St. Kitts and Nevis joins the Caribbean and 186 nations in calling for end of US embargo against Cuba

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – St. Kitts and Nevis joined Caribbean nations among the 186 countries in renewing a call by the General Assembly of the United Nations for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba for the past half century.

There were 186 votes in favour to two against (Israel and the US) and three abstentions (Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau) as the General Assembly reiterated its call to all States to refrain from promulgating and applying laws and measures not conforming with their obligations to reaffirm freedom of trade and navigation.

Speaking after the vote, St. Kitts and Nevis’ Permanent Representative, His Excellency Delano Bart said the twin-island Federation supported the resolution, even though it had very good relations with the United States, and remained one of its closest partners, respecting its international leadership.

He associated the statement with those previously made on behalf of CARICOM, Non-Aligned Movement and Group of 77 developing countries and China, because States should not affect free flow of trade or apply laws that impinge on sovereignty of other States.

Ambassador Bart said Cuba was also one of his country’s strongest allies — it aided development and cooperated within the Caribbean, and much could be learned from the country, but was prevented by the embargo.

“The embargo was a burden on the brothers and sisters of Cuba, with quite an unfair and profound impact. Indeed, other countries in grip of global recession could get outside help, but Cuba could not — that went against the very principles of the partnership of the United Nations. The fact that members annually overwhelmingly voted against the embargo implied that it was wrong, said the St. Kitts and Nevis United Nations representative.

Her Excellency Paulette Bethel of the Bahamas, speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), reiterated the unequivocal opposition of CARICOM member States to the United States’ imposition of the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba.

“The unilateral imposition of extraterritorial laws on third States was contrary to both the letter and spirit of the United Nations Charter, she said, adding that the embargo itself runs counter to the principles of the Organization.

She noted that CARICOM considered the embargo an anachronism in the twenty first century, contributing only to the suffering of generations of ordinary Cubans and unnecessarily increasing tensions between the United States and Cuba.

“Because the embargo served no justifiable legal, political or moral purpose today,” she said “CARICOM States therefore maintained the position that constructive engagement and peaceful negotiations remained the only acceptable means for advancing long-term peace and stability.”

Noting that the resolution on the matter of the embargo had been repeatedly and overwhelmingly adopted by the General Assembly, she stated that its continued disregard would only complicate the President of the General Assembly’s stated goal of improving the role of the United Nations in matters of global governance.

CARICOM believed that the Assembly President should explore additional mechanisms to operationalise the words of the current resolution.

The representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines noted United States President Barack Obama, in his inaugural address to the Assembly last year, said “alignments of nations rooted in the cleavages of a long gone Cold War” made no sense in an interconnected world, and, “the time has come to realize that the old habits and arguments are irrelevant to the challenges faced by our people.”

He said St. Vincent and the Grenadines “wholeheartedly” aligned itself with those words, as well as today’s statements by the Caribbean Community, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 developing countries and China.

There might be no clearer example of the United States’ disregard of overwhelming international opinion than its continued unilateral imposition of “this senseless blockade,” which had ,over the years, become “a policy in search of a justification.” he said.

A United States Government Accountability Office report last year said the President had discretion to further ease restrictions on measures causing suffering among Cubans, he noted.

“It was most unfortunate that any foreign president exerted such a direct and negative influence on day-to-day lives of another nation’s citizens, in flagrant disregard of international law,” he said.

President Obama’s cathartic and laudable statements rang hollow when viewed through the prism of existing legislation that attempted to “impose a cookie-cutter concept of democracy totally divorced from the culture, history and context of the Cuban people,” he said.

The Vincentian representative noted Cuba had been a “staunch and abiding partner” in the development of his own country, educating its students, bringing medical care and construction projects while wealthier countries and institutions had looked askance.

“This resolution is not simply some ritualistic annual rite of the United Nations; it is a matter of life and death for 11.5 million Cubans. We in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines believe in change, and live in hope that there will be no need for us to gather here next year to vote on this resolution yet again,” he said.

Joseph Goddard of Barbados called for respecting the rights of non-interference in internal affairs and peaceful relations among States, among others.

“Maintenance of peace and security required that all States adhere to the rule of law, including the principles enshrined in the Charter. For such reasons, Barbados opposed the unilateral imposition of measures that infringed on State sovereignty,” he said, adding that he viewed the continued imposition of the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba as a violation of the Charter.

Barbados fully embraced Cuba as a partner in the region and remained steadfast in that partnership. It respected Cuba’s full integration into the hemisphere. Measures to isolate that country, such as the embargo, would not foster change.

By way of example, he said the embargo inhibited the development of normal relations and impeded legitimate business opportunities among neighbouring States.

The embargo’s impacts could be seen throughout all social and economic activities in Cuba, creating economic hardship. For its part, Barbados maintained excellent relations with both the United States and Cuba and, in that spirit, called for the immediate end to the embargo.

He further urged the United States to engage in a constructive dialogue with Cuba. Such a step would remove a source of tension and improve prospects for peace, development and cooperation.

Barbados voted in favour of the resolution.

Introducing the text, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Foreign Minister of Cuba, stated that the US has never hidden the fact that the objective of the embargo – which he said has caused more than $975 billion in damage to the Cuban people – is to overthrow his country’s Government.

“What the US Government wants to see changed will not change,” he stated, declaring that the Cuban Government will continue to be “the government of the people, by the people and for the people.”

“Our elections shall not be auction sales. There shall not be $4 billion electoral campaigns nor a parliament supported by 13 per cent of voters,” he added.

The US representative, Ronald Godard, said that for yet another year, the Assembly is taking up a resolution designed to confuse and obscure.

“But let there be no confusion about this: the United States, like most Member States, reaffirms its strong commitment to supporting the right and the heartfelt desire of the Cuban people to freely determine their future.

“And let there be no obscuring that the Cuban regime has deprived them of this right for more than half a century,” he stated.

Mr. Godard added that the economic relationship between the US and Cuba is a bilateral issue and is not appropriately a concern of the Assembly.

“The embargo represents just one aspect of US policy towards Cuba whose overarching goal is to encourage a more open environment in Cuba and increased respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, principles to which this Organization is also dedicated,” he said.