| United Nations | A/50/401 |
General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
20 September 1995
ORIGINAL:
ARABIC/ENGLISH/
FRENCH/RUSSIAN/
SPANISH
Fiftieth session
Item 27 of the provisional agenda*
NECESSITY OF ENDING THE ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL AND
FINANCIAL EMBARGO IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA AGAINST CUBA
Report of the Secretary-General
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. INTRODUCTION ......................................... 1 - 3 4
II. REPLIES RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENTS ................................ 4
Angola ...........................................................4
Argentina ........................................................4
Australia ........................................................ 5
Bahrain ..........................................................5
Bolivia ..........................................................5
Brazil ...........................................................5
Cambodia .........................................................6
Canada ...........................................................6
________________________
* A/50/150.
95-26852 (E) 250995/...
*9526852*
CONTENTS (continued)
Paragraphs
Page
Colombia .........................................................7
Congo ............................................................7
Cuba .............................................................7
Cyprus ...........................................................16
Democratic People's Republic of Korea ............................17
Ecuador ..........................................................17
France ...........................................................18
Ghana ............................................................18
Guyana ...........................................................18
India ............................................................19
Iran (Islamic Republic of) .......................................19
Iraq .............................................................19
Kenya ............................................................20
Lao People's Democratic Republic .................................20
Lesotho ..........................................................20
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ...........................................20
Mexico ...........................................................21
Mongolia .........................................................22
Myanmar ..........................................................22
Namibia ..........................................................23
Nicaragua ........................................................23
Norway ...........................................................24
Papua New Guinea .................................................24
Paraguay .........................................................24
CONTENTS (continued)
Paragraphs
Page
Peru ............................................................. 24
Russian Federation ...............................................25
South Africa .....................................................25
Spain ............................................................26
Sri Lanka ........................................................26
Trinidad and Tobago ..............................................26
Ukraine ..........................................................26
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .............27
United Republic of Tanzania ......................................27
Uruguay ..........................................................28
Viet Nam .........................................................28
Zambia ...........................................................29
III. REPLIES RECEIVED FROM ORGANS AND AGENCIES OF THE
UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM ................................ 4 - 2629
I. INTRODUCTION
1. On 26 October 1994, the General Assembly adopted resolution 49/9,
entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial
embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba", in which it
requested the SecretaryGeneral, in consultation with the appropriate organs
and agencies of the United Nations system, to prepare a report on the
implementation of the resolution in the light of the purposes and
principles of the Charter and international law, and to submit it to the
Assembly at its fiftieth session.
2. Pursuant to that request, by a note dated 8 March 1995 and a reminder
dated 13 July 1995, the Secretary-General invited Governments and organs
and agencies of the United Nations system to provide him with any
information they might wish to contribute to the preparation of his report.
3. The present report reproduces the replies from Governments and from
organs and agencies of the United Nations system that had been received as
at 19 September 1995. Further replies will be reproduced as addenda to the
present report.
II. REPLIES RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENTS
ANGOLA
[Original: English]
[6 June 1995]
The Republic of Angola notes with concern that, instead of seeing
positive signs leading us to presume that, through dialogue between the
interested parties, an end would come to the blockade, the reality is that
the Senate of the United States has considered even harsher measures to
strengthen the wall that has surrounded the Republic of Cuba more than 35
years in flagrant violation of the norms and principles that govern
relations between independent and sovereign States.
ARGENTINA
[Original: Spanish]
[16 March 1995]
In the Argentine legal regime there is no law or measure of the kind
referred to in the preamble to the resolution in question.
AUSTRALIA
[Original: English]
[3 August 1995]
Australia has refrained from promulgating and applying laws and measures
of the kind referred to in the preamble to resolution 49/9, namely, laws
and regulations whose extraterritorial effects affect the sovereignty of
other States and the legitimate interests of entities or persons under
their jurisdiction, as well as the freedom of trade and navigation.
BAHRAIN
[Original: English]
[22 August 1995]
The competent authorities in the Government of the State of Bahrain are
not involved in any kind of embargo imposed against Cuba.
BOLIVIA
[Original: Spanish]
[21 June 1995]
The Government of the Republic of Bolivia has not adopted any legal
provisions or measures of the kind referred to in General Assembly
resolution 49/9. Consequently, there are no provisions, measures or laws
which the Government of Bolivia would have to repeal in this regard.
BRAZIL
[Original: English]
[27 June 1995]
1. Brazil reiterates its consistent position that discriminatory trade
practices and extraterritorial application of domestic laws run counter to
the need for promoting dialogue and ensuring respect for the principles and
purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.
2. In accordance with resolution 49/9, Brazil did not promulgate or apply
any law, regulation or measure the extraterritorial effects of which could
affect the sovereignty of other States and the legitimate interests of
entities or persons under their jurisdiction or the freedom of trade and
navigation. Brazil's legal system does not recognize the validity of the
application of measures with extraterritorial effects. It is to be noted
that companies located in Brazil are subject exclusively to Brazilian
legislation.
3. Measures by any country that violate the provisions of resolution 49/9
and that were taken unilaterally or are at present under consideration
would affect the interests of the international community as a whole and
violate generally accepted principles of international law. They cannot
therefore be considered in a strictly bilateral context. They should be
reviewed and changed, where appropriate, in order to bring them into
conformity with international law.
CAMBODIA
[Original: French]
[22 May 1995]
The royal Government of Cambodia, in line with the position it put
forward at the forty-ninth session of the United Nations General Assembly,
believes that it is duty-bound to express its solidarity with the innocent
people of Cuba and its desire to see them freed from the embargo imposed
against them for more than 30 years.
CANADA
[Original: English]
[13 July 1995]
1. Canada has not promulgated or applied laws or measures of the kind
referred to in the preambular part of resolution 49/9. In October 1992,
Canada issued an order to block compliance in Canada with an
extraterritorial measure of the United States, being section 1706 (A) of
the "Cuban Democracy Act" (the National Defence Authorization Act for the
fiscal year 1993). The Canadian blocking order remains in effect. The
Government of Canada has advised the Government of the United States of its
view that the provisions of section 1706 of the Cuban Democracy Act that
purport to regulate the activities of companies in Canada should be amended
or repealed.
2. The Government of Canada has also advised the Government of the United
States of its concern about the provision of section 1706 of the Cuban
Democracy Act that prohibits vessels that enter Cuba from engaging in trade
of goods or the purchase or provision of services from loading freight in
the United States for 180 days after their departure from Cuba.
