Cuba Expects Worldwide Condemnation of US Blockade at UN General Assembly

CUBA, October 7, 2008. Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said on Monday that Havana expects an overwhelming condemnation of the US blockade against Cuba next October 29th when the UN General Assembly will vote, once again, on a resolution entitled ‘Necessity to End the Economic, Financial and Trade Blockade Imposed by the United States on Cuba.’
 
The diplomat is heading the Cuban delegation that attends a meeting of Latin American and Caribbean Foreign Ministers that began on Monday in Brazil as a preparatory event for the First Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development that will take place in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, on December 16-17.

According to Prensa Latina news agency, Perez Roque said that “the blockade is the most serious violation of our rights and the biggest obstacle to our development.” 

The Cuban official stressed that the US blockade, in 2007 alone, caused economic losses to the Caribbean nation to the tune of five billion dollars – similar to those caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike last month.

He recalled that the blockade prevents Cuba from buying construction materials from US companies or its subsidiaries, which makes the recovery process even more difficult.

“We asked the US government to allow us, at least for six months, to buy foodstuffs and construction materials on credit but, thus far, Washington has not responded to our petition,” Perez Roque added. (Cubaminrex- ACN)