Hanoi (VNA) – Within the framework of the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations, Cuba plans to present a draft resolutionasking the US to lift its economic blockade against Cuba. On this occasion, theVietnam News Agency interviewed Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys TorresRivera on the impact of the US policy of unilateral embargo, as well as onVietnam’s support to the Cuban people.

On the US recent tightening of its economic, commercial andfinancial embargo, the diplomat affirmed that the harsh policies of the US arehindering Cuba’s economic development, including the realisation of itssocio-economic plan for 2019, as well as the completion of the sustainabledevelopment goals. Within only one year from April 2018, Cuba’s economysuffered losses totaling over 4 billion USD as a result of the US policy ofembargo, she said.

The Cuban diplomat opposed the US recent decision to fullyimpose Article III of the Helms-Burton Act that allows US citizens to filelawsuits against foreign companies or individuals related to the confiscationof their assets by the Cuban government. Cuba is now facing a scarcity of fuelas a result of the intensified embargo from the US side, she added.

On the relations of solidarity and friendship between Cubaand Vietnam, Ambassador Torres Rivera affirmed that Vietnam always stands sideby the side with Cuba in the struggle against the blockade and embargo,stressing that the heartfelt and practical help from Vietnam to the Cubanpeople is extremely valuable, especially in the current time of hardships. Shehighlighted the fact that at the high-level session of the UN General Assemblyon September 28, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minhcalled for an immediate removal of the unilateral embargo which runs counter tothe international law against Cuba.

According to the diplomat, during her Cuba visit in July,Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh also affirmed that the Party, State andpeople of Vietnam will continue supporting the people of the Caribbean countryand demand for an end to the blockade and embargo. The ambassador expressed herbelief that Vietnam will vote in support of the draft resolution on the need toremove the economic, commercial and financial embargo of the US against Cuba atthe coming session of the UN General Assembly.

She further said that many countries, individuals, scholarsand international organisations have voiced their opposition against the tighteningof the economic embargo against Cuba, adding that she believed Cuba will continueenjoying support from countries at the UN in calling on the US to lift itsblockade an embargo at an early date.

Over the past nearly six decades, the policy of economic,commercial and financial blockade and embargo unilaterally imposed by the UShas causes losses totaling nearly 139 billion USD for the Cuban economy./.