed by the United States prevents the Cuban people from achieving full development, said Ma Zhaoxu, China's representative, when speaking at the United Nations General Assembly.
Speaking at the debate on Topic 43: "Necessity to end the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba," Ma advocated the end to that unilateral coercive measure that affects all vital sectors of the country's economy.
China, he assured, will once again vote in favor of the document presented by Cuban authorities that calls for the elimination of this hostile policy.
"We have been approving this resolution for 26 years, calling for the end to the embargo, we demand that international law be respected and that the principles of the UN Charter be respected," said the Chinese diplomat.
In his speech, the Chinese representative called for respect for the peoples' legitimate right to self-determination, and reaffirmed Beijing's opposition to unilateral sanctions imposed by other countries.
Washington's 56-year-old policy against Havana frustrates the Cubans' right to development and has a disastrous impact on Cuba's relations with other nations.
In order to advance the process of normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, "it is essential that the US government eliminates, as soon as possible, the embargo on the island," Ma stressed.
Dialogue, peace, understanding are necessary for relations among peoples, he said.
Blockade to Cuba Is Illegal, Unjust and Immoral, Bolivia Says at UN
Bolivia's ambassador to the UN, Sacha Llorenti,called on Wednesday the U.S. blockade against Cuba illegal, unjust and immoral and regretted this country's refusal to end it.
Over 26 years, the international community has almost unanimously reaffirmed the need to end the blockade, however, one of the most powerful countries of the UN, a permanent member of the Security Council, refuses to fulfill the obligations inherent in its participation in our organization, said Sacha Llorenti.
The diplomat denounced that the economic, commercial and financial blockade maintained against the Caribbean nation for almost six decades is illegal because it violates the UN Charter and international law and is unjust because it affects its development, financial and banking operations, foreign trade and industry.
This unilateral policy is also immoral because it impacts on health, food and education, he added.
The Bolivian ambassador to the UN considered cynical the intention of the United States to distort the meaning of the resolution presented against the blockade, alluding to the fulfillment of the objectives of sustainable development and respect for human rights, aspects in which Cuba is an example for all humanity.
Bolivia's representative at the UN called on the international community for action to denounce injustice once again and demand an end to the blockade.
"It is time for this assembly and organization to enforce the decisions that their membership has determined," he declared. (PL/P26)
??#Nicaragua recalls that #Cuba has resisted this policy for almost 60 years and at the same time has helped the world to improve the life of their people.
— CUBAONU (@CUBAONU) 31 de octubre de 2018
Embargo has failed to Cuban people give up from the path they have chosen.#Cuba has to be respected. #UnblockCuba pic.twitter.com/lKRgRHvCxC
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