SYDNEY -- Seventy people attended a public meeting on the situation in Cuba held here on May 5. The meeting was addressed by a representative of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), Basilio Gutierrez. Gutierrez is visiting Australia on a speaking tour organised by the national Cuba Solidarity Campaign.

In outlining the particular economic and social problems facing Cuba as a result of the US-imposed economic blockade which has been in place for over 30 years, Gutierrez stated that the Cubans' main aims today are “to resist [US aggression] and to become self-sufficient in food and energy”.

At the same time, he stressed, Cuba also wants to break down the isolation imposed on it by US foreign policy and to be much more involved in international discussions aimed at solving the escalating problems of ecological destruction, mass poverty and starvation.

“Cuba has an enormous amount to contribute to the pursuit of human development”, he said. “Our medical technologies, for example, are among the most advanced in the world -- we now have vaccines against meningitis and hepatitis B and we are well on the way to perfecting an anti-cholesterol drug. As well, the effects of the blockade on our economy have forced us to take innovative steps which put us among world leaders in environmentally sustainable agriculture and energy production.”

Gutierrez emphasised that dialogue and negotiation between peoples and nations, regardless of their ideology, is more essential than ever if human survival is to be possible.

“We Cubans must be more open and appeal to the good will of all peoples. Just as we have always and will continue to resist in every way necessary the US attempts to take from us our right to self-determination and freedom, so too, given the opportunity, we are ready to test our forces in a peaceful struggle for rationality, for a new era of negotiation and discussion between nations -- yes, even between Cuba and the USA.”

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
For further details regarding subscriptions and
correspondence please contact glw@greenleft.org.au

Tools

• Bookmark This Page
• Print This Page