3. The Government of Canada also strongly objects to two bills (the
Helms/Burton bills) currently before the United States Congress that would
expand the application of the United States embargo of Cuba. These
proposed measures, if implemented, would violate United States obligations
under international agreements and are inconsistent with generally
recognized principles of international law. Canada is actively conveying
its concerns both to the US Administration and to Congress.
COLOMBIA
[Original: Spanish]
[17 August 1995]
The Government of Colombia has not unilaterally promulgated or applied
any laws or measures against other States which would affect the freedom of
international trade and/or navigation.
CONGO
[Original: French]
[23 August 1995]
The Congolese Government reaffirms that it has always supported the
lifting of any measure which violates the principles of the international
conventions to which the Congo is a party.
CUBA
[Original: Spanish]
[9 June 1995]
1. In three consecutive years and at the urging of a growing number of
countries, the General Assembly adopted resolutions 47/19 of 24 November
1992, 48/16 of 3 November 1993 and 49/9 of 26 October 1994 on the necessity
of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the
United States of America against Cuba continuously for more than three
decades.
2. In each of these resolutions the General Assembly also rejected the
extraterritorial nature of the measures applied by the United States, in
violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
3. The United States has ignored the call made by the international
community in these resolutions and is persisting in its attempt to break
down the clearly expressed will of the Cuban people firmly to defend their
inalienable right to independence and self-determination.
4. The United States Government is continuing its economic aggression
against Cuba and is also exerting political pressure and making veiled or
open threats against other nations to induce them to cut their ties with
Cuba and join the United States Government's policy of isolating the Cuban
nation.
5. In addition to the complex conditions which Cuba faced in striving to
achieve its progressive reintegration into the international economy and
the recovery of its economy, Cuba had to deal with the adverse consequences
of the so-called "Torricelli Act" in all spheres of national life and in
its international relations, as was duly noted in the reports of the
SecretaryGeneral (A/48/448 and A/49/398 and Add.1) on the subject.
6. On 20 August 1994, the United States President adopted new regulations
placing maximum restrictions on travel and the sending of packages and
remittances by Cubans residing in the United States to their relatives in
Cuba; these regulations greatly aggravated the effects of the embargo for
Cuba and also did much to obstruct normal relations between Cubans residing
abroad and their relatives on the island.
7. Recently, the international community learnt that new initiatives have
been put forward in the United States Congress which, rather than being
guided by respect for the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly
calling for the lifting of the embargo unilaterally imposed against Cuba,
include new measures to expand the embargo.
8. The Helms/Burton bill, which has the objective, inter alia, of
internationalizing the embargo against Cuba, only goes to show that the
cold war did not end for all in an equal manner (document A/50/172,
recently circulated, includes an analysis in extenso of the main
implications of this bill).
9. The General Assembly has been kept informed of the adverse impact which
these aggressive measures have had on the Cuban economy and on the Cuban
population's standard of living, and of how the relocation of markets has
led to a significant increase in procurement costs, instability of supplies
and the destabilization of distribution and production flows.
10. The General Assembly has also been informed of how the measures
applied against Cuba by the United States of America exacerbated the
financial difficulties already in existence by depriving Cuba's economy of
sources of external financing.
11. For Cuba the scarce and costly external financing received (even
though most of it is guaranteed by contracts for sugar, nickel and other
export products) includes in its cost, already high because it comes from
commercial suppliers, surcharges of never less than 3 per cent merely
because of the "country risk" involved in negotiating with embargoed Cuba.
12. This results from the absence of support from the main international
financial institutions and from many private agencies in anticipation of
reprisals from the United States of America, and from the general awareness
in the business world of the restrictions of all types under which Cuba
trades because of the embargo.
13. The United States authorities, through their control over a
significant proportion of international banking operations, have also
frozen funds released by Cuban firms to make international payments.
14. On 13 May 1994 the Cuban fishing fleet in Canada transferred US$
45,000 to the firm SERVINAVES Panama in order to guarantee the payment of
services requested by the vessel Golfo de Guahanacabibes when passing
through the Panama Canal. This transfer was processed by Toronto Bank but
never reached its destination because the Office of Foreign Assets Control
of the United States Department of the Treasury seized the money.
15. Maritime transport is another specific area in which the repercussions
of the embargo on the development of Cuba's external trade are being felt.
16. For each journey from Europe or Asia of a vessel engaged in trade with
Cuba, the additional costs compared with those for a similar operation from
the United States of America are $215,800 from Europe to Havana and
$516,700 from Asia to Havana.
17. Since the entry into force of the "Torricelli Act", many carriers are
demanding higher freight charges on the grounds that after entering Cuban
ports, a vessel will not be admitted to United States ports for six months.
18. These carriers have cited examples such as the specific case of what
is taking place in the state of Virginia, United States of America, where
the authorities included in the official documentation required for port
operations for vessels a declaration that they had not entered Cuban ports
during 180 days prior to arrival.
19. The transportation of grain, which Cuba is forced to import, has had
to be secured in recent months at $80 per metric ton, while in previous
years it could be secured at about $40.
20. In summary, losses resulting from the surcharges for certain imported
products and higher freight costs for these products in 1994 alone amounted
to some $60 million, a level similar to the volume of losses from the same
cause in 1993.
21. The losses may be broken down into the following main categories:
(a) Losses in connection with the import of certain foodstuffs (wheat
flour, soy flour, wheat, maize, soya beans, chicken and milk): $35.9
million;
(b) Losses in connection with the import of petroleum products (crude,
fuel oil and gas oil, resulting from freight costs alone): $8.4 million;
(c) Losses in connection with the import of raw materials (PVC resin,
polyethylene resin, cardboard waste, corrugated cardboard, coke and kraft
paper): $2.2 million;
(d) Losses in connection with the import of medicines and public health
supplies (resulting from freight costs alone): $3.8 million.
22. The embargo has been aimed particularly at hindering export
production, one of the few sources of foreign exchange for Cuba. This
action has been particularly detrimental to sugar production, the mainstay
of Cuban industry.
23. The progressive deterioration of sugar cane cultivation over the past
four years has to a large extent resulted from the lack of chemical
products (fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides) required for sugar cane
production and of fuel to maintain the high level of mechanization which
had been attained.
24. In addition to being in close geographic proximity with Cuba, the
United States market is also the most competitive market in the world for
chemical products. The additional cost incurred in Cuban purchases of
these products in 1994, resulting from the higher prices and freight costs,
amounts to over $8 million.
25. These additional costs, which are not the only costs, drain the
limited financial resources available to Cuba and contribute significantly
to the fact, of cardinal importance for Cuba, that its main industry is
producing at only 50 per cent of installed capacity.
