[News] Cuba - End the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the US

[Anti-Imperialist News]

*http://www.radiohc.cu/en/especiales/exclusivas/73966-speech-delivered-by-cuban-foreign-minister-bruno-rodriguez-at-un-general-assembly* 



  Radio Havana Cuba | Speech Delivered by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno
  Rodriguez at UN General Assembly

27/10/15

*STATEMENT BY H.E. Mr. BRUNO RODRÍGUEZ PARRILLA ON THE AGENDA ITEM 42 
ENTITLED “NECESSITY OF ENDING THE ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL 
EMBARGO IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AGAINST CUBA” AT THE 
SEVENTIETH PERIOD OF SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY. NEW 
YORK, OCTOBER 27, 2015*.

Mr. President;

Distinguished Permanent Representatives;

Esteemed Delegates;

On December 17 last year, the President of the United States, Barack 
Obama, recognized that the economic, commercial and financial blockade 
imposed against Cuba had failed, is obsolete, has not met the originally 
envisaged goals and causes damages to the Cuban people and isolation to 
the US Government.

Ever since then, the US President has been reiterating that the blockade 
should be lifted. He has urged the Congress of his country to do so 
instead of standing in the way of the US citizens who openly support its 
termination. He has committed to engage in a debate with that purpose 
and use his executive prerogatives to modify its implementation.

During the recently held 2030 Development Agenda Summit and at the 
United Nations General Debate, more than sixty Heads of States, 
Governments and Delegations welcomed and expressed their best wishes 
over the announcement of the new course taken by the US-Cuba relations, 
including the re-establishment of diplomatic relations and the 
re-opening of embassies, and many of them demanded that the blockade is 
finally abolished.

Therefore, the interest and expectations raised by these deliberations 
and the subsequent vote, which takes place under new circumstances, are 
only understandable.

In the face of an almost unanimous claim by the international community 
-symbolized by the vote in favor of 188 member States and Cuba’s 
participation in the Summit of the Americas held in Panama-, and the 
clear majority of the US society and the Cuban emigration settled here, 
the US government has announced a new policy towards our country.

But the measures adopted by the US Administration, which entered into 
force on January 16 this year and were later on expanded on September 
18, although positive, only modify, in a very limited way, some elements 
related to the implementation of the blockade.

Many of them could not be implemented unless others are adopted that 
would finally allow Cuba to freely export and import products and 
services to and from the United States; use American dollars in its 
international financial transactions and operate accounts in that 
currency in third countries banks and have access to credits and 
financing from private entities and international financial institutions.

The problem is not that the Cuban order hampers the implementation of 
these measures and therefore it needs to be modified in order to 
facilitate this process, as has been stated by some US officials. The 
problem is the implacable and systematic existence of the blockade.

We should not mix up reality with wishful thinking or good-will 
expressions. In these circumstances, one can only judge by facts.

And facts show, crystal-clear, that the economic, commercial and 
financial blockade imposed against Cuba is being fully and completely 
implemented.

Ten months after the announcements made on December 17, no tangible, 
substantial modification has been introduced in the implementation of 
the blockade.

Cuba’s removal from the spurious list of States Sponsors of 
International Terrorism was the inevitable rectification of a nonsense, 
but this has hardly had any impact on the implementation of the 
blockade, which is supported by a far more comprehensive system of 
previously established sanctions and laws.

Barely a week ago, a 1.116 billion dollar fine was imposed on the French 
bank /Credit Agricole/, which adds up to the 1.710 billion dollar fine 
imposed on the German bank /Commerzbank /in March this year for doing 
transactions with Cuba and other States.

Only in recent weeks, the secure messaging system SWIFT cancelled a 
service contract; the first payment of the company Sprint to initiate 
direct telephone calls as well as several other banking transfers for 
the operations of charter flights were withheld.

