US abstains from vote on Cuba resolution

MASOOD HAIDER PUBLISHED Oct 27, 2016 07:01am

UNITED NATIONS: For the first time in over two decades, the United States has abstained from a
UN resolution urging the lifting of nearly 60-year-old economic, commercial and financial embargo
against Cuba.
The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution with 191 votes in favour with two abstentions.
Such resolutions are non-binding, but can carry political weight.
Cuba and the United States, former Cold War foes, began normalising relations in 2014.
Cubas Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez described the abstention as a positive step for the future of
improving relations between the United States and Cuba.
Rodriguez said in September that damage from US sanctions between April 2015 and March 2016
amounted to $4.6 billion and to $125.9 billion since the embargos inception more than 50 years ago.
The UN General Assembly applauded when US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power
announced prior to the vote that the United States would abstain.
Abstaining on this resolution does not mean that the United States agrees with all of the policies and
practices of the Cuban government, Power told the General Assembly.
We are profoundly concerned by the serious human rights violations that the Cuban government
continues to commit with impunity against its own people, she said.
In the nearly two years since Obama ordered full restoration of diplomatic relations with the island nation,
the two countries have reopened embassies in the other country, direct flights have been resumed and
travel restrictions eased.
Published in Dawn October 27th, 2016