26. In 1994, as in 1993, business with subsidiaries of United States
companies located in third countries was practically nil, as a result of
the notorious effects of the implementation of the "Torricelli Act",
particularly because of its extraterritorial implications, a situation
which had already been described in the report of the Secretary-General
(A/49/398 and Add.1).
27. The General Assembly was duly informed of how the United States
Government disregarded the appeal by the international community and not
only has failed to lift its criminal and illegal embargo against Cuba,
thereby violating the resolutions already adopted, but also has not
hesitated to use even covert forms of aggression through intimidation,
blackmail and dirty dealings with third parties in order to step up its
policy of hostility against and isolation of the Cuban nation.
28. The United States Government has continued its meticulous and
systematic monitoring of the initiation and progress of all commercial
negotiations and of investments initiated by Cuba with capital from third
countries in order to thwart them.
29. Last year the Government of the Republic of Cuba was informed by the
representatives of two large firms from developed countries that major
investment projects which each of them was negotiating in Cuba in the area
of tourism would be halted as a result of direct pressure put on them by
the United States authorities.
30. A company of Canadian origin which was making large deliveries of
paper and wood to Cuba recently announced that it could not continue its
operations because of the strong pressure that was being exerted on it by
the United States Government. According to executives of the company, that
pressure resulted in heavy losses, since 80 per cent of its operations are
conducted in the United States.
31. In the energy area this pressure has been particularly intense.
32. A Mexican company which was participating in a major project designed
to bring into operation one of Cuba's main refineries was visited by United
States officials, who told company executives that their business with Cuba
violated the agreements made between Mexico and the United States of
America and could damage relations between the two countries.
33. At the same time, the United States Government continued to take steps
to undermine the negotiations which Cuba is conducting for the purpose of
completing the construction of its first nuclear power plant. The United
States Government not only spread doubts about the safety and viability of
this project but also contacted the parties involved in the negotiations in
order to impose conditions, tried to block the authorization of the
respective Governments to the participating companies and made threats as
to the future of their ties with the United States.
34. In early 1995, the United States Government once again sent to a large
group of countries a document in which it warned their respective
Governments, economic entities and investors about the disadvantages of
investing in Cuba and the adverse consequences that could result for their
business.
35. We have learnt that the addressees of these letters include the
Confederacion Espanola de Organizaciones Empresariales and the Instituto de
Comercio Exterior of Venezuela.
36. In February 1995, a representative of a Netherlands firm in Cuba which
normally supplies spare parts and other items for the Cuban fishing fleet
informed the head office of the tuna fleet that it had been pressured by
the United States authorities to stop trading with Cuba.
37. In addition, there are the efforts to influence the Governments of
developing countries not to acquire the innovative and in some cases unique
products of the Cuban biotechnology industry, without concern for the
thousands of children's lives which these products of recognized value
could save.
38. Further examples of actions of this nature against companies,
institutions or Governments have not been given because, in many cases,
divulging them would involve risks and even higher penalties.
39. According to preliminary estimates, the total costs to the Cuban
economy, taking into account lost income and additional outlays caused by
the embargo in 1994, amount to $1 billion, a figure which represents about
50 per cent of Cuba's total imports that year.
40. Without the embargo, Cuba would not only be able to use this $1
billion to increase its imports by a commensurate amount, but would also
have access to additional sources of financing which today are denied to it
because of the adverse effects of the embargo.
41. The continuing aggressive measures against Cuba by the United States
and its escalation of those measures in recent years are designed to
produce a "whirlpool" effect in the economy, i.e., to ruin it by gradually
cutting off its resources. According to the calculations made by advocates
of this policy, it would cause such a serious deterioration in the
standards of living of the population that spontaneous public
demonstrations of popular discontent would occur, bringing to an end the
social revolutionary process begun 36 years ago, and thereby fulfilling the
main objective of the foreign policy towards Cuba of the last nine United
States administrations.
42. In 1989 the daily per capita nutritional index of the Cuban population
compared favourably with that of countries of similar and even higher
levels of development.
43. As a result of the factors described earlier and in particular of the
effect of the measures to intensify the United States embargo against Cuba,
there has been a progressive deterioration in the consumption of important
elements of the daily diet. If we take consumption in the year 1989 as a
base, for the year 1993 there was a decline in the daily per capita diet
equivalent to 40 per cent of proteins, 64 per cent of fats, 67 and 62 per
cent of vitamins A and C respectively, 22 per cent of iron and 19 per cent
of calcium.
44. Nutritional deficiencies have a particular impact on such segments of
the population as pregnant women and children under the age of five.
Anaemia is increasingly affecting pregnant women, and also children between
six months and five years of age.
45. The incidence of low birth weight among newborn babies increased from
about 7.6 per cent in 1990 to about 9 per cent in 1993. The incidence of
low weight among women at the beginning of pregnancy, among women under
nutritional monitoring, increased from 8.7 per cent in 1990 to 10 per cent
in 1993.
46. The Government of Cuba has made considerable efforts to mitigate the
traumatic effects of the criminal blockade on the Cuban nation and has
tried to ensure, with the limited resources available to the country, that
food and medicines are equally distributed among the people and that the
levels of medical care, education, security and social welfare are
maintained.
47. Economic reforms have been undertaken to boost food production,
revive the export potential and production activity in various sectors and
restore to an acceptable level the provision of basic services to the
population; although the results of these changes are still modest and do
not meet all needs, they are encouraging.
48. Even though spending on food and medicines accounts for a significant
proportion of total imports, the effect on the country's ability to pay is
such that it has been impossible to have enough resources to maintain the
level of health services, medicines and nutrition attained by our country
in previous decades.
49. The shortage of foodstuffs and industrial raw materials caused by the
embargo against Cuba is having a debilitating effect on the physical and
mental health of our people. Our women are particularly affected since
they are forced to live by their wits and devise ways and means of meeting
the food requirements of their families, improving their nutrition, and
maintaining their own personal hygiene and that of their households, thus
forgoing any rest and leisure.
50. It is virtually impossible under current conditions for our food
industry to produce semi-processed or canned foodstuffs, since women
workers have to put in the equivalent of a day's work at home making
preserves.
51. The deteriorating economic situation and lack of access to markets as
a result of the embargo has created considerable shortages of many inputs
that are crucial to the operation of key sectors that provide services to
the Cuban public.
52. One of the most illustrative examples is in the health sector, where
the shortage of waste disposal, sanitation and vector control facilities
has led to a deterioration in the population's hygiene and health situation
and consequently to a greater likelihood of the outbreak and spread of
disease.
53. Major pharmaceutical firms and suppliers of medical equipment and
medical equipment spare parts, which had historically maintained trade
links with Cuba, recently informed the Cuban authorities officially that
since their products either contained United States components or were
manufactured under United States technological licences which were affected
by the ban imposed by the United States federal authorities, it was
impossible to proceed with the deliveries.
