Russia's Parliament slams US embargo on Cuba

Moscow, Oct 18 (UNI) The State Duma, the lower house of Russian Parliament, in a resolution has slammed US economic embargo on Cuba, urging the world community to condemn Washington's economic blockade of the Caribbean island, which has been badly hit by recent hurricanes.

The resolution addressing the Parliaments of UN member states and international parliamentary organisations, accused the United States of consistently ignoring UN General Assembly anti-embargo resolutions for the last 16 years, violating commonly acknowledged principles of international law, the UN Charter and free international trade.

It said the continuous blockade had grave consequences for the country, particularly in healthcare, education, culture, science, transport, power generation and agriculture.

It added the inhuman aspect of the economic blockade had been made especially clear by the damage caused by Hurricane Ike in September and Hurricane Gustav in late August, which is estimated at five billion dollars.

The lawmakers called for the lifting of the Helms-Burton Act that strengthened the US embargo against Cuba in 1996, saying Cuba should then be able to buy food and construction materials from the US firms.

They also called on the parliaments of UN member states and parliamentary organisations to render help to the socialist Caribbean country in dealing with the consequences of the hurricanes without politicising the issue.

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