CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Press Release

International opposition to the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the US Government against Cuba

In recent months, there has been a growing international attention on the issue of bilateral relations between US and Cuba. Obviously, the call to eliminate the blockade against Cuba and to end the hostile policy against a small country is ever more strong and firm. Some of the most recently adopted declarations are:

 On May 16, 2008, the Declaration of the Fifth Latin America and Caribbean-European Union Summit held in Lima, Peru, was adopted. In one of its paragraphs the Heads of State and Government of both regions agreed to the following: “(…) We firmly reject all coercive measures of unilateral character with extra-territorial effect that are contrary to International Law and the commonly accepted rules of free trade. We agree that this type of practices poses a serious threat to multilateralism. In this context, and with reference to UNGA resolution A/RES/62/3, we reaffirm our well-known positions on the application of the extra-territorial provisions of the Helms-Burton Act.”

 On October 3, 2008, the Heads of State and Government of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), meeting for their 6th Summit Conference held in Ghana, adopted the “Accra Declaration” where they “condemn the use of unilateral coercive measures such as illegal sanctions against certain developing countries with a view to preventing these countries from the exercise of their right to determine their own political, economic and social system and reject the application of unilateral and extraterritorial laws and measures contrary to International Law, such as the Helms-Burton Act.”

 On December 8, 2008, the Heads of State and/or Government of Cuba and of Member States of CARICOM, meeting on the occasion of the Third Cuba-CARICOM Summit, adopted a declaration where they “call for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo of the Republic of Cuba and urge the Government of the United States of America to heed the overwhelming call of the members of the United Nations and to lift with immediate effect the unjust economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against the Republic of Cuba and cease the application of measures adopted as of 6 May 2004 to reinforce that policy”.

 On December 17, 2008, the Heads of State and Government of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, meeting in Brazil, on the occasion of the First Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development, adopted a Special Declaration on the necessity of ending the economic blockade against Cuba, in which they “reject most vigorously the application of laws and measures contrary to International Law, such as the Helms-Burton Act”; they “urge the government of the United States of America to end its application“ and “to comply with the stipulations of 17 successive resolutions approved in the General Assembly of the United Nations and to end the economic, commercial and financial blockade which it maintains against Cuba”

 On April 17, 2009, at their Summit meeting held in Cumaná, Venezuela, the Heads of State and Government of the member countries of ALBA (the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas) reiterated their condemnation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade by the US against Cuba and decided to reaffirm “the Declaration adopted by all Latin American and Caribbean countries last December 16, 2008, on the need to end the economic, trade and financial blockade imposed by the Government of the United States of America on Cuba, including the implementation of the so-called Helms-Burton Act.”

 The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Non-Aligned Movement, on the occasion of the Ministerial Meeting of the NAM Coordinating Bureau held in Havana, on April 27-30, 2009, “once again reiterated their call to the Government of the United States of America to put an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba which, in addition to being unilateral and contrary to the UN Charter and international law, and to the principle of neighbourliness, is causing huge material losses and economic damage to the people of Cuba”. Moreover, they “once again urged strict compliance with the Resolutions 47/19, 48/16, 49/9, 50/10, 51/17, 52/10, 53/4, 54/21, 55/20, 56/9, 57/11, 58/7, 59/11, 60/12, 61/11, 62/3 and 63/7 of the UN General Assembly”; “they expressed deep concern over the widening of the extra-territorial nature of the embargo against Cuba”; and they “rejected the reinforcement of the measures adopted by the US government, aimed at tightening the embargo, as well as all other recent measures carried out by the Government of the United States against the people of Cuba.”

 On June 24, 2009, in the Declaration of the Sixth Extraordinary Summit ALBA–Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) held in Maracay, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Heads of State and Government of the member countries ratified their absolute condemnation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba, and reiterated their call for its immediate and unconditional elimination.

 The Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement, on the occasion of the 15th Summit of the Movement, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on 11th to 16th July, 2009, urged “once again the Government of the United States of America to immediately put an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba which, in addition to being unilateral and contrary to the UN Charter and international law, and to the principle of neighbourliness, is causing huge human suffering and material losses and economic and financial damage that has negatively impacted on the welfare and well-being of the people of Cuba. They further urged the government of the United States of America to immediately fully comply with all the Resolutions of the UN General Assembly, related to the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.”

New York, 21 October 2009
(Cubaminrex- Embacuba ONU)

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