54. The companies that have been forced to take such decisions include:
(a) Wellcome (Diagnostic Division) (United Kingdom). This Division was
taken over by its United States office, which cut off the supplies;
(b) Shuber Seal (Denmark), which sells rubber stoppers for medical
purposes, advised that because of United States Government regulations, it
would stop exporting to Cuba;
(c) Ohmeda (United Kingdom). This company, which sells respirators and
anaesthesia machines, said that it could not supply equipment and spare
parts since they required a special licence from the United States
authorities;
(d) Hospal (Germany). Asked to supply dialysis and plasmapherisis
equipment, this firm replied that United States regulations did not allow
it to sell to our country;
(e) Janssen (Belgium). The firm advised that in order to sell medicines
to Cuba, they need to apply for an export licence from the Government of
the United States of America, whose formalities take up to six months;
(f) Miramed (Italy). This company sells the medical equipment and
instruments for the care of patients with kidney failure. It refused to
sell to Cuba, citing reasons similar to those indicated above.
55. It is Cuban citizens whose lives depend on the implantation of a
pacemaker who are in the most difficult situation. Cuba has been importing
pacemakers for a number of years from two firms: Teletronics of Australia
and Siemens Elema of Sweden. In late 1993 Teletronics informed Cuba that
it was having problems in supplying the country with pacemakers, since they
contained components manufactured in the United States, despite the fact
that Teletronics had been selling large quantities of the product to the
island for a long time.
56. In July 1994 the firm Siemens Elema informed Cuba in writing that its
pacemakers division had been sold to the firm St. Jude Medical Inc. of St.
Paul, Minnesota, United States of America, and that we should deal with
that firm for future purchases. It is common knowledge that no United
States-based firm can sell its products to Cuba. In other words, the two
suppliers we used to depend on have stopped supplying us with pacemakers,
which are vital to the patients concerned.
57. Various levels of education are also adversely affected because they
lack the essential facilities required for their proper operation. No
educational or health centres have stopped providing services to the
public, and it has been possible to keep the main indexes of mortality and
morbidity from rising, thanks to the considerable skills and altruism of
teachers, doctors, nurses and technicians and to the organization and
structure of the country's health and education system. However, material
constraints have caused a general decline in the level of services,
affecting some individuals more than others, and have led to the
interruption or postponement of some health programmes.
58. The embargo policy also violates the inalienable right of the peoples
of Cuba and the United States to maintain sustained and unrestricted
cultural exchanges. Cuban artists have been systematically denied entry
visas into the United States of America despite the fact that they were
invited by prestigious United States institutions. Cuban artists and
composers cannot be paid copyright fees for the playing, broadcasting and
marketing of their music in the United States and other countries as a
result of the extraterritorial application of the embargo, which violates
internationally recognized norms on the protection of intellectual
property.
59. The economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United
States against Cuba affects not only Cubans living in Cuba. There are many
examples of how Cubans living abroad, especially those who decided to
settle in the United States itself, have been suffering increasingly from
the restrictions. In the past few years, as a result of increasing
shortages in Cuba, Cubans residing abroad had been making more frequent
remittances of foreign exchange and sending parcels containing foodstuffs,
medicines and other personal effects to help their relatives on the island.
Cubans residing in the United States who were on a visit to Cuba and Cubans
who were returning to the island after visiting their relatives in the
United States were entitled to carry up to 10 kilogrammes of medicines as
excess luggage. In 1993 most of the approximately 30,000 Cubans who
travelled to the United States to visit their families took medicines back
with them on their return trip as did some of the resident Cubans in the
United States who visited Cuba. It is estimated that at least some 300
tons of pharmaceutical products were brought into the island in 1993.
60. From 20 August 1994 on, this situation became particularly more
difficult when the United States Administration imposed new restrictions
which adversely affect the principles of family reunification and the basic
right of Cubans residing in the United States to travel freely to their
country of origin. Such restrictions also have a psychological impact on
thousands of Cuban families which have settled in the United States; they
are no longer able to assist their relatives in Cuba and are beginning to
suffer from the stress of being unable to do so in view of the hard times
facing the country.
61. These measures are contrary to the spirit and letter of General
Assembly resolution 49/182, which was adopted with a view to reaffirming
the importance of family reunification and the freedom to travel as
universally recognized human rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, those
who opposed these regulations by exercising their right to travel are now
living in a stifling and tense atmosphere and are being harassed by United
States agencies, especially the Department of the Treasury.
62. In view of the decision of some Cubans to travel to Cuba through
third countries, this Department, through its Office of Foreign Assets
Control, has begun to enforce more strictly the provisions relating to the
ban on travel by informing those persons that they would be fined up to
$10,000 and/or be incarcerated for up to five years.
63. Cuban businessmen residing in the United States and elsewhere in the
world are also suffering from the effects of the blockade, inasmuch as they
can no longer make transactions with their country of origin on equal
terms: those who reside in the United States are at a disadvantage because
United States law prohibits the establishment of any trade links between
United States-based entities and entities based in Cuba; those who live
elsewhere in the world are at a disadvantage because of the restrictions
they will face if they wish to have trade relations with the United States
after trading with Cuba.
64. Far from taking a sensible and realistic position in its relations
with Cuba, the United States is continuing its efforts to tighten the
blockade even further, including an attempt to internationalize this
unilateral policy of sanctions and aggression it has imposed on Cuba for
over three decades.
65. In violation of General Assembly resolution 49/9, which reiterates its
call to all States to refrain from promulgating and applying laws and
measures of the kind referred to in its preamble, in conformity with their
obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and international law,
a bill sponsored by Senator Jesse Helms was introduced in the United States
Congress on 9 February 1995, with the main objective of internationalizing
the economic blockade against Cuba. The bill includes measures to:
(a) Prevent Cuba from receiving any external financing and from joining
international financial institutions;
(b) Control all of Cuba's economic transactions and put pressure on its
trading partners;
(c) Impede investment flows to Cuba and, in effect, stifle the country's
economic recovery by means of sanctions against businessmen and companies
that "traffic" in United States property nationalized following the triumph
of the Revolution, including the expropriated property of Cuban nationals
who subsequently went to the United States and became citizens of that
country;
(d) Establish formulas, concepts and definitions of what a "transition
Government or a democratically elected Government" in Cuba would be, thus
infringing the Cuban people's right to self-determination;
(e) Exert maximum pressure on third countries to eliminate virtually all
economic ties to Cuba, clearly demonstrating the element of
extraterritoriality. Not only could the United States compel other
countries not to invest in Cuba, but it could punish nationals of other
countries who fail to do its bidding by making them subject to the
jurisdiction of its courts;
(f) The United States would also interfere in the trade activities of
other States by prohibiting the import of sugars, molasses, syrups and
products containing those production factors from countries which in turn
had imported them from Cuba.
