New York, October 10 (RHC-PL) -- Cuba has called on the United Nations to encourage countries to work together to eliminate the root causes of terrorism, drug and human trafficking, as well as money laundering.

"The first step to fight crime is the establishment of a more just, democratic and equitable international economic order," said the Cuban UN ambassador, Rodolfo Reyes, at the Third Committee of the General Assembly.

Speaking at a session devoted to crime prevention, criminal justice and drug control, the diplomat said that cooperation between the countries is the key to dealing with the current situation, always on the basis of full respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and state laws.

Today, no nation alone can fight terrorism, drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, money laundering and arms smuggling. According to Reyes, all countries, regardless of economic power, land area or number of inhabitants are vulnerable to different forms of crime, including its emerging forms, so that prevention "continues to be a top priority task in the current international situation."

The Cuban ambassador to the UN said that a comprehensive, balanced and multidisciplinary approach is needed to fight the international scourge. And he noted that Cuba has already developed such programs.
"We have developed prevention programs with positive results. Strategies aimed at drug user rehabilitation and social reintegration, as routes are based primarily on health care, to counteract victims' addiction to drugs," he said.

"We reiterate our full readiness to cooperate with the international community, especially the efforts of the United Nations, in the prevention and eradication of this scourge."