United Nations: For the 15th straight year, the 192-member United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly asked the United States to lift its 45-year old unilateral economic and commercial embargo against Cuba as soon as possible after defeating an Australian amendment asking Havana to free political prisoners and respect human rights.
But the United States, as in the previous years, is expected to ignore the call given in a resolution adopted yesterday by 183 votes to four with one abstention.
Israel, Marshall Islands and Palau joined the United States in voting against the resolution while Micronesia abstained.
During debate on the resolution, several members, including India, criticized the extra-territorial aspects of the American legislations which targets foreign companies and foreign subsidiaries of American companies doing business with Cuba.
Addressing the Assembly, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque equated the embargo to genocide and described it as a "flagrant violation of international law and the charter of the United Nations."
American deputy Ambassador Ronald Godard accused Cuba of ignoring the human, economic, labour and political rights.
Speaking on the resolution, Indian delegate A Vijaya Raghavan, MP, reiterated New Delhi's opposition to extra-territorial aspects of the economic embargo that had been implemented through 1992 Cuban Democracy Act and the 1996 Helms Burton Act.
Comments
0 comment