66. This also violates the principles of the recently founded World Trade
Organization, which institutes a reduction in trade barriers and the
elimination of discrimination in international trade relations.
67. Obviously, from the legal, economic and political standpoints, this
bill is absurd. Even if parts of its text could be amended, the fact
remains that the United States federal authorities have expressly stated
their intention of overthrowing the Government which the sovereign Cuban
people have freely elected.
68. In her letter of 28 April 1995, addressed to Benjamin Gilman, Chairman
of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Wendy Sherman, Assistant
Secretary for Legislative Affairs of the State Department, stated that the
United States would continue its embargo as leverage to pressure the regime
to reform. This statement clearly shows the current Administration's
position on Cuba.
69. The international community is viewing with growing concern and
rejection the ongoing United States policy of hostility and embargo against
Cuba, which is both irrational and a contradiction of modern trends, and
which undermines the climate of international peace and cooperation all
peoples need in order to work wholeheartedly at solving their most urgent
problems.
70. For three consecutive years, the General Assembly has demonstrated its
commitment to this just aspiration by adopting resolutions 47/19, 48/16 and
49/9. Cuba therefore continues to hope that the United Nations will take
an appropriate role in bringing an end to this injustice.
CYPRUS
[Original: English]
[18 May 1995]
Cyprus does not favour any attempt to enforce laws into its territory
that are promulgated by other States. It is therefore opposed to the
adoption of any measures that have extraterritorial application on its
territory.
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
[Original: English]
[16 May 1995]
1. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea maintains the consistent
stand that a United Nations Member State should not promulgate and apply a
law or a measure that might infringe upon the sovereignty of and hinder the
freedom of trade and navigation of other Member States.
2. Laws and measures referred to in resolution 49/9 contravene the
principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the international laws
stipulating the sovereign equality of States, non-interference in the
internal affairs of other States, freedom of trade and international
navigation and in particular the free choice of political and economic
systems.
3. The economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba for over
three decades has put serious constraints upon the sustained socio-economic
development of Cuba.
4. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea therefore supported the
adoption of the resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial
and financial embargo against Cuba.
5. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea reaffirms its position that
the economic, commercial and financial restrictions should not be used as a
tool of political pressure and the embargo against Cuba should be lifted.
ECUADOR
[Original: Spanish]
[10 May 1995]
1. The legal system of the Republic of Ecuador does not contain, nor does
it intend to promulgate, any law or measure of the kind referred to in the
preamble to General Assembly resolution 49/9.
2. Without exception, Ecuador's actions in its relations with all the
members of the international community are guided by the principles
enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and international law, which
provide, inter alia, for freedom of trade and navigation.
FRANCE
[Original: French]
[19 June 1995]
1. France does not apply any law or measure of the kind referred to in
paragraphs 2 and 3 of resolution 49/9.
2. It has consistently expressed its opposition to the promulgation and
application, by States Members of the United Nations, of laws and
regulations whose extraterritorial effects affect the sovereignty of other
States, as well as the freedom of trade and navigation. In its view, such
measures violate the general principles of public international law.
3. France, together with its European Union partners, has regularly
restated its adherence to these principles.
GHANA
[Original: English]
[16 June 1995]
1. Ghana has no law or measures of the kind referred to in the preamble to
resolution 49/9.
2. Ghana voted for resolution 49/9 in the conviction that it was not in
conformity with obligations Member States have assumed under the Charter of
the United Nations and under international law, for any State to promulgate
and apply laws and regulations whose extraterritorial effects affect the
sovereignty of other States and the legitimate interests of entities or
persons under their jurisdiction, as well as the freedom of trade and
navigation.
3. Ghana, never having supported the imposition of the economic,
commercial and financial embargo by the United States of America on Cuba,
has never promulgated or applied laws whose extraterritorial effects could
adversely affect Cuba.
GUYANA
[Original: English]
[29 March 1995]
Guyana fully supported resolution 49/9 and voted in its favour. Guyana,
therefore, is committed to paragraphs 2 and 3 of the resolution and honours
its mandate.
INDIA
[Original: English]
[8 May 1995]
India has not promulgated or applied any laws of the kind referred to in
the preamble to resolution 49/9 and the necessity of repealing or
invalidating any such laws or measures, therefore, does not arise.
IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF)
[Original: English]
[14 June 1995]
In line with its support for General Assembly resolution 49/9, the
Islamic Republic of Iran rejects the economic, commercial and financial
embargo imposed against Cuba and considers it a violation of the purposes
and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, lacking acceptable
justification in current international affairs. The Islamic Republic of
Iran believes that such embargoes create restrictions against accepted
rights and national sovereignty of States as well as principles concerning
freedom of trade and economic cooperation at the international level.
Accordingly, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran urges all
countries to respect those principles.
IRAQ
[Original: Arabic]
[6 May 1995]
1. The promulgation by the United States of America of laws and
regulations imposing an unjust embargo on the Cuban people constitutes a
flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations since it has the
purpose of achieving unilateral political objectives that bear no relation
to international peace and security. This embargo is, moreover,
incompatible with the most elementary humanitarian and moral standards.
2. The Government of the Republic of Iraq calls for an end to such inhuman
practices aimed at depriving peoples of their right to a life of freedom
and dignity and to the adoption of measures designed to deprive States of
opportunities for economic advancement and social development.
KENYA
[Original: English]
[11 April 1995]
The Government of Kenya has neither promulgated nor applied any laws and
measures of the kind referred to in resolution 49/9.
LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
[Original: French]
[31 May 1995]
The Lao People's Democratic Republic deeply regrets the continuation of
the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States
against Cuba. For its part, given its obligations under the Charter of the
United Nations and international law, the Lao People's Democratic Republic
has never promulgated or applied laws and measures of this kind. It
considers that such laws and measures interfere with the sovereignty of
other States, as well as with freedom of trade and navigation.
LESOTHO
[Original: English]
[11 April 1995]
1. The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho has not promulgated or applied
national laws and measures of the kind referred to in the preamble to
resolution 49/9.
2. The Kingdom of Lesotho has, at all times, striven to act and conduct
itself in conformity with international law and the provisions of the
Charter of the United Nations.
LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA
[Original: Arabic]
[24 April 1995]
1. The Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya affirms once more that
the best way to resolve disputes between States is to reach a peaceful
settlement in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of
the United Nations.
