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<b>Statement by the Permanent Representative of Cuba, Ambassador Orlando
Requeijo, at the Security Council session. New York, 25 April
2005.<br><br>
</b> <br><br>
Mr. President,<br><br>
<br><br>
My delegation wishes to thank the Chairpersons of the Committees created
under Resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) for the
information provided in this session.<br><br>
<br><br>
However, as we analyse actions to fight international terrorism, Luis
Posada Carriles, one of the most hideous terrorists of this hemisphere is
in Miami City, USA. His lawyer has even requested political asylum for
his client on account of the services he has provided to the United
States for over 40 years, as a member of the CIA and the US armed
forces.<br><br>
<br><br>
In the name of the “war on terror”, the US government has unleashed
unilateral wars of aggression, in violation of the Charter and the
principles of International Law, in which thousands of people have died
and continue to die, including more than 1500 US youths. <br><br>
<br><br>
Since last 11 April, the President of the Republic of Cuba has publicly
provided abundant and reliable information on the criminal background of
this terrorist, on the means he used to enter US territory and on those
who, carrying out instructions of the terrorist Cuban American National
Foundation, facilitated his voyage on board of the shrimp fishing boat
“<i>Santrina</i>” from Islas Mujeres in Mexico to Miami City.<br><br>
<br><br>
Therefore, my government cannot understand why the US government has
remained motionless, has not conducted an in-depth investigation on the
most recent voyage of the “<i>Santrina</i>” and has not immediately
detained and interrogated those, such as the well-known terrorist
Santiago Álvarez Fernández Magriña, a well-known Miami resident, who
knows Posada Carriles’ whereabouts and also helped him in his illegal
entry into the United States.<br><br>
<br><br>
The US legislation is clear. To provide entry into the United States of
an avowed terrorist, mainly someone as notorious as Posada Carriles, is
one of the most serious crimes that may be committed in the country
victim of the atrocities of September 11, 2001.<br><br>
<br><br>
Resolution 1373 (2001) adopted by this Council under US request, is also
clear, when invoking Chapter VII of the Charter, categorically
establishes the obligation for all States to take effective measures to
prevent the transit of terrorists, deny refuge not only to terrorists but
to those who protect them and exchange information leading to their
detention. <br><br>
<br><br>
Moreover, the President of the United States said on 26 August, 2003,
that: <i>“if you harbor a terrorist, if you support a terrorist, if you
feed a terrorist, you’re just as guilty as the terrorists</i>”.<br><br>
<br><br>
Posada Carriles is not unknown to Washington. He was trained and used by
the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out terrorist actions
against Cuba for over forty years. He perpetrated the in-flight sabotage
of a Cubana de Aviación civil aircraft, in which 73 persons were killed,
and also directed a string of Havana hotel bombings in 1997, causing the
death of the Italian tourist Fabio Di Celmo. He has also planned a number
of assassination attempts on President Fidel Castro, being sentenced for
one of them, but deceitfully pardoned by the ex-President Mireya Moscoso
on 26 August, 2004.<br><br>
<br><br>
Mr. President,<br><br>
<br><br>
My delegation calls upon the US Government, particularly its President,
as President Fidel Castro has been repeatedly doing since last 11 April,
to say if he is or not aware of the presence of the terrorist Posada
Carriles in US territory and to inform the measures he is taking to
locate his whereabouts in Miami City.<br><br>
<br><br>
We would consider it very serious, both for the actions being carried out
by the United Nations against terrorism, and for the credibility of the
US Government in its self-proclaimed “war on terror”, if Washington would
decide to harbor Posada Carriles or would resort to legal cunning
arguments to allow his stay in the United States. <br><br>
<br><br>
Allowing this avowed terrorist to move freely, enjoying total impunity,
while imposing long and unjust sentences on Five Cuban Youths fighting
terrorism, is immoral and greatly irresponsible. It is an insult to all
victims of terrorism in the world and their relatives.<br><br>
<br><br>
US authorities face a serious dilemma. Either they definitely align with
terrorism by protecting this person or they hit hard on terrorism and, in
compliance with their legal obligations, detain and extradite Luis Posada
Carriles to Venezuela, where he escaped from prison in 1985.<br><br>
<br><br>
My Government, while ratifying its willingness to cooperate with justice
by handing over all information available on this terrorist, urges the
international community to stay alert at the possibility that Posada
Carriles abandons US territory unpunished or is killed by internal forces
in the United States to “solve” the dilemma to which he dragged the
Government of that country with his presence. We do not wish this man’s
death. We only want justice to prevail and make him pay for the
horrendous crimes he has committed during his long terrorist
career.<br><br>
<br><br>
Mr. President,<br><br>
<br><br>
Once again, my Government reiterates its request to the Security
Council’s Counter-terrorism Committee, established pursuant to Resolution
1373 (2001), to evaluate the information submitted by my country, among
others, in documents S/2002/15 and S/2004/753, in the hope that its work
can lead to put an end to the impunity enjoyed by those who have
committed and still commit terrorist acts against Cuba.<br><br>
<br><br>
Thank you very much.<br>
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