Cuba calls for an end to economic blockade

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In an annual ritual, untiring Cuba has once again called for the end of the decades-old United States' economic blockade against it, just one week before the voting at the United Nations General Assembly on the topic.

The UN General Assembly once again adopted a draft resolution under the title: The Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba and is slated to vote on the subject on Oct. 28, 2004.

The Cuban government prepared a special report on Resolution No. 58/7 of the UN General Assembly and distributed to the member countries.

A copy of the report was made available to journalists from The Jakarta Post and the Republika by the Cuban Ambassador to Indonesia Miguel Ramirez on Thursday in Jakarta.

While describing the blockade as an act of genocide, the report said that seven in every 10 Cubans have been born and lived under the blockade.

"It is the longest-standing economic, commercial and financial blockade in history. Over 10 U.S. administrations have already enforced, extended and further tightened it," the report said.

Ambassador Ramirez said that the blockade had cost Cuba over US$79.32 billion in the 44 years of its existence.

"Another sector seriously affected by the blockade has once again been the health system. The damage caused by blockade has also extended to the field of education, culture and sport," he said.

Abbot, an American firm, for example, refused to supply two of the products needed to treat AIDS patients, forcing Cuba to buy it from other countries at six times the cost, said Ramirez.

"We want a world (...) without cruel blockades that kill men, women and children, young and old, like silent atom bombs," the report quoted the speech made by Cuban President Fidel Castro at the UN General Assembly in 1995.

Cuba for the first time since 1962, when the blockade was put in place, submitted to the United Nations a draft resolution calling for the end of the blockade, said the report.

Cuba, however, decided to postpone discussion on the subject due to massive pressure from the U.S. on other countries.

Last November, Cuba's resolution got 197 votes in favor. Only Israel and Marshall Islands joined the United States in voting against it.

Ramirez hailed the Indonesian government's stand on the issue.

"Indonesia has had a very positive stand on the issue since the beginning of the resolution," he said.

"Indonesia has supported us and took a strong position by providing a report to the UN secretary general explaining why Indonesia supports Cuba in its fight against the U.S. blockade. So we are happy about Indonesia's position on this issue," he said.