Latin America
Related: About this forumU.S. blocking Cuba’s access to information technology
OBSTACLES preventing access to information technology and communications derived from the U.S. blockade of Cuba were denounced before the World Trade Organization in Geneva on May 16. Washington must be called upon to end its unilateral coercive measures, asserted Carlos Fidel Martín, from the Cuban embassy in Switzerland, during a symposium organized for the 15th anniversary of the Information Technology Agreement. The U.S. blockade imposed on Cuba for more than 50 years is hindering the buying and selling of these products and services on the world market, as well as electronic trade, a key instrument of support for international economic links, the diplomat stated, as quoted by Prensa Latina.
"These practices are contrary to international law and WTO regulations and also have extraterritorial ramifications," he noted.
Martín also confirmed his rejection of so-called plurinational initiatives or ones that are more restrictive in terms of the number of participants currently being promoted by certain industrialized countries, to the detriment of the fundamental principles of the Multilateral Trading System.
The previous week in Geneva, Cuban representative Juan Antonio Quintanilla, speaking at the 13th session of the Working Group on the Right to Development, a UN Human Rights Council subsidiary body, stated that the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade is a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of Cuban citizens human rights.
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/cuba-i/24may-blocking.html
Cuba Reaffirms Denunciation of US Blockade at UN
United Nations, May 24 (Prensa Latina) Cuba reaffirmed today at the United Nations its denunciation of the US blockade and the difficulties caused to the Island in fulfilling its financial commitments with the world body.
It also criticized the unilateral coercive measures and other actions carried out by the UN host against several members, in violation of its obligations in this regard.
While ratifying his country's commitment to multilateralism despite difficulties, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba to the UN, Oscar Leon Gonzalez, recalled in the Fifth Commission of the General Assembly that Cuba has suffered for over 50 years the consequences of the unfair economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the government of the United States.
That siege prevents the Island from using the US dollar in international transactions, including the fees to be paid to international bodies, and it affects its payment capacity, as the movements are subject to market fluctuations, he noted.
http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=510119&Itemid=1
ProgressiveProfessor
(22,144 posts)If it were really against international law and the WTO, there would be action in those forums. There is none. The US has no requirement to open its borders or support comms with Cuba.
Mika
(17,751 posts)Even if there's no requirement, it is using US policy as a battering ram against businesses and a sovereign nation - and then blaming Cubans for the impact of US actions.
There is no real defense of this US activity, considering the dictatorships, rogue, and terror states we deal with all over the planet.
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