Cuban FM Refutes at UN Statements by US Ambassador

In the exercise of his right to reply, Rodriguez refuted the stance taken by Rice before the General Assembly by way of which she tried to impose the US point of view that the blockade that for almost five decades her country has maintained against Cuba shouldn’t be discussed at the international forum for being “a bilateral issue.”

The Cuban report and the resolution project, named “Necessity to put an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade the United States imposes on Cuba” was replied by Rice, who, after saying that every state has the right to establish its commercial relations with another as it thinks fit, tried to minimize the current effects the criminal policy has on Cuba.

“It is not true that the blockade is a bilateral issue between the United States and Cuba since the Torricelli and the Helms-Burton laws of 1992 and 1996, respectively, make it a policy that sanctions third countries for trading with Cuba” highlighted the Cuban FM.

In the framework of the 27th plenary meeting of the 64th period of sessions of the UN General Assembly, the Cuban resolution project, codified as A/64 L 4, had an unprecedented victory on Wednesday, with 187 votes in favor.

Only the United States, Israel and Palau opposed the project, thus repeating their position of last year, when Cuba obtained 185 votes. Abstentions were, like in 2008, those of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.