2. In its commitment to those purposes and principles and out of respect
for international law, the Socialist People's Libyan Jamahiriya has not
promulgated or applied any laws such as those referred to in paragraphs 2
and 3 of resolution 49/9.
3. The Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya is likewise suffering
under the sanctions that have been maintained against it by the United
States of America since 1986, which are similar to the sanctions imposed on
Cuba. Accordingly, it reaffirms the tenor of paragraphs 2 and 3 of
resolution 49/9 and calls upon the State concerned to desist from adopting
measures such as those imposed on Cuba or any other country and to take the
necessary steps for their repeal and annulment.
MEXICO
[Original: Spanish]
[26 June 1995]
1. The Government of Mexico, in accordance with the foreign policy
principles stipulated in its Political Constitution, continues to observe
the relevant provisions of the aforementioned resolution, in fulfilment of
its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and international
law.
2. Mexico, faithful to these instruments, has refrained from promulgating
and applying laws of an extraterritorial nature that affect freedom of
trade and navigation, as State Members of the United Nations are urged to
do in resolution 49/9.
3. On the contrary, in 1994 Mexico, recognizing the importance of
strengthening its relations with Cuba, a neighbouring country with which it
has maintained a tradition of friendly relations based on strict respect
for the principles of non-intervention and the self-determination of
peoples, sought to strengthen its economic cooperation with that country
through bilateral meetings between the two Governments and support for
joint investments in Cuba by Mexican companies.
4. Moreover, in July 1994 a framework agreement was signed for the
acquisition of the Cuban telecommunications system. In September 1994 a
framework agreement was adopted for the establishment of a joint venture at
the Cienfuegos refinery. Mexico is now one of Cuba's main investment
partners.
5. In addition, the Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of the Union, at
its meeting of 22 November 1994, issued a statement signed by the country's
four major political parties represented in that body, stating their
support for resolution 49/9 and condemning the United States embargo
against Cuba.
6. In view of the attempts by various members of the United States
Congress to strengthen the embargo against Cuba through the introduction of
a bill known as the "Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act", the
Mexican Government, with full respect for the sovereignty of States, has
expressed its deep concern at the possibility that such proposals could
become law because several of its chapters and sections are unacceptable
under international law, in addition to violating specific commitments
Mexico has made at the international and bilateral levels.
7. In particular, Mexico has noted that, if such a bill were to become
law, it would violate the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United
Nations, and in particular, the Declaration on Principles of International
Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States contained in
General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV), which was unanimously adopted in
1970.
8. Thus, Mexico has maintained that both the letter and the spirit of the
bill contain provisions that are in violation of the North American Free
Trade Agreement and the Agreement Establishing the World Trade
Organization. Moreover, in violation of the principle of respect for
sovereignty of States, the bill attempts to give the domestic laws of the
United States extraterritorial effect.
9. To sum up, Mexico considers that not only does the implementation of
this kind of legal measure ignore the principles of the Charter of the
United Nations, but its objectives run counter to the majority view in the
international community, which has rejected the economic embargo against
Cuba in the United Nations General Assembly for several years running.
10. In conclusion, at the recent meeting of the Rio Group held in Quito on
23 May 1995, the Government of Mexico supported the adoption of a
declaration, which was approved, condemning any possible application of the
"Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act".
MONGOLIA
[Original: English]
[30 June 1995]
The Government of Mongolia maintains diplomatic and consular relations
with the Government of Cuba and has not undertaken any measures with a view
to restricting its trade and economic relations with Cuba. Consequently,
there is no law or other legislative act to be repealed in conformity with
resolution 49/9.
MYANMAR
[Original: English]
[10 August 1995]
1. The Union of Myanmar wishes to reiterate that it has consistently
practised a policy of strict compliance with the purposes and principles
enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and of scrupulous respect,
among others, for the principles of the sovereign equality of States, non-
intervention and non-interference in their internal affairs, freedom of
trade and international navigation.
2. The Union of Myanmar is of the view that the promulgation and
application by Member States of laws and regulations the extraterritorial
effects of which affect the sovereignty of other States and the legitimate
interests of entities or persons under their jurisdiction as well as the
freedom of trade and navigation violate the universally accepted principles
of international law.
3. In conformity with the above, the Union of Myanmar has not promulgated
any laws and regulations of the kind referred to in the preamble to General
Assembly resolution 49/9.
NAMIBIA
[Original: English]
[2 May 1995]
1. The Government of the Republic of Namibia believes in the sovereignty
of each nation State to exist.
2. The Government of the Republic of Namibia upholds the principles of
non-interference in the internal affairs of other States.
3. The Government of the Republic of Namibia enjoys cordial diplomatic
relations with Cuba and the United states of America.
4. The Government of the Republic of Namibia views the embargo against
Cuba as long overdue and is of the opinion that it is time for the embargo
to be lifted so that the long suffering experienced by the Cuban people
comes to an end.
5. The Government of the Republic of Namibia urges both the United States
of America and Cuba to begin serious negotiations to resolve all aspects of
the long-standing dispute between them in the interest of peace, trade,
development and good neighbourliness.
NICARAGUA
[Original: Spanish]
[28 July 1995]
1. Nicaragua rejects as a matter of principle economic and commercial
embargoes as a means of applying political pressure.
2. Nicaragua maintains diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cuba.
NORWAY
[Original: English]
[11 April 1995]
Norway has not enacted an economic embargo against Cuba or adopted other
measures contradictory to General Assembly resolution 49/9.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
[Original: English]
[15 June 1995]
1. Papua New Guinea has never promulgated or applied laws and measures of
the kind referred to in the preamble to resolution 49/9. The Government of
Papua New Guinea has consistently voted in favour of General Assembly
resolutions on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and
financial embargo imposed on Cuba.
2. Papua New Guinea believes that the promulgation and application by
member States of laws and regulations whose extraterritorial effect affects
the sovereignty of other States and legitimate interests of entities or
persons under their jurisdiction, as well as the freedom of trade and
navigation, are not in conformity with obligations that Member States have
assumed under the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
PARAGUAY
[Original: Spanish]
[31 July 1995]
Paraguay applies no restrictive measures whatsoever, whether legal or de
facto, whether economic, commercial or financial, against Cuba.
PERU
[Original: Spanish]
[29 June 1995]
1. No law or measure of the kind referred to in the preamble of resolution
49/9 exists or has been applied in Peru. The Government of Peru does not
accept the extraterritorial application of domestic laws, such as the
"Cuban Democracy Act".
2. The Government of Peru once again states its adherence to the common
objectives of democracy, respect for human rights and economic freedom.
