UN Passes Resolution, Again, Against US Blockade in Cuba

Published on October 30, 2010

MANILA, Philippines – This time it is two for the blockade against Cuba, as the association of nations passes a resolution asking for an end to US blockade, as presented for the 19th time by this island-state.

The Cuban Embassy to the Philippines, in a statement last Wednesday, said the isolation of the United States became evident in the United Nations General Assembly during the vote on the resolution, “The Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial, and Financial Blockade
Imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba.”

The Assembly passed the resolution 187-2 (United States and Israel) with three abstentions (Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau).

“Tuesday’s vote reaffirms the principles of sovereign equality among states, nonintervention and noninterference in internal affairs as well as freedom of commerce and international navigation,” the embassy statement said.

The vote also rejects the promotion and implementation of laws and regulations such as the so-called Helms-Burton Act, “whose extraterritorial effects affect the sovereignty of other States, the
legitimate interests of entities and people under its jurisdiction, and the freedom of commerce and navigation.”

It also noted the 18 resolutions passed by the UN General Assembly from 1992 to 2009 and the resolutions and agreements passed by various inter-governmental meetings, agencies and governments rejecting the promotion and implementation of this kind of measure.

The General Assembly asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to prepare a report on the enforcement of the resolution, to be presented at the 66th General Assembly session next year when the blockade issue will be discussed again.

Cuban authorities said the blockade has cost the Island some $751.363 billion, an estimate that is conservative based on the depreciation of the dollar against gold.

In an earlier statement the Cuban embassy said that last year, the 187 member-states voted in favor of a similar resolution.

“This constitutes a true demonstration that the battle to lift the blockade enjoys the acknowledgement and backing of the overwhelming majority in the international community,” the Cuban embassy said.

Cuba has presented the same relolution to the UN General Assembly for 19 consecutive occasions.

Meanwhile the Embassy of Cuba to the Philippines expressed its most resounding and strong rejection and disappointment with the unfortunate, clumsy, and unprofessional information reproduced by a local daily from the New York Times publication.

One Yoani Sánchez, a blogger, reportedly wrote against the Cuban people by writing false allegations and comments.

The Cuban embassy appealed to the said local daily to publish “true information to the Filipino people and to the national and international opinion about the aggressive and genocidal policy which
constitutes the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the US against Cuban people for more than 50 years, accompanied by all types of aggressions and political subversions, sabotages and plot of assassination of our leaders, with the final purpose to destroy the Revolution, but they had failed and never will succeed in their purposes.

“The economic, commercial and financial blockade, imposed by the United States government against Cuba, continues to be the main obstacle to the country’s economic and social development,” the embassy said. (Bulatlat.com)