Blockade Made in USA

General Assembly of the United Nations General Debate

66th Session 21-27 September 2011

Remarks of Head of Delegations on the US Blockade against Cuba

LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES

H.E. Mr. Nicolás Maduro Moros, Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of Venezuela: From Venezuela, we believe it is time to demand the United States not only the immediate and unconditional end to the criminal blockade imposed against the Cuban

peoples, but also the release of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters held hostage in the prisons of the American Empire for the sole reason of seeking to prevent the illegal actions that terrorist groups prepare against Cuba, under the shelter of the Government of the United States.

Until 2010, nineteen UN General Assembly voting confirm the universal will of demanding to the United States that it stops the economic and trade blockade against Cuba. Since all arguments of international good sense have been exhausted, we havc no choice but to believe that such cruel actions against the Cuban Revolution result from imperial arrogance in view of the dignity and courage shown by the un-submissive Cuban people in their sovereign decisioq of leading their own fate and fighting for their happiness.

From Venezuela, we believe it is time to demand the United States not only the immediate and unconditional end to the criminal blockade imposed against the Cuban peoples, but also the release of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters held hostage in the prisons of the American Empire for the sole reason of seeking to prevent the illegal actions that terrorsit gropups prepare against Cuba, under the shelter of the Government of the United States.

H.E. Mr. Samuel Santos López, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua: Mr. President: Resolutions of our General Assembly demanding the end to the embargo by the United States of America against Cuba must be fully implemented. Despite expectations, the facts confirm that nothing has changed. Sanctions against Cuba remain intact and are rigorously implemented.

The criminal blockade violates international law; it is contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter; it constitutes a crime against the right to peace, development and security of a sovereign State. In its essence and its objectives, it is an act of unilateral aggression and a permanent threat against the stability of a country. Despite the criminal blockade, Mr. President, Cuba continues to give solidarity, to be more

fraternal, and the most sisterly of all peoples of the world. Their "white coats" army and army of educators is more numerous and solidary by the day. We also join the call for an end to the injustices against the five Cuban heroes unjustly imprisoned for 13 years as of this past 12 September for having alerted their people about the activities of terrorist organizations against Cuba.

H.E. Mr. Francisco Carrión-Mena, Permanent Representative of Ecuador: With regard to our region, the Ecuador once again reiterates its firm condemnation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba and calls for the immediate and unconditional lifting of all unilateral measures imposed in extraterritorial manner by that country against the sister Caribbean nation, which has caused serious economic and social damage and even humanitarian crisis to its population.

H.E. Mr. Álvaro Colom Caballeros, President of Guatemala: The central theme of our general debate is mediation, and I would like to reiterate our full commitment to strengthen preventive diplomacy and the instruments that tile United Nations has in its arsenal to prevent conflicts. In this context, we can even accept sanctions regimes, subject to these emanating from collective decisions adopted by the Security Council. The other side of the coin is that we reject sanctions and coercive measures adopted unilaterally. In this regard, we call on the Government of the United States of America to abandon the economic embargo applied against the Republic of Cuba. We believe that such a step would result in many favourable consequences in both countries.

H.E. Mr. Ollanta Humala Tasso, President of Peru: Our commitment to integration, peace and regional progress is not rhetorical. For the Peruvian Government integration with our neighbours is a priority tool to promote security and the joint development of South America and Latin America. In accordance of the signed, the path of peace and reconciliation passes by the end of the blockade on Cuba.

H.E. Mr. Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena, President of El Salvador: The unit is, in truth, a necessary condition to achieve our common goals, and under this need I want to refer to the blockade to the Republic of Cuba. We believe that this blockade is not only an anachronism and an episode of a passed history that we want to overcome definitively. Essentially, a blockade against Cuba is a step towards the desunion, a sticking point in the course of the history that weaken us as a continent.

