Havana gets backing from Beijing, G77 at UN debate

China voiced support for Cuba on Tuesday at a UN General Assembly debate on the decades-long US economic, commercial and financial embargo against the Caribbean country, saying the measures have caused serious hardship for Cubans and should be brought to an end.

The General Assembly voted earlier on Tuesday to proceed with the debate by 136 votes in favor, nine against and 30 abstentions, despite opposition from the United States.

Speaking at the debate, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said China supported the convening of the meeting and voted in favor of holding it. The 136 votes in favor "fully demonstrated the aspiration of the international community and the call for justice", he said.

The debate, convened at the request of Cuba, focused on "the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba". The General Assembly last held its regular annual debate on the issue on Oct 28 and 29.

Fu said the US has, for more than 60 years, imposed an economic blockade and unilateral sanctions on Cuba, "causing enormous suffering to the Cuban state and people".

"Cuba has suffered accumulated losses of more than $170 billion as a result of the blockade, while hospitals, schools, water supply systems, grain storage facilities and other infrastructure related to people's livelihood have come under severe pressure," he said.

"Such acts violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including sovereign equality, the peaceful settlement of international disputes and the prohibition of the use or threat of force," Fu said.

They also "infringe upon the Cuban people's rights to subsistence and development, and undermine the international order based on international law and the basic norms governing international relations", he said.

"China urges the United States to stop its blockade against Cuba and all forms of coercive pressure, and to stop infringing upon the Cuban people's rights to subsistence and development," Fu said.

Fu also called for opposition to all illegal unilateral sanctions, saying unilateral sanctions without authorization from the UN Security Council "have no basis in international law and damage the sovereignty and security of other countries".

"No country can appoint itself as an international policeman, nor can any country style itself as an international judge," Fu said.

He called on countries and UN agencies to step up humanitarian assistance to Cuba, help address shortages of fuel, food and medicines, ease the crisis facing the Cuban people and safeguard the bottom line of international humanitarianism.

'Not a threat'

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla welcomed the Assembly's decision to hold the debate, saying Cuba rejects the claim that it represents a threat to the United States and condemns Washington's policy of hostility and aggression.

"Cuba is not a threat. Cuba is the nation that is under threat," said Parrilla.

Speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Laura Dupuy Lasserre, Uruguay's permanent representative to the UN, said the embargo "affects all the critical sectors of the Cuban economy, including public health, nutrition and agriculture, as well as trade, investment, tourism and banking".

"The Group therefore calls for the immediate, complete and unconditional lifting of the embargo, including all measures with extraterritorial effects," she said.