>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > > >STATEMENT BY H.E. Mr. FELIPE PEREZ ROQUE, >MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA >ON THE 35 ISSUE OF THE AGENDA AT THE 55th SESSION OF >THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY > >Translated by Prof. Arnaldo Coro Antich > >NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 9, 2000 > >Mr. President: > >I have come to speak on behalf of the only country on the planet subjected >to a blockade. Here, I represent a friendly and courageous nation that has >earned the respect of the international public opinion on account of its >steadfast, determined struggle for independence and the defense of the right >of small, poor countries to have a place in the world. > >On behalf of Cuba, I hereby submit to the General Assembly for consideration >the draft resolution entitled "Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial >and Financial Embargo Imposed by the United States of America against Cuba." > >I do not find it necessary to repeat how, when and why the US blockade >against Cuba was put in place - or the methods by means of which it has been >reinforced and worsened every year. Nor do I believe it is fitting to once >again reveal the countless pretexts with which the representatives of the US >Government have unsuccessfully attempted to justify the unjustifiable year >after year. This Assembly has enough information on the issue and has >clearly supported the need to put an end to this irrational, inhumane policy >for eight consecutive years. > >However, I am particularly interested in stating that - contrary to what has >been repeated with suspicious persistence - the economic, trade and >financial blockade against Cuba has not only failed to be eased as a result >of the recent legislative decisions adopted by the US Congress, but it has >also been further tightened. > >And how was that possible, you may wonder, if nobody argues anymore that - >after seven months of an outstanding struggle in favor of the return of the >child Eli�n Gonz�lez to his family in Cuba - the overwhelming majority of >people in the US, the press, an ever-increasing section of the Cuban-born >community in the United States, the businesspeople in this country and even >a large number of Members of Congress are demanding the end of the blockade >against Cuba? How could the powerful, extremist minority in the Cuban-born >community benefiting from the blockade and its allies of the GOP leadership >in Congress impose their obscure designs if Capitol Hill had already seen >six overwhelmingly favorable votes in favor of changing the policy towards >Cuba? > >On 5 August 1999, the Senate adopted the so-called Ashcroft Amendment with >70 yeas and 28 nays - that would have allowed the sales of food and >medicines to Cuba. However, the GOP leadership - in collusion with the >Miami-based anti-Cuban sectors - managed to remove it from the final text of >the law by resorting to pressures and outrageously anti-democratic >practices. > >On 23 March 2000, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee once again adopted >the Ashcroft Amendment by consensus. > >On 10 May 2000, the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives >adopted the Nethercutt Amendment - aimed at allowing the sales of food and >medicines to Cuba - with 35 yeas and 24 nays. It was never discussed on the >House Floor either. > >On 20 July 2000, the Dorgan-Gorton Amendment - similar in purpose to the >previous initiatives - passed the Senate with 79 yeas and 13 nays. > >That same day, another two significant votes took place in the House of >Representatives: the Sanford Amendment - that would have enabled Americans >to freely travel to Cuba - was adopted with 232 yeas and 186 nays; and the >Moran Amendment - authorizing the sales of food and medicines - passed with >301 yeas and 116 nays. > >With these elements, was it not logical to think then that a real change >would come about in the arbitrary policy that the United States has imposed >on Cuba for over forty years? > >Nevertheless, the GOP leadership and the Cuban-American Congresspeople not >only managed to prevent these proposals from being included - in violation >of the rules of the US legislative process - but they also imposed other >amendments that actually reinforce the blockade against Cuba. Both the House >of Representatives and the Senate were later forced to adopt the poorly >worked out plan because legislators were deprived of all possibilities to >discuss or attempt to change these new amendments. Finally, on 28 October >the US President signed the bill - thus codifying into law the new measures >that tighten the blockade against Cuba, even though the following had been >stated before: > >"I hope I'm wrong, but what I've been told is that the embargo on food and >medicines has been allegedly eased - although it probably won't do much >because it doesn't offer any credits or financing facilities, which we give >to poor countries. Besides, it definitely restrains the ability of the >Executive to enhance the people-to-people contacts between Americans and >Cubans, thus further punishing and increasing the hardships of the Cuban >people [...]. Certainly, this agreement is restrictive. > >"I think that in a thoroughly unjustified manner it restricts the US ability >to make decisions on the policy of travels [...]. I think it's incorrect. > >"[...] I can't believe that the majority supports this and I think it was a >big mistake," the President concluded. > >And it is fitting to tell the naked truth: the alleged authorization for US >companies to sell food and medicines to Cuba is established under such >restrictions and obstacles that render those activities practically >impossible. > >Is it by any chance feasible to consider the sales of food and medicines to >Cuba if the complex, bureaucratic license-granting process for such >transactions - expressly devised to render them impossible - remains in >force; if any kind of sale-related government assistance and even private >financing is prohibited; if Cuban-made products cannot be imported as >payment? How could Cuba purchase food and medicines from the United States >if maritime and air transportation between both countries is still banned; >if direct relations between US and Cuban banking institutions are not >allowed; if - inter alia - there are such prohibitions in place as the one >preventing Cuba from using the US dollar in its foreign trade transactions? > >But that is not all. Why do we also say that the blockade has been >reinforced? Because not only are the sales of food and medicines to Cuba >still prohibited, but from now on - for the first time ever in these four >decades - US citizens are expressly barred under law from freely traveling >to Cuba. Until now, authorizing such travels was a prerogative of the >President. It has ceased to be so. No US President will be able to make a >decision in that respect unless it is determined by Congress. > >If there were still any doubts, here are two enlightening statements: > >Republican Congresswoman from Florida Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, one of the >masterminds behind the kidnapping of the Cuban child, stated the following >about the legislation adopted: "It's just smoke and mirrors [...]