H.E. Mr. Danilo Astori, Vice-President of Uruguay: Once more, faithful to our adherence to international law, we must express our outmost rejection to coercive measures that violate the principles of the United Nations Charter, such as the economic,

trade and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, a unilateral measure that not only infringes upon the Charter but also on international law, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes, one of the most important principles of my country`s foreign policy.

H.E. Mr. Winston Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda: Ladies and gentlemen, Mine is not the only country in the Caribbean that has experienced trade-related difficulties with the United States. A far more pernicious economic, commercial and financial blockade which has been imposed by the United States of America against Cuba, and although the overwhelming majority of the membership of the United Nations has repeatedly called for the lifting of this blockade, it continues unabated.

Mr. President, Since its inception, the blockade has inflicted untold economic damage to the Cuban people, caused shortages and needless suffering to the Cuban population, limited and restrained the development of the country and seriously damaged the Cuban economy. Through this all, the Cuban people have managed to preserve their sovereignty, independence and right to self-determination.

As a country committed to the norms of the multilateral trading system, to the freedom of trade and navigation, and one that rejects the extraterritorial application of another country’s national law, we call on the United States to immediately and unconditionally lift its economic blockade against the people of Cuba.

H.E. Mr. Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados: In similar vein, Mr. President, the Government and people of Barbados fully embrace Cuba as an important partner in the Caribbean region and, ever since 1972, committed themselves to a policy of constructive engagement with its government and people. Barbados respects the sovereign rights of Cuba and supports, unequivocally, its full integration into our hemisphere.

Barbados does not believe that actions, such as the decades long economic embargo, aimed at isolating Cuba, or any other measures that create greater hardship for the Cuban people, will facilitate the full integration which we consider to be both desirable and necessary. My delegation thinks, therefore, that the economic embargo against Cuba has long outlived its usefulness and should be lifted.

H.E. Mr. Vince Henderson, Permanent Representative of Dominica: Mr. President, earlier, I spoke of the threats which plague mankind in the era of globalization. I also highlighted the need for multilateralism and the need for cooperation between and amongst states. These challenges can only be overcome lin a global environment where there exists respect for each other's territorial integrity, non-interference in each othe(s domestic affairs, respect for sovereignty and the right to self-determination. It is in this context that we again call on the United States of America, to discontinue its economic blockade against the people of the Republic of Cuba.

H.E. Mr. Donatus Keith St. Aimee, Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia: Mr. President, The anachronistic half century old blockade imposed on the people of our neighbor, Cuba, suffocates the people's right to prosperity and progress, the outdated mechanism’s illogical application no longer fits into 21st century geopolitics, economics or humanitarianism. It is here in this community of nations that we lend our voice to the others who have spoken before, to call for an end to this embargo, and end to all limitations on the rights of the Cuban people to progress and prosper.

H.E. Mr. Sam Terrence Condor, Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis: Within the Caribbean also, Mt. President, the people of our sister nation, Cuba, continue to endure much hardship as the consequence of a fifty-year-old commercial, economie, and financial embargo. This Assembly and the International Commuuity has consistently called for the lifting ofthe said embargo. Our country reiterates its call, and the cali of regional neighbors and the International Commuuity, particularly the UN General Assembly, for a speedy redress ofthis matter.

H.E. Mr. Tillman Thomas, Prime Minister of Grenada: Turning now to another Caribbean concern, Grenada again urges the United States of America to completely lift the harsh economic embargo against the people of Cuba. Ali but a handful of the UN membership have consistently voted for the removal of this embargo.

H.E. Mr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and The Grenadines: Correspondingly, we continue to believe that international solidarity and principle are the keys to finally ending the unjust and illegal embargo against our brothers and sisters in Cuba. There is no place in our modern world for this anachronistic relic of the Cold War.

AFRICA

H.E. Mr. Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa: We urge the international community to support their quest for freedom, human rights and dignity. We reiterate our call for the lifting of the economic and financial embargo against the people of Cuba, to help them gain their economic freedom.

