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(begin transcript)

Ambassador Moley: We were really glad that the resolution passed. This is a resolution that merely calls for a special envoy of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to be allowed access to Cuba, which they have so far been denied. We wish the language would be stronger. We wish it took into account the egregious violations of human rights that have taken place since this Commission began, including the execution just this past Friday of three people in a matter of days from the time they were arrested, executed within an hour from the time they were tried. This resolution does not mention those violations, but it does in fact give some hope to the dissidents in Cuba, and to all those in Cuba and elsewhere in the Americas, who support human rights.

Question: Ambassador, the Cuban delegation is saying they are not going to accept this special Rapporteur to visit the island. What is your response?

Ambassador Moley: The special envoy that has been authorized both by last year's Human Rights Resolution on Cuba and now this year's, has once again been rejected. That would be yet again a violation of the human rights of the Cuban people and their hope for freedom as enjoyed by all other people in our hemisphere now living in democracy. This is a shame, this reflects on Fidel Castro's inability to provide human rights to his own people.

Question: What is your message to the countries of Latin America that did not vote for the resolution?

Ambassador Moley: As you know, most of the countries in Latin America did support the resolution and we would hope that in the future, there would be no need for a resolution. That the regime in Cuba would change in such a way as to offer its own people the same kind of rights, freedom of religion, freedom to vote, free and impartial judiciary, that they are currently denying them and have been now for 45 years. It is an outrage!

Question: Countries such as Argentina that used to vote for the Resolution today abstained. Brazil abstained. What is your position on this?

Ambassador Moley: Well, Brazil has always abstained. The fact of the matter is that if you are counting votes, there are more votes today for this resolution than there were a year ago.

Question: Ambassador, Cuba has always used the embargo to criticize and to gather support in their own favor. Why do you think the United States should keep the embargo going?

Ambassador Moley: The United States does not have any interest in putting money in Castro's pockets. The fact of the matter is we are not about the business of strengthening a regime, which has repressed its own people for 45 continuous years -- 45 years without free elections; 45 years of imprisoning those who dissent against Castro's totalitarian dictatorship. The greatest triumph of human rights in the last six weeks of this Commission has been the liberation of Iraq from a homicidal maniac. Let's hope that next year this time, the Cuban people would be free to hold free and fair elections for themselves and have freedom. Thank you.

[End]