The exiguous Cuban food purchases in the United States, one of the few 
exceptions to the blockade, which were approved in the year 2000 by the 
US Congress, significantly diminished last year because they are subject 
to discriminatory and onerous conditions: each purchase must be 
authorized by a license; the granting of credits is not allowed; Cuba is 
forced to pay in cash and in advance through banking entities of third 
countries and is not allowed to use its own vessels to transport those 
products.

Something similar happens with the imports of the medicines and the 
medical equipment that our country needs, which are also conditioned, 
since 1992, by the US law. Cuba is required to report on the final 
recipient of the medicines it acquires and is not allowed to make direct 
payments, but only through third parties and in a currency other than 
the US dollar, which entails additional difficulties, delays and costs.

Several other examples could be mentioned, such as the case of the 
company /Elekta/, which confirmed, on September 2 last, that it will not 
be able to supply to the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology 
or any other hospital in Cuba the radioactive isotope Iridium-192, which 
ensures the normal functioning of the brachytherapy equipment that are 
indispensable to offer higher quality and accuracy cancer therapies, 
because its purveyor, the US company /Mallinckrodt/ /Pharmaceuticals/, 
refused to sell it to Cuba.

The US company /Small Bone Innovation Inc/. has refused to supply wrists 
and hands joints prostheses to the "Frank País" Orthopedic Complex which 
are intended for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

In June last year, the US company /SIGMA Aldrich/ refused to supply to 
the company /Quimimpex/ the products, services and technical information 
which are indispensable to the chemical industry; and the US firm 
Columbiana Boiler Company informed the aforementioned company that it 
was not allowed to export the cylinders necessary to transport the 
chlorine destined to the treatment of water.

The blockade is a flagrant, massive and systematic violation of the 
human rights of all Cubans; it is contrary to International Law; it has 
been described as a crime of genocide by the Convention for the 
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948 and is the 
main obstacle to the economic and social development of our people.

The human damages it has caused are inestimable. Seventy seven per cent 
of all Cubans have been suffering the blockade since the day they were 
born. The shortages and deprivations that it causes to all Cuban 
families can not be accounted for.

According to rigorous and conservative calculations, the economic 
damages it has caused after more than half a century amount to 833.755 
billion dollars, based on the price of gold. At current prices, it 
amounts to 121.192 billion dollars, a figure of enormous proportions for 
a small economy like ours.

I hope that the US Representative will not come here now to tell us that 
the draft resolution does not accurately reflect the spirit of dialogue 
or the kind attitude of the US government; nor take on a hackneyed stand 
saying that the United States is the benefactor partner of the Cuban 
people that is only looking for its empowerment; or inflates the figure 
of 900 000 dollar donations by the civil society received in 2015, which 
are hampered by the blockade and appreciated by our people; or refer to 
the family remittances that are saved with great effort by the Cubans 
living here as if they were government funds; or consider as a 
commercial exchange the export licenses that are granted but are not 
materialized.

While it is up to the US Congress to adopt the decision to put an end to 
the blockade, the President has broad executive prerogatives to 
substantially modify its practical implementation and its humanitarian 
and economic impact.

We share the hope that the Congress of the United States would move on 
to change an inefficient, cruel and unjust policy, anchored in the past, 
and adopt decisions based on the values and feelings of its citizens.

Mr. President:

Historically, the United States has intended to establish its domination 
and hegemony on our homeland and, since 1959, it has tried to change the 
political, economic and social system that our people, fully exercising 
the right to self-determination, has freely chosen.

Some spokespersons from the US Government have declared that the 
announced Cuba policy is about a change of methods, not goals.

Should this be the case, the process towards the normalization of 
relations between the United States and Cuba will face very serious 
obstacles.

The lifting of the blockade will be the essential element that will give 
some meaning to the progress achieved in the last few months in the 
relations between both countries and shall set the pace towards 
normalization.

As has been recognized by President Barack Obama, the lifting of the 
blockade serves the US national interest and is the will of the citizens 
of that country.

Any attempt to condition the lifting or modification of the blockade to 
the introduction of internal changes in Cuba will be in no way 
acceptable nor productive.

