Havana, Oct 30(acn) For the sixteen consecutive time, United Nations members voted against the US economic, financial and commercial blockade of Cuba. The resolution presented by the island received 184 votes in favor, one more than in 2006, four against and one abstention.
Cuban News Agency
Cuban News Agency
President Bush's latest speech calling for a strengthening of the economic war on the Cuban people triggered an opposite reaction and the White House was suddenly left alone except for its own vote, that of its loyal ally Israel, and the vote of the Marshall Islands and Palau. Only Micronesia abstained.
The Bush administration tried in vain to "persuade" UN members prior and during the General Assembly sessions, but the pressure only worked on Albania, which did not show up, and Iraq and El Salvador whose representatives left the room before taking the vote.
Several countries spoke up against the blockade. Pakistan took the floor on behalf of the Group of 77, while Egypt did so representing the Non Aligned Movement, and the Bahamas on behalf of CARICOM.
Venezuela, Mexico, Viet Nam and South Africa stood up alongside Cuba as well, as did, in their speeches, the representatives of China, Russia, India, Uganda, Bolivia, Libya, Tanzania, Zambia, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe.
Cuba's Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque called on UN members to support the report entitled "Necessity to end the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by Washington against Cuba," considering the blockade as part of an extra territorial and illegal policy, a genocide. The draft resolution, which had already been circulated among the 192 member states, is supported by an annual report by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, which reflects the disagreement of 120 countries and institutions in relation to the US aggressive policy against Cuba.
"Cuba will never give up. On the contrary, Cuba will fight on because by defending the rights of their people it is defending the rights of all the peoples represented by the UN General Assembly," he concluded.
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Voting against US Blockade on CUBA Sets Record
United Nations, Oct 30 (Prensa Latina) The vote at the UN General Assembly against the economic blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States scored a new record, when Washington"s policy towards the Island was condemned by 184 countries.
With opposition by the United States, Israel, Marshall Islands, and Palau, besides Mocronesia, the resolution that demands to end the over-40-year economic blockade on Cuba received almost unanimous support of the 192 UN members.
The resolution against that coercive measure had 183 votes in favor, which is a record, compared to previous years, but Nicaragua marked the difference this time.
According to Nicaraguan Ambassador to the UN, Maria Rubiales de Chamorro, "it is a motive for Nicaragua to be proud, having become the 184th vote." "This is also due to the iron will of the Nicaraguan people and Ruben Dario y Sandino"s legacy, he said.
Ambassador Rubiales de Chamorro said this unity of Latin America and the Caribbean, in favor of the resolution against the US blockade on Cuba has happened "after almost 16 years of shameful withdrawal from the voting." The resolution approved on Tuesday highlights the "need to put an end to the economic, financial, and trade blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States of America."
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184 Countries Condemn US Blockade of CUBA...
31.10.2007 19:48
The vote cast yesterday at the United Nations against the US policy toward the island expressed the world support that Cuba has earned. Felipe Pérez Roque, Cuban minister of Foreign Relations, condemned the government of the United States for obstructing bonds between the two peoples.
By: Juana Carrasco and Marina Menéndez
Email:
2007-10-31
Just a week after George W. Bush called on the world to isolate Cuba, he has again experienced a setback from the latest and forceful rejection by the international community of the blockade against the island, which has been harshly implemented during his administration.
“This is why Tuesday’s defeat in the UN was not another simple defeat for the United States, but an embarrassing one” for Bush, said Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque. He spoke with an assembly in Havana shortly after the 184-4 vote in favor of the resolution demanding an end of this measure.
In what has become a tradition, voting against the resolution opposed to the blockade were the small Marshall and Palau islands —coerced by their dependence on the United States—, along with the US, of course, and its faithful ally: Israel.
Micronesia withstood the US pressure by abstaining, while Iraq, El Salvador and Albania were absent from the session. The representative of Albania left the room at the last minute, obliged by an obvious political decision.
As usual, pressure was exerted by US officials, who were turned into “torturers” of the weakest countries up to the last moment.
Perhaps this is why Cuba’s triumph tasted like a “collective victory,” as the Foreign Minister said via telephone to those gathered in the Casa de las Américas to watch live and direct the moving 62nd session of the UN General Assembly.
“People have come out in mass.” The giant screen showed the long line of diplomats who, without even waiting for the reading of the vote count, left its seats and congratulated the Cuban delegation. “This is our victory;” “Long Live Free Cuba!” “Resist, you will win,” commented some.
This was, said the foreign minister, an “overwhelming and splendid victory; I gift to the commander-in-chief, medicine for his recovery. Send him the message.”
Results of the UN vote against the US blockade of Cuba
Year Against For Abstentions
1992 59 3 71
1993 88 4 57
1994 101 2 48
1995 117 3 38
1996 137 3 25
1997 143 3 17
1998 157 2 12
1999 155 2 8
2000 167 3 4
2001 167 3 3
2002 173 3 4
2003 179 3 2
2004 179 4 7
2005 182 4 1
2006 183 4 1
2007 184 4 1
posted by F Espinoza