. We have >obtained a tremendous victory in freezing the ban preventing US tourists >from going to Cuba." > >The also Republican Congressman from Florida Lincoln D�az-Balart, a close >ally and relative of the Miami-based Cuban-born terrorist groups, gloated: >"It's the most important victory since the Helms-Burton Act [...]. No barter >trade, no granting of credits, no imports from Cuba, no public or private >financing [...]. Denying credits and tourism to Cuba is an extraordinary and >important victory." > >Anyone understands that those accountable for the reinforcement of the >blockade against my country have likewise attempted to cynically deceive the >international public opinion. > >It is necessary to provide another precise element: recurrently, the US >Government cites the authorization of donations to Cuba amounting to >hundreds of millions of dollars per year in humanitarian aid. I can confirm >that it is absolutely false. Actually, donations to Cuba from US >non-governmental and religious organizations have averaged some US$ 4 >million per year. What I am interested in underlining is that such donations >- usually prepared in open defiance of the constraints, obstacles and >persecutions imposed by the Federal Government on its organizers - are an >unmistakable testimony to the spirit of solidarity and sensitivity of many >of the best and most honest native sons and daughters of the American >people. > >Mr. President: > >As if everything I have just said to this Assembly were not enough, I must >now warn against the new aggression committed by the United States against >Cuba. Last 28 October, the US President signed the Victims of Trafficking >and Violence Protection Act - whereby that country's Government is >authorized to appropriate US$ 161 million in frozen funds belonging to Cuban >enterprises and banks. It also sets down the right to such dispossession in >the future should any transactions come about once the blockade is lifted. > >This money will be handed over to Miami-based terrorist groups and its >lawyers - with the pretext of compensating the relatives of the pilots of >one of these terrorist organizations, who died when engaged in one of the >many acts of provocation against Cuba, jeopardizing the life of innocent >people and air traffic in the area. The US Government is well aware of how >that unfortunate incident happened and who should be held accountable for >it. > >This new action is another escalation in the policy of aggression against >Cuba - while setting a negative international precedent that will most >certainly cause problems in the future. > >Cuba reiterates to this Assembly its determination to face this new >aggression and its steadfast commitment to enforce the recent provisions >adopted by our Government in reaction to the US legislative stunt. > >Distinguished Representatives: > >The General Assembly of the United Nations did not abandon Cuba in these >tough years when it had to confront - in addition to its own hardships - the >economic war that the United States reinforced when it believed that the >time had come to launch the final attack on my country. While the United >States relentlessly toughened its unprecedented blockade, Cuba received more >solidarity and support from the General Assembly of the United Nations. >However, while year after year a larger number of members of this Assembly >asked the United States to change its policy, such repeated appeal was >disregarded with imperial arrogance. > >When back in 1992 the Torricelli Act was enacted (currently in force) - >prohibiting, inter alia, trade transactions between Cuba and the >subsidiaries of US companies based in third countries and seriously >hindering international maritime transportation; and when former President >Bush stated: "My Administration will continue to exert pressure on all the >Governments of the world about the need to isolate Castro's regime >economically" - 59 members of this General Assembly voted against the >blockade for the first time. > >When in 1993 the United States declared that in order to provide economic >assistance to any country all economic relations with Cuba must cease - >further expanding the extraterritorial scope of the blockade - 88 countries >in this Assembly demanded the end of such policy. > >When in 1994 the United States increased its aggressive radio broadcasts >against my country; banned the sending of remittances and packages of food >and medicines to Cuba; and restricted family-related travels between both >countries - with the aim of "further tightening the embargo on Cuba, thereby >limiting the capacity of the Cuban Government to accumulate foreign >exchange," as expressly declared by the Treasury - 101 countries voted in >this Assembly against that policy. > >When in 1995 this General Assembly knew - among other pieces of information >disclosing the progressive reinforcement of the blockade - that the only two >companies (both based in third countries) supplying pacemakers for patients >with heart disease had discontinued such supply to Cuba - one because their >equipment contained US-made components and the other because it had been >bought by a firm located in the United States - and when this country was >already debating new initiatives to internationalize the blockade, 117 >countries supported Cuba's right. > >When in 1996 the Helms-Burton Act was signed and President Clinton himself >stated: "Nobody in the world supports our policy towards Cuba," the General >Assembly of the United Nations demanded the end of the blockade through the >favorable vote of 137 countries. > >When in 1997 the United States imposed its conditions on