Cuba, under a US economic embargo for four decades, won a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council Wednesday urging nations to stop imposing "unilateral coercive measures" against other states. Introduced by Cuba on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, the text was approved by 33 members of the council, including Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil and other African, Asian and Latin American countries.
"The Council urges all States to stop adopting or implementing unilateral coercive measures ... in particular those of a coercive nature with extraterritorial effects, which create obstacles to trade relations among States," the resolution said.
Eleven countries opposed the resolution, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine and Britain. Three countries abstained.
"The resolution did not make a difference between unilateral coercive measures such as economic sanctions which were acceptable and those extraterritorial coercive measures which were not acceptable," said Canada's council representative, Marius Grinius. An overwhelming majority of the UN General Assembly condemns the US embargo on Cuba every year. The administration of US President George W. Bush has refused to lift the sanctions, saying the communist regime has not changed after ailing, long-time leader Fidel Castro handed power to his brother Raul in February.
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