04 November 2003
U.S. Criticizes U.N. Call for End to Cuba Trade Embargo
General Assembly resolution on U.S. embargo on Cuba called "misguided"
The United States voiced strong exception to what it calls a "misguided" resolution passed November 4 by the United Nations General Assembly calling for the end to the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.
Sichan Siv, U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Economic and Social Council, said in a statement delivered mostly in Spanish that the embargo has been kept in place by successive U.S. administrations in order to maintain pressure to restore freedom and democracy on the Communist-ruled island.
Siv said Havana has shown "no interest whatsoever" in implementing the necessary economic and political reforms in exchange for the United States relaxing the embargo. The regime of Cuba's Fidel Castro, added Siv, has "steadfastly refused" to allow any kind of political opening and continues to deny the Cuban people the most basic of human rights.
Siv said that the Castro regime's "failed economic policies" -- not the U.S. embargo -- have impoverished Cubans and "destroyed what once was one of the most advanced economies in the region."
Following is the transcript of Siv's remarks, with Spanish portions translated into English:
(begin transcript)
U.S.-U.N. PRESS RELEASE
November 4, 2003
Statement by Ambassador Sichan Siv, United States Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, on the Trade Embargo Against Cuba, in the United Nations General Assembly Plenary Session, on November 4, 2003:
Mr. President,
As in years past, the Government of Cuba has tabled a resolution on the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba in an attempt to blame its economic woes on the United States, and to divert attention from its abysmal human rights record.
We strongly take issue with this resolution. Regardless of one's views on the embargo, it should be clear that this is a bilateral issue between the United States and Cuba.
It is important to bear in mind that the embargo was imposed after the illegal and large-scale expropriation of American properties for which the Cuban government offered no compensation. It has been kept in place by successive Administrations in order to maintain pressure to restore freedom and democracy in Cuba.
It is not a blockade, as the Cuban government asserts in its official pronouncements, since it does not interfere with trade with other nations. Cuba is free to trade with any other country in the world, and indeed does so. In addition, more than 175,000 Americans legally visited Cuba last year using regular charter services that exist between the U.S. and Cuba.
The truth is that Cuba's trade with other countries is not affected by the embargo, but instead by its poor credit rating stemming from the fact that it does not pay its bills and has billions of dollars in loans in arrears. It is the communist regime's failed economic policies -- not the embargo -- that have impoverished Cubans and destroyed what once was one of the most advanced economies in the region.
The U.N. Economic Commission on Latin America (ECLAC), in a study conducted in conjunction with a Cuban think tank, concludes that Cuba must ease restrictions on small businesses to revive its suffering economy. Cuba needs to deregulate in order to achieve real growth but Castro cannot do that without ceding decision-making authority.
We have offered to make changes in the embargo in exchange for reforms. In May 2002, the United States challenged the Castro government to undertake political and economic reforms, in particular to permit free and fair elections to the National Assembly. We also challenged the Cuban government to open its economy, allow independent trade unions, and end discriminatory practices against Cuban workers. President Bush made clear that his response to such concrete reforms would be to work with the U.S. Congress to ease the restrictions on trade and travel between the United States and Cuba.
Instead of a political opening, the Cuban government carried out a brutal crackdown last March, sentencing 75 members of the opposition, including independent journalists, economists, trade unionists and human rights advocates, to up to 28 years in prison. It was the worst act of political repression against advocates of peaceful change in the history of Cuba.
Havana has shown no interest whatsoever in implementing the necessary economic and political reforms. Castro has steadfastly refused to allow any kind of political opening and continues to deny the Cuban people the most basic human rights as recognized by the Universal Declaration.
The Cuban government will portray the support for this resolution as support for the regime and its repressive policies, just as it has so often done in the past.
For all these reasons, the United States strongly opposes this misguided resolution.
Mr. President,
In the eighties, President Reagan reflected on U.S.-Soviet relations by using a Russian quote: "Doveryai, no proveryai" (trust but verify). On communists and dictators like those in Havana, I say: "Nikogda ne doveryai, vsegda proveryai" (never trust, always verify).
Mr. President,
The best day for Cuba is when the Cuban people open their ears and hear the truth.
It's when they open their eyes and see freedom.
It's when they open their mouth and say "Viva Cuba libre!"
Cuba's best day is when the Cuban people have terminated Castro's evil, communist, dictatorial regime and said to him: "Hasta la vista, baby!"
Thank you, Mr. President.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2003&m=November&x=20031104162740neerge0.9125482&t=usinfo/wf-latest.html
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