UN opposes blockade for 10th year

The United Nations General Assembly, for the 10th consecutive year, voted overwhelmingly on November 27 for an end to the US economic blockade against Cuba

The vote was 167 to 3, identical to last year's record vote. Only the United States, Israel and the Marshall Islands supported Washington. Latvia, Micronesia and Nicaragua abstained, one less than last year.

Despite a series of UN votes in favour of US positions since the September 11 mass murders, the US was unable to undermine opposition to the blockade.

The 15 members of the European Union all voted in favour of the non-binding resolution, reflecting its opposition to US laws that prevent foreign firms from having commercial dealings with Cuba. Belgium's UN representative said Europeans deplore the consequences of the blockade.

Havana's foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque, in his address to the assembly, said Cuba would be willing to reach an agreement on "the nearly 6000 US companies and citizens" whose properties were nationalised after the 1959 revolution.

"Cuba recognizes their rights and would be willing to reach an agreement that also takes into account the extremely burdensome economic and human hardships inflicted on our country by the blockade."

Perez said that putting Cuba on the US State Department's list of terrorist states was outrageous.

From Green Left Weekly, December 5, 2001.

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From GLW issue 474