H.E. Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of The United Republic of Tanzania: It is in this spirit that I wish to reaffirm our solidarity with the Palestinian people in their rightful quest for an independnt homeland. Our plea is for the fulfilment of the vision of two states: The State of Israel and a sovereign, independent, democratic and viable Palestine, living side by side in peace and harmony. That is why we also remain in full solidarity with the people of Cuba in demanding the end to all embargos against them. The people in these two countries have suffered far too long, it is time their burdens are eased from their shoulders.

H.E. Mr. Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of Namibia: Mr President, the overwhelming majority of the Member States of this Assembly have for many years, expressed serious concerns over the continuing economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. Namibia calls for an immediate and unconditional lifting of this embargo.

H.E. Ms. Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, Vice-President of The Gambia: Mr. President, the developments in Cuba continue to demonstrate to the world the inhumanity of maintaining the decades-old embargo imposed by the United States on this friendly country. The embargo is a manifestation of intolerance of other people’s right to a political system of their choice. There is universal agreement that the embargo needs to come to an end without preconditions and be replaced with good neighbourliness, tolerance and respect for the legitimate rights of Cubans to have a political system of their choice. We therefore once again, call on the United States of America to lift the sanctions and embargo on Cuba now!

H.E. Mr. Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, Prime Minister of Lesotho: Similarly, we must explore the possibility of a mediated solution to the problem between the Republic of Cuba and the United States of America. The International Community has been unanimous in its call for the lifting of the Economic and Commercial Embargo imposed upon Cuba, yet the

problem persists. Indeed, Cuba like all Member States is entitled to freedom of international trade and navigation.

H.E. Mr. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of Timor-Leste: Peace is not merely the absence of war. Peace, real peace, comes from within - the spirit of peace. Thus, I appeal to the United States of America to show great spirit and humanity and lift the embargo on Cuba, which has lasted for more than 50 years.

ASIA

H.E. Mr. Pham Binh Minh, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam: the UN should undertake measures to prevent unilateral use of economic means against developing countries. Viet Nam strongly calls for an end to the economic embargo against the Republic of Cuba.

H.E. Mr. Pak Kil Yon, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea: It is a long time ago that the UN General Assembly adopted the resolutions on dismantling and putting an end to the US blockade against Cuba, which have not been implemented until now. This is just a piecemeal example that highlights the urgent need to enhance the authority of the General Assembly.

ASIA PACIFIC

H.E. Mr. Meltek Sato Kilman Livtunvanu, Prime Minister of Vanuatu: Mr. President, As the world unites in addressing some of the major challenges of our time, the lifting of the economie embargo on Cuba, is long overdue. Denying the good people of Cuba to fully participate in the global economy is inhumane, and it is high time the Cuban people are allowed to enjoy their rights and freedom as an independent and sovereign nation.

H.E. Mr. Danny Philip, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands: Mr. President, the 51 year old economic blockade on Cuba remains an issue stuck in time. Solomon Islands with the spirit of friendship and in observation of the principle of good neighbourliness make a humble call to our partner and friend, the United States for the unconditional lifting of the economic blockade against the people of Cuba. We request that the two states renew, restore, revive, redeem and reclaim their friendship and respect for each other's sovereignty within the letter and spirit ofthe United Nations Charter.

EUROPE

H.E. Mr. Sergei Martynov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belarus: Unfortunately, not every country complied with such obligations, as the United States had pursued an economic blockade against “freedom-loving” Cuba, which clearly violated United Nations principles and decisions.

H.E. Mr. Sergey V. Lavrov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of The Russian Federation: Experience has shown that pressure and unilateral sanctions cannot be a cure-all in addressing various conflict situations – they only complicate the search for their resolution. We urge that the actions in circumvention of the UN SC should be stopped. We call for lifting the blockade of Cuba. Cooperation rather than isolation should be the method for settling conflicts in the 21st century.