Godlike Productions - News: US Defends Cuba Policy Amid UN Condemnation

11:39 AM

News

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Breaking News Back

US Defends Cuba Policy Amid UN Condemnation

VOA News

2009-10-29

The Obama administration on Wednesday defended the long-running U.S. economic embargo against Cuba in the face of another overwhelming U.N. General Assembly vote condemning American policy toward the island nation. But administration officials also stressed efforts to reach out to the Cuba's communist government.

The Obama administration says it has broken with its predecessors in opening dialogue with Cuba on several fronts. But it also says it does not intend to reward Havana by lifting sanctions until it improves human rights conditions.

The comments followed an overwhelming vote in the U.N. General Assembly on a non-binding resolution condemning the 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba and urging Washington lift the restrictions.

This is the 18th consecutive year that the assembly has gone on record against U.S. Cuba policy. The number of countries supporting the United States on the matter has dwindled over the years.

Wednesday's resolution was 187 votes in favor, three against and two abstentions. Only Israel and the Pacific island state of Palau sided with the United States. Two other Pacific states, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, abstained.

Addressing the assembly, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called the embargo an "act of arrogance" and said it has cost the Cuban economy tens-of-billions of dollars over the years and deprived children of needed medical care.

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations said it is wrong to blame U.S. sanctions for deprivation in Cuba. While calling the Cuban statement hostile and reminiscent of the Cold War, Susan Rice said the Obama administration is committed to trying to write a new chapter in relations with Cuba by engaging the Havana government.

Briefing reporters here, State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said the "annual exercise" in the General Assembly obscures the fact that the United States is a leading source of food and humanitarian relief aid to Cuba.

He said that since taking office in January, the Obama administration has eased various restrictions and opened new dialogue on migration and postal links.

But Kelly said the administration wants to see improvement in human rights conditions and respect for fundamental freedoms in Cuba before it will consider normalized relations.

"The suggestion that were not assisting Cuba is just false. We are one of the major providers of humanitarian assistance to Cuba. But we don't believe that while there are repressive measures in place in Cuba that we should reward the government of Cuba by lifting the economic sanctions that could assist the government of Cuba in its repression of its own citizens."

Amid pressure from U.S. farm states, the Bush administration eased restrictions on sales of agricultural goods to Cuba. Spokesman Kelly said U.S. exports of food, lumber and medical items to Cuba exceeded $700 million last year.

The Obama administration has lifted limits on travel and remittances to Cuba by Cuban-Americans and initiated talks on reinstating direct postal service between the two countries for the first time since 1963.

Last month, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Bisa Williams became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Cuba in several years. Her trip to Havana was ostensibly to discuss the postal issue, but she extended her mission and had broader talks with Cuban officials.

Email Article

Discuss in the Forum

Back

Disclaimer:
This website exists for entertainment purposes only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. Moderators on this forum make every effort to review the material posted on this site however, it is not realistically possible for our small staff to manually review each and every one of the more than 10,000 posts GodlikeProductions gets on a daily basis.

The content of post on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original poster and are in no way representative of or endorsed by the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or factual information on behalf of the owner or administration of GodlikeProductions. This site may contain adult content and if you feel you might be offended by such content, you should log off immediately.

Not all posts on this website are intended as truthful or factual assertion by their authors. Some users of this website are participating in internet role playing, with or without the use of an avatar. NO post on this website should be considered factual information on face value alone. Users are encouraged to USE DISCERNMENT and do their own follow up research while reading and posting on this website. Godlikeproductions.com reserves the right to make changes to, corrections and/or remove entirely at any time posts made on this website without notice. In addition, Godlikeproductions.com disclaims any and all liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of a post on this website.

This site is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. You should not assume that this site is error-free or that it will be suitable for the particular purpose which you have in mind when using it. In no event shall Godlikeproductions.com be liable for any special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages of any kind, or any damages whatsoever, including, without limitation, those resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether or not advised of the possibility of damage, and on any theory of liability, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this site or other documents which are referenced by or linked to this site.

Some events depicted in certain posting and threads on this website may be fictitious and any similarity to any person living or dead is merely coincidental. Some other articles may be based on actual events but which in certain cases incidents, characters and timelines have been changed for dramatic purposes. Certain characters may be composites, or entirely fictitious.

We do not discriminate against the mentally ill!

Fair Use Notice:
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C.Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
For more information please visit:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

Please be aware any communications sent complaining about a post on this website may be posted publicly at the discretion of the administration.

This Disclaimer is subject to change at anytime.

Mail Webmaster with questions or comments about this site.

Privacy Policy - Terms Of Use

Copyright 1999-2009 © GodLikeProductions.com

Page generated in 0.033s (1 queries)