Cuba is ready to accept the opportunities and face the challenges of a 
new era in the relations between both countries, but it will never 
negotiate its socialist system or its internal affairs, nor will it 
allow any blemish on its independence, which was conquered at the price 
of the blood of its best sons and daughters and after the huge 
sacrifices made by many generations since the beginning of our 
independence wars in 1868.

As has been reiterated by President Raúl Castro Ruz, both governments 
must find the way to coexist in a civilized manner, despite their 
profound differences, and advance as much as possible for the benefit of 
the peoples of the United States and Cuba, through a dialogue and 
cooperation based on mutual respect and sovereign equality.

There is no enmity between the peoples of the United States and Cuba. 
The Cuban people expressed its solidarity at the time of the terrible 
terrorist actions of September 11, 2001, or the devastating impact of 
hurricane Katrina.

We appreciate and recognize the progress achieved recently with the 
re-opening of embassies, the visits paid by the Secretaries of State and 
Commerce and the exchange of delegations; the functioning of a Steering 
Committee; the expansion of the areas of dialogue and cooperation, 
particularly in the filed of air and aviation safety; the combat of 
drug-trafficking, illegal migration and traffic in persons; law 
enforcement, environmental protection and health, among others.

We are really interested in developing fruitful relations; offering our 
hospitality to the US citizens who enjoy the freedom of traveling to 
Cuba; expanding enriching, cultural, sports, scientific and academic 
exchanges; promoting a multifaceted cooperation in areas of common 
interest, trade and investments.

We have initiated a human rights dialogue with a reciprocal character 
and despite our huge differences.

For all that we have been guided by the principles contained in the 
Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, 
signed by the Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin 
American and Caribbean States in January of 2014 in Havana, as well as 
the principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter.

This could also be a modest contribution to the quest for a new way in 
which human beings and nations can relate to one another in this era 
marked by global crisis, the inevitable impact of climate change, the 
non-conventional wars that unleash atrocious conflicts, new forms of 
terrorism, the existence of huge nuclear arsenals, extraordinary arms 
spending and the risk of pandemics.

As was stated fifteen years ago in this very hall by Fidel Castro Ruz, 
the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, "Humanity should be aware 
of what we have been so far and what we can not continue to be. 
Presently, our species have enough accumulated knowledge, ethical values 
and scientific resources to move towards a new historical era of true 
justice and humanism. There is nothing in the existing economic and 
political order that can serve the interests of Humankind. Thus, it is 
unsustainable and it must be changed."

Mr. President:

Twenty three years after this resolution was first adopted, we have 
achieved a remarkable progress in 2015.

It has been a reward for the indefatigable resistance, selfless efforts, 
the firm convictions of our people and the leadership of the historical 
generation of the Revolution headed by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro 
and President Raúl Castro.

We are deeply grateful to all the governments and peoples, parliaments, 
political forces and social movements, representatives of the civil 
society, international and regional organizations that, particularly in 
this United Nations General Assembly, have contributed their voice and 
vote, year after year, to support the fairness and urgency of the 
elimination of the blockade.

We have made it all the way here thanks also to the majority and 
ever-growing support given by the US people to this lofty purpose, to 
whom we also convey our gratitude.

We know that the way ahead is long and difficult. We will continue to 
present this draft resolution for as long as the blockade persists.

The Cuban people will never renounce its sovereignty or the path that is 
has freely chosen to build a more just, efficient, prosperous and 
sustainable socialism. Neither will it give up in its quest for a more 
equitable and democratic international order.

Mr. President:

Distinguished Permanent Representatives:

Esteemed delegates:

We have presented a new draft resolution that recognizes the reality of 
the rigorous and oppressive implementation of the blockade against Cuba 
and also welcomes and recognizes, in the new preambular paragraphs, the 
progress achieved in the course of last year.

On behalf of the heroic, self-sacrificing and fraternal people of Cuba, 
I ask you to vote in favor of the draft resolution contained in document 
A/70/L.2. :"Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial 
embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba."

Thank you very much.

-- 
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