the European Union >and prevented the issue of the blockade on Cuba from being discussed at the >World Trade Organization - while sanctioning those companies and >businesspeople that, in defiance of the blockade, had relations with Cuba - >the number of countries voting in favor of the Cuban resolution at the >General Assembly increased to 143. > >When in 1998, on the one hand, the US Government stepped up its harassment >against the enterprises that maintained relations with our country and >stated that "twelve companies from over seven countries are being >investigated for conducting activities in Cuba" with the aim of punishing >them and, on the other, the US Association for World Health asserted that >"the embargo of the United States has significantly increased Cuba's >suffering" and confirmed that "such embargo violates the basic international >agreements and conventions that provide guidelines on human rights," the >General Assembly once again condemned the blockade on Cuba through 157 >votes. > >When in 1999 the international agreements on trademarks and patents were >arbitrarily infringed in the US Congress to tighten the blockade - and US >farmers and even the Senate were already demanding authorization to sell >food and medicines to Cuba - 158 countries then supported the end of the >blockade against Cuba in this General Assembly. > >That is how we have come to this day. > >Nobody should be deceived. All laws and pieces of legislation adopted >against Cuba throughout these years with irrational hatred and outright >disrespect for International Law are still in force. > >Distinguished Representatives: > >The new President of the United States should decide whether to promote a >change in this outdated policy in Congress or continue being held hostage to >the mean interests and delusions of revenge of an extremist, unscrupulous >minority long overridden by history. > >The current US President is perhaps a case in point. He probably wanted in >the beginning to transform the situation that was passed down to him. >However, he will go down in history as the President who - being able to do >so - was forced to act in a completely opposite direction. Perhaps after >having normalized US relations with China and Vietnam, and even a number of >countries once labeled terrorists; and when flying to the People's >Democratic Republic of Korea - a country with which the United States has >still not signed the peace - he will ponder on his actions towards Cuba. >There are men who make history for their courage and the conviction >prevailing in their deeds; there are others who fail to make it for what >they could not or did not want to do out of incapacity or fear. > >The President-elect and the new US Congress must decide. Cuba, in the >meantime - more determined and optimistic than ever in its decision to >continue being a free nation - stands both ready to have normal and >respectful relations with the United States, towards whose people it does >not feel any hatred or hold any grudges for our suffering, and to face >another century of blockade and acts of aggression. No wonder all my >generation and 60 in every 100 Cubans have lived all their lives under the >harshness of the blockade. Our children will also be capable of doing so. > >Our adherence to man's full independence, freedom and dignity - and the >thorough enjoyment of human rights, attained forty years ago for the first >time in our history - is far higher than the sanctions imposed by the >blockade. > >I would like to remind the Representative of Israel - whose Government, >bound to the United States by ties of mutual complicity, has been the only >one that together with the former has voted against our right to life for >eight consecutive years, but whose people, persecuted and decimated by >famine and diseases, surely understands and supports us - that our struggle >against the blockade not condemned by his country is also in favor of the >rights of the Cuban-Hebrew community that with all respect, freedom and >consideration is currently living in our homeland. > >I would like to confess to the Representative of the United States that I >recognize how tough it must be for him to try and defend - without any >arguments whatsoever - the right of his country to kill Cuban children >through famine and diseases. After the voting, when the Honorable US >Ambassador leaves this hall, he should recall what I will say to him now: > >You can cause terror through the use of force, but never sympathy. You can >be the strongest, but not loved or respected. You can impose power, but >never moral authority. You can be the richest, but not the most virtuous. >You can lie, but you cannot deceive everybody indefinitely. You can harass a >people, but you cannot prevent it from fighting with all its might for the >right to freedom and life. > >The vote that you will cast today, dear Representatives, does not settle a >bilateral difference between Cuba and the United States, but the staying >power of the principles of International Law; the rejection of the >extraterritorial implementation of laws; the respect for the sovereign >equality of States and the freedom to engage in international trade and >navigation. > >On behalf of the people that invasions, blockades and acts of aggression >have not caused it to lose its courage and optimism, whose inhabitants are >willing to fight, teach, build or heal anywhere on Earth; on behalf of the >people that feels every injustice or pain in the world as its own, for which >its homeland has been humankind - and that is now expecting over there in >our country with justified confidence that this General Assembly will vote >against injustice and in favor of International Law - I ask you, >distinguished Representatives, to once again express your support for the >effective end of the economic, trade and financial blockade imposed by the >United States against Cuba. > >Thank you very much. > >(c) 2000 AIN, NY Transfer News. > >================================================================= > NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems > Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us > 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 > http://www.blythe.org e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >================================================================= > >-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> >eLerts >It's Easy. 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