[Marxism] Statement by Cuban Foreign Minstry

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

On 3rd September last, at 4:45 P.M., the Assistant Secretary of State
for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Thomas Shannon, delivered to the Head
of the Interest Section of Cuba in Washington, Note NÂ 646, which
states âits deepest regret for the destruction caused by hurricane
Gustavâ and affirms that the United States would be prepared to
âoffer immediate and initial humanitarian assistance of relief
supplies to the Cuban people through an appropriate international
relief organizationâ.

An identical Note was later sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
by the United States Interests Section in Havana.

In said Note, the U.S. Government also requests the Cuban Government
to âallow a United States humanitarian assessment team to visit Cuba
to inspect the affected areas to properly assess damageâ.

On Saturday 6 September, at 8:55 A.M., the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs delivered to the State Department, through the Interests
Section of Cuba in Washington, and simultaneously to the United
States Interests Section in Havana, its Note NÂ 1866 conveying its
appreciation for the expressions of regret by the Government of the
United States due to the destruction caused in our country by
hurricane Gustav.

The Note also states that Cuba does not require the assistance of a
humanitarian assessment team to assess the damage and needs, as it
has a sufficient number of specialists, which practically have
concluded that task.

The Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expresses that if
the Government of the United States is really willing to cooperate
with the Cuban people in face of the tragedy of the hurricane, it is
requested to allow the sale to Cuba of those materials considered
indispensable and to suspend the restrictions that prevent U.S.
companies from offering private commercial credits to our country for
the purchase of food in the United States.

A widespread public debate has emerged during the last few hours in
the United States regarding the position that should be adopted by
the U.S. Government due to of the severe damage caused by hurricane
Gustav in Cuba.

During the afternoon of 4 September, the Democratic Presidential
Candidate, Barack Obama, requested the suspension, for no less than
90 days, of restrictions to travel, remittances and assistance by
Cuban residents in the United States to their families in Cuba.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers that the restrictions to
travel and send remittances by persons of Cuban origin residing in
the United States should have never been applied. It is not Cuba but
the United States who deprives persons of Cuban origin from the
exercise of this right.

If these rights were to be returned to the Cubans as a result of
humanitarian reasons, there would be no way to explain that said
prohibition, equally unjust and discriminatory, would be retained for
U.S. citizens.

Now, when the Eastern part of the country is already in hurricane
watch as a result of the threat posed by hurricane Ike, as powerful
as Gustav, Cuba reaffirms that, in all truth, the only correct and
ethical action, in correspondence with International Law and the
practically unanimous will of the U.N. General Assembly, would be to
eliminate totally and permanently the ruthless and cruel economic,
commercial and financial blockade imposed against our Motherland 
for almost half a century. It includes the persecution of Cuban
commercial and financial operations in third countries and which,
according to conservative calculations, causes yearly damages higher
than those caused by hurricane Gustav.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba

September 6 2008


=========================================
     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un ParaÃso bajo el bloqueo"
=========================================

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