The UN General Assembly votes today a new draft resolution on lifting the US blockade against Cuba, an initiative that is categorically backed here in the last 23 years by the international community.
The UN General Assembly votes today a new draft resolution on lifting the US blockade against Cuba, an initiative that is categorically backed here in the last 23 years by the international community.
In addition to the delivery of the plenary of the 193 UN members, in the forum of countries, have the possibility to intervene in both national capacity and on behalf of global and regional organizations, to set position on economic, trade and financial measures imposed on the island for over half a century.
The General Assembly at its 70th session also receives the submission of a report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, related to the implementation of the resolution adopted last year with the support of 188 governments and the isolated rejection of the United States of America and Israel.
The document submitted by Ban referred to the position of the international community, the UN system and others on the siege of Washington.
About 155 governments, the European Union, the Holy See and more than 30 organizations sent their criteria to the UN Secretary General, the vast majority to criticize the unilateral measure, noting its impact and advance support for the draft resolution.
The initiative now considered the main deliberative organ of the UN-the vote should occur at about midday in New York- appeals to the principles of sovereignty and equality of states, freedom of trade and navigation and non-interference in internal affairs, to request the lifting of the US blockade against Cuba.
It also expresses concerns about the extraterritoriality of the fence, from laws such as the Helms-Burton (1996), and recalls the global rejection of the punishment maintained by a dozen US presidents, several of them with two terms as head of the White House.
Since 1992, the international community overwhelmingly supports the project, which since 2005 has received at least 182 votes in favor, has never met with the support of five countries, and in the last three years won the support of 188 governments, ratifying the US isolation.
This year, the voting takes place in a different scenario, after the restoration of diplomatic relations between Havana and Washington, in July, and the recognition by US President Barack Obama, of the need to remove the fence, which corresponds to Congress in its main aspects, since it became a law in 1996 when the Helms-Burton Act entered into force.
In that sense, the resolution of 2015 welcomes the resumption of ties between Cuba and the United States and Obama expressed willingness to work on the lifting of the blockade, but it remains in full force and effect.
Source: PL
Translation: Liubis Balart Martínez