3. Peru's position on this matter can be found in the text of the
Declaration of the Third Ibero-American Conference held in Salvador de
Bahia, Brazil in 1993, and in the Declaration of Ministers for Foreign
Affairs of the Political Mechanism for Consultation and Policy Coordination
of the Rio Group, issued in Quito on 23 May 1995.
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
[Original: Russian]
[23 June 1995]
1. In supporting the General Assembly resolution, the Russian Federation
based its position on the fact that a consensus on the issue had already
emerged in the international community. The Russian Federation, the Latin
American countries, the majority of developing countries in Asia and Africa
and the Western European States view the embargo as a throw-back to the
cold war and an ongoing source of tension between Cuba and the United
States. The Russian Federation believes that attempts to "suffocate" Cuba
using the embargo are counter-productive and may give rise to unpredictable
consequences. Its position is that the lifting of the trade, economic and
financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba, and the removal of
the Cuban-American tension generally, would objectively encourage Cuba's
movement towards democracy and an open society.
2. Where it is itself directly concerned, the Russian Federation is firmly
guided by the principles of the sovereign equality of States, non-
interference in their internal affairs and the freedom of international
trade and navigation as mentioned in resolution 49/9, and continues to
support normal trade and economic relations with Cuba based on common
interest and mutual benefit. Russian trade with Cuba is invariably
conducted in strict accordance with generally accepted international norms
without any discrimination and on the basis of world prices.
SOUTH AFRICA
[Original: English]
[21 June 1995]
South Africa and Cuba established diplomatic relations on 11 May 1994.
In accordance with the policy of the Government of South Africa towards
countries with which it has normal diplomatic relations, South Africa will
endeavour to foster trade and economic, cultural and sporting links with
Cuba, which should be mutually beneficial to both countries.
SPAIN
[Original: Spanish]
[22 March 1995]
1. With respect to paragraph 2 of resolution 49/9, Spain has never
promulgated nor applied any laws or measures which might have entailed, in
the case of Cuba, a violation of the principles of the sovereign equality
of States, non-interference in their internal affairs and freedom of trade
and navigation, to which the preamble of the above-mentioned resolution
refers.
2. Paragraph 3 of the resolution is not relevant, in that no such laws or
measures exist in Spain.
SRI LANKA
[Original: English]
[23 March 1995]
1. Sri Lanka has neither promulgated nor applied any laws or measures that
might affect the sovereignty of Cuba or any laws that violate the freedom
of trade or navigation. The question of repealing or invalidating any laws
in this respect does not therefore arise.
2. Sri Lanka supported General Assembly resolution 49/9 of 26 October
1994.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
[Original: English]
[24 July 1995]
Trinidad and Tobago has not adopted any measures restricting trade with
Cuba.
UKRAINE
[Original: Russian]
[30 June 1995]
1. Ukraine has not adopted any legislation or regulations whose
extraterritorial effects might affect the sovereignty of other States and
the legitimate interests of entities or persons under Ukraine's
jurisdiction, or the freedom of trade and navigation.
2. Ukraine has consistently pursued a policy of strict compliance with the
purposes and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,
in particular, the principles of the sovereign equality of States and non-
interference in the internal affairs of States.
3. Ukraine does not accept the use of economic measures as a means of
achieving political aims and holds that relations between States must be
built on the basis of complete respect for the fundamental principles of
the Charter and the norms of international law.
UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND
NORTHERN IRELAND
[Original: English]
[18 May 1995]
1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland enjoys normal
diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba.
2. The Government of the United Kingdom has made clear its opposition to
the extraterritorial extension of the United States embargo against Cuba in
the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992. In October 1992, the United Kingdom
invoked the Protection of Trading Interest Act of 1980. It is now an
offence in the UK law for any persons in the United Kingdom to comply with
the specific parts of the US Cuban Assets Control Regulations.
3. While the Government of the United Kingdom considers the United States
trade policy towards Cuba is primarily a matter for those two Governments,
it remains concerned about the extraterritorial aspects of the United
States embargo, including legislation proposed by Senator Helms and
Congressman Burton.
UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
[Original: English]
[20 June 1995]
1. The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has consistently
rejected any unilateral promulgation and application of laws such as those
referred to in resolution 49/9 because such measures are inconsistent with
the general principles of international law and violate the provisions of
Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular paragraph 2
on developing friendly relations among nations based on respect for the
principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.
2. Tanzania also opposes laws and regulations whose extraterritorial
application constitutes an infringement on the sovereign rights of other
States. Therefore, the Government reaffirms its principled stand to
implement fully all resolutions of the United Nations, including General
Assembly resolutions 47/19, 48/16 and 49/9 on ending the embargo against
Cuba.
URUGUAY
[Original: Spanish]
[13 June 1995]
Whereas Uruguay has maintained a foreign policy based on respect for the
principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, in
particular, freedom of international trade and navigation without any type
of restrictions, and, for its part, does not recognize in its legislation
the extraterritorial application of domestic laws, the Government of the
Eastern Republic of Uruguay has not applied any measures or laws of the
kind referred to in the preamble to resolution 49/9.
VIET NAM
[Original: French]
[1 June 1995]
1. The embargo imposed for several decades by the United States of America
against Cuba constitutes a violation of public international law in general
and the laws of free trade in particular, and runs counter to the current
trend towards cooperation for development on a basis of equality between
States without distinction as to political regime.
2. The resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and of the
Movement of Non-Aligned Countries calling for an end to the embargo against
Cuba reflect not only the common concern of the international community
regarding this anachronistic policy of coercion against the Cuban people,
but also the common aspiration for the rejection of extraterritorial
legislation in the interest of harmonious international relations.
3. Viet Nam is of the view that disputes between the United States and
Cuba should be settled through dialogue and negotiation.
4. Having constantly in mind the difficulties caused to the Cuban people
by the United States embargo, the Government and people of Viet Nam have
undertaken a number of activities to provide support and assistance to the
Cuban people.
5. Viet Nam has protested and will continue to protest legislation and
measures implementing the embargo against Cuba. Viet Nam has supported the
resolutions adopted and reaffirms the need to end the economic, commercial
and financial embargo against Cuba.
6. Viet Nam is of the view that the Secretary-General, in his next report,
should put forward effective means of ending the embargo and providing
assistance to Cuba so as to overcome the difficulties that have arisen as a
result of the United States embargo.
ZAMBIA
[Original: English]
[12 June 1995]
1. The Government of Zambia has never at any given time applied any laws
or measures aimed at enforcing the economic, commercial and financial
embargo against Cuba. On the contrary, Zambia is of the view that the
continued imposition of such an embargo has a very negative effect,
especially on the most vulnerable groups such as the less privileged
population of that country, and therefore, deserves to be lifted without
any further delay.
