”The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation addresses the participants of the 80th anniversary session of the United Nations General Assembly, the parliaments of the United Nations member states and international parliamentary organizations and calls to jointly demand that the United States America end its economic, commercial and financial embargo against the Republic of Cuba. Such actions against a sovereign state are a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law, including the principles of non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for human rights and the duty to cooperate.
The position of the State Duma on the embargo against the Republic of Cuba by the United States of America remains unchanging and absolutely negative. Members of the State Duma consider these measures an unjust and unacceptable foreign policy tool that significantly harms the well-being of Cuban citizens, impedes the socioeconomic development of the Republic of Cuba and destabilizes the region.
Every year, the United Nations General Assembly adopts a new resolution “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. This fact serves as a stark reminder that the US position on that issue is rejected by the absolute majority of members of the international community.
The economic, commercial and financial embargo against the Republic of Cuba by the United States of America is a persistent violation of key norms and principles of modern international law. The policy in question is in express conflict with the letter and spirit of the UN Charter. Sweeping economic sanctions introduced in order to exert pressure on a sovereign state are illegitimate.
The embargo directly affects key socioeconomic rights of Cuban citizens, including their right to development, to food, to health and the right of access to medicines and medical equipment. Creating artificial obstacles to food, medicine and medical equipment supplies, even with formal humanitarian exceptions in place, leads to significant negative consequences.
The extraterritorial use by the United States of America of Helms–Burton Act that puts restrictions on companies, banks and individuals from third countries is a form of unfair competition and an illegal limitation on the international trade. These actions create legal and financial risks, set up unlawful obstacles for cross-border economic and trade relations and inflict damage not only to the Republic of Cuba, but other states as well, including the Russian Federation.
The embargo, that has been in place since October 1962, causes tremendous economic harm to the Republic of Cuba. As estimated by Cuban and international experts, it has reached hundreds of billions of US dollars.
It hinders modernization of energy, transport, water supply and communications systems in the Republic of Cuba. Its impact on social and humanitarian sectors is especially severe. Restrictions on supplies of modern medical equipment, its components, pharmaceutical products and chemicals limit access to robust medical care for the population. They negatively affect the opportunity to treat serious health conditions, perform surgeries and implement vaccination programs.
The State Duma emphasizes that the humanitarian cost of the embargo is unacceptable and cannot be justified by any political goals. With this Address, the State Duma once again joins the international community’s demand to immediately end the embargo against the Republic of Cuba and reaffirms its commitment to the development of comprehensive, mutually beneficial cooperation with the Republic of Cuba based on the principle of sovereign equality of states.
We call on the Government of the United States of America to abandon its confrontational approach and start an equal and respectful dialogue with the Republic of Cuba. We are convinced that normalizing the relations between Washington and Havana serves the long-term interests of both nations and promotes stability in the entire Caribbean region“.
