Jaafari: Syria continues to support Cuba in the face of the unjust US embargo and Washington's hostile policy against it

New York-Sana

Syria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr. Bashar Jaafari, stressed that Syria will continue to support the steadfastness of Cuba's people and government in the face of the unjust US embargo imposed on it since 1962, stressing that condemning this blockade is no longer enough today, especially in light of the escalating policy of the current US government.

In a statement to the United Nations General Assembly on the item entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba,” Jaafari said that my delegation joins the statement made by the representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and by the representative of the State of Palestine on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

Al-Jaafari said Syria believes that condemning the embargo imposed by the United States against the Cuban people is no longer sufficient today, especially in light of the escalating policy adopted by the current US government, which is based on the tightening of this blockade to its effects beyond the territorial limits of Cuba.

Al-Jaafari stressed that Syria absolutely supports the General Assembly's draft resolution on the US embargo imposed on Cuba and considers it a clear legal and political reflection of the position of nations rejecting unilateral coercive economic measures as they constitute collective punishment for entire peoples and undermine the UN system and impinge on its powers and stand in the way of achieving the goals of the sustainable development plan. In 2030, it violates the right of States to development and impedes international trade and the full implementation of the rights enshrined in human rights instruments.

Al-Jaafari pointed to the recent measures taken by the US government, which are based on Article 3 of the so-called Helms Burton Act, which opens the door to judicial proceedings in the US courts against Cuban companies or individuals or against third countries that do business in Cuba. Washington A new hostile policy against the Cuban people with the aim of denying them access to energy and fuel by imposing sanctions on each party or individual contributing to or facilitating the transfer of energy and fuel shipments to Cuba, along with new restrictive measures related to reducing the number of flights They see civil and commercial to Cuba.

Al-Jaafari said that the periodic reports of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the information contained therein on the extent of the damage and losses caused by unilateral coercive economic measures imposed on Cuba require us today to consider a new approach that goes beyond condemning this embargo and calling for an end to it by calling for the implementation of the recommendations. International that seeks to redress the victims of these actions.

He pointed to the similarity of the suffering of the Syrian and Cuban peoples as a result of the unilateral economic measures imposed on them.

The unilateral coercive economic measures imposed by the United States and some other governments, which in recent years have reached an unprecedented level because they have accompanied their disruptive effects on the economy and development in Syria with the repercussions of the terrorist war and with the unethical policies of some governments that impede the start of reconstruction and recovery and hinder the return Displaced Syrians to their homeland.

Al-Jaafari pointed to the policy of double standards adopted by some countries in this regard. He wondered how the representatives of some countries should take the UN platforms to call for accelerating the implementation of the goals and objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and call for the slogan “No one is left behind” while imposing their governments. Unilateral coercive economic measures against Cuba, Syria, Iran, Venezuela, the DPRK, Palestine, the Russian Federation and other countries.

At the end of his statement, Ja'afari reiterated the briefing of Driss Jazairy, the Special Rapporteur on the negative effects of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, about his deep concern that unilateral coercive measures are exacerbating the suffering of the Syrian people and that it is difficult to believe the allegations that they exist to protect Syrians.

He said that the assessment issued by a high-level UN representative extends to include the tragic situation of all peoples who are exposed to the consequences of unilateral coercive economic measures, stressing that the time has come to put an end "irreversibly" to the policies of economic punishment adopted by some Member States' governments. To uphold the principles of justice and equality and the right of all peoples of the world to well-being and development without discrimination or restriction.