2. As a sovereign State, Zambia feels that continued promulgation and
application by Member States of laws and regulations whose extraterritorial
effects affects the sovereignty of other States is not in the interest of
international cooperation as it undermines the sovereign equality of
nations. Since prosperity is an important lever for empowering the people
of any country in this regard, Zambia feels the Cuban people need to be
availed of the widest possible economic opportunities through free trade in
order to empower them.
III. REPLIES RECEIVED FROM ORGANS AND AGENCIES OF THE
UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM
A. United Nations Children's Fund
4. The situation of children in Cuba has been adversely affected by a
number of factors, including the embargo, internal factors and other
external factors. As with most such situations it is not possible to
separate the combined negative effects of these factors. However, it is
apparent that as a result of those effects, the situation of children in
Cuba has come under serious pressure and special efforts supported by the
international community are required to protect children.
5. Nutritional deficiencies represent one area of difficulty. For
example, UNICEF understands that approximately 50 per cent of the children
under one year of age showed deficiency in iron, calcium, vitamin A and
vitamin B complex. Likewise, nearly half of pregnant women have iron
deficiency anaemia, which, combined with deteriorating overall food intake,
is contributing to a rise in the number of low birth weight babies.
6. The lack of availability of essential medical supplies gives particular
cause for concern. Even antibiotics and supplies for the sterilization of
medical instruments are in short supply. These shortages, combined with
nutritional factors, have contributed to the very significant increase in
maternal mortality in the last year.
7. Serious shortages in school supplies remain a major factor undermining
child education. For example, while the school system requires some 50
million notebooks and another 50 million pencils, only 20 million of each
have been available each year for the last two years.
8. The water supply system continues to be a source of serious concern.
In the past year, Cuba was able to obtain only 26 per cent of its
requirements of chlorine and some 10 per cent of aluminium sulphate. As
both of these items are essential for water purification, acute diarrhoeal
diseases among children continued to rise. Regular electric power outages
and difficulties in obtaining supplies to maintain the urban water supply
also seriously affected the water supply situation.
B. United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat)
9. Habitat would like to report, based on extensive consultations with its
sectoral counterparts in Cuba, the following information on the impact of
the embargo on the housing and human settlements situation in the country.
10. The crisis in the energy sector, resulting from the loss of Cuba's
main sources of fuel supply in Eastern Europe, as well as from the embargo,
has had direct consequences on housing production, infrastructure delivery
and maintenance and transport.
11. The Government of Cuba has had to curtail its foreseen target of
60,000 housing units per year in the present five-year development plan and
it is estimated that production was reduced from 1991 onward to roughly
22,000 units.
12. The main factors responsible for the decline were the sharp fall in
cement and steel production (78 per cent and 75 per cent less respectively
from 1991), both heavily dependent upon availability of fuel.
13. Quite interesting and very encouraging is the fact that the sudden
crisis in the production of materials such as cement and steel, which had
been used extensively in the past in housing programmes in Cuba, has
prompted a much needed rethinking in terms of technologies and materials
for house construction.
14. Starting in 1992, emphasis was placed on the development of
alternative technologies based on indigenous materials, primarily
pozzolanic cement and stabilized soil. The Cuban authorities estimate
that, thanks to the alternative materials so far developed, targets for
housing production will increase as of this year to roughly 35,000 units,
still short of the target originally envisaged at the start of the five-
year plan, but a marked improvement over the performance from 1991 to 1994.
15. Habitat has supported, in 1994-1995, the efforts of the Government of
Cuba in developing alternative technologies by financing a training
programme and introducing improved production systems.
C. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
16. UNCTAD provides technical assistance to the Government of Cuba in the
following areas: assistance in the commercialization of its biotechnology
products and services, which includes, inter alia, advisory and training
activities on strategic planning, organizational design, marketing strategy
and intellectual property protection. Furthermore, the Government of Cuba
has recently requested UNCTAD to implement its cargo tracking system (ACIS)
project in Cuba.
D. United Nations Development Programme
17. Assistance is to be provided to the Government of Cuba in support of
its actions for the transformation of the Cuban economy, including human
resource development programmes and the strengthening of managerial
capacities at the national, provincial and municipal levels, following the
activities initiated through the UNDP Management Development Programme for
the strengthening of the Cuban administration.
18. Actions are also under consideration in critical areas such as
financial management and accountability, tax reform, budget formulation,
execution and control, national accounts, marketing techniques and
information systems for the decision-making process in the economic areas.
E. United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
19. UNESCO is continuing its efforts to offset the effects of the embargo
in its fields of competence: its action has made it possible, owing to the
participation of Cuban specialists in events organized in the countries of
Latin America and the Caribbean and meetings held in Cuba itself, to build
a bridge between the island and the region.
20. Recent examples of cooperation include the Organization's financial
and technical contribution to Pedagogia 95, a major congress of educators
held in Cuba in February 1995, and the establishment of four UNESCO chairs
in the fields of higher education, information technology, teacher training
and cultural heritage.
21. Furthermore, the German foundation Tias-Gesellschaft Nurnberg has
awarded a grant of more than $200,000 for the manufacture of 3 million
exercise books for children in Cuban schools. These exercise books will
bear the UNESCO logo, a quotation from the poet Jose Marti and the words
"1995 - United Nations Year for Tolerance".
22. In addition, a large-scale project of the World Decade for Cultural
Development - the Cultural Information System of Latin America and the
Caribbean - enables Cuba to stay in touch with other countries of the
region on cultural matters.
23. UNESCO's Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the
Caribbean is located at La Havana.
F. World Food Programme
24. WFP has complied with resolution 49/9 by continuing its regular
development programme with Cuba and by cooperating in an operation aimed at
assisting vulnerable groups (children and pregnant women) located at La
Havana and Santiago de Cuba. This operation is supported bilaterally by
Canada, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway. The urban sector has been
hardest hit by the current economic crisis and consequent food shortfalls.
25. WFP strives to maintain the level of its significant contribution to
Cuba (approximately 65 per cent of the total United Nations contribution).
This food assistance helps the Cuban people to increase their agricultural,
livestock and dairy production, despite the adverse effects of the
economic, commercial and financial embargo on those sectors.
* * *
26. The following agencies and programmes of the United Nations system
replied that they had no relevant information to submit to the report of
the SecretaryGeneral on the implementation of General Assembly resolution
49/9: the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC);
the International Labour Organization (ILO); the United Nations
International Drug Control Programme; the International Maritime
Organization (IMO); the International Monetary Fund (IMF); the United
Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement
of Women (INSTRAW); the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO);
and the World Trade Organization.
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