Havana, April 29 (RHC-ITAR TASS) -- Moscow believes that the maintenance of the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba is totally unacceptable, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after a meeting with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez.
“We think the maintenance of the blockade against Cuba, contrary to the will of a vast majority of UN member-states, is absolutely unacceptable,” he said.
Trade sanctions against Cuba were introduced in 1960 following the triumph of the socialist revolution led by Fidel Castro. They were expanded later on up to a virtually full commercial and economic blockade of the island.
UN member-states have more than once spoken in favor of lifting the US blockade of Cuba. One of the documents towards that goal, a 2011 resolution on the importance of terminating the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the U.S. on Cuba, received the support of 186 delegations at the UN.
Bruno Rodriguez said in October 2013 while taking the floor at the UN that the damage done to Cuba during half a century of sanctions had inflicted a damage of $ 1.126 trillion USD.
Since the start of Barack Obama’s presidency, Cuba’s blockade has only intensified, he said.
The Russian foreign minister is visiting the island as part of a broader Latin American tour, diplomatic sources have said. Lavrov is also slated to meet on Tuesday with Cuban President Raul Castro, to review bilateral links and discuss pressing international issues, such as the crisis in Ukraine.
