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COSATU calls upon all governments and progressive peoples of the world to join the Cuban people in condemning the US imposed embargo against the Cuban people, which has, for the past 18 years been rejected by a unanimous vote of the UN General Assembly. Once again, on the 28th October, 2009 Cuba will be submitting a draft resolution entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba" for due consideration by the August Assembly. We further call for the release of the Cuban Five heroes unjustly held in US jails for their role in thwarting imperialist destabilisation of the Cuban revolution and its achievements, particularly US-sponsored state terrorism against Cuba.

According to a 50th anniversary document on the Cuban revolution and Granma, "It is a tendency of the US to establish well resourced stations that focus on particular countries resulted in one CIA centre established in Florida to direct activities against Cuba, starting with Bay of Pigs and then Operation Mongoose and it is said that the centre was only superseded by the one established in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh city) in south Vietnam at the height of aggression against that country. It is alleged that it grew to have about 179 armed counterrevolutionary bands of different sizes operating all over Cuba. One by one the Cuban leadership dealt with them until they were all defeated. Alas, therein lies the US hypocritic charge against Cuba, "lack of democracy", a false pretext to destroy the revolution".

The document goes further to say, "Amongst the most cynical experiences of US desperation to destroy the revolution was its formation of the Coordination of United Revolutionary Organisations (CORU), managed by the CIA as a unification of all the terrorist groups funded by the US and sabotaging the Cuban economy and its people. It also committed serious acts of aggression in support of the fascist dictator, Pinochet and Operation Condor, including the sabotage of a Cuban civilian aircraft resulting in the deaths of 73 innocent people by Luis Posada Carriles."

The blockade against Cuba, the immediate and unconditional lifting of which we demand, continues to be the longest, cruellest and most unjust blockade ever known in the history of humanity. It constitutes a true economic war, which classifies as an act of genocide.

Cuba requests all governments committed to the defence of International Law to vote on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009, in the U.N. General Assembly, in favour of the draft resolution which calls for putting an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade by the United States against Cuba. In particular, we call upon our own government, as has always done, to ensure it supports the Cuban people and mobilise other governments, particularly in the global south, the AU, Non-Aligned Movement and MERCURSOR, OAS and the whole Asia-Pacific region to refuse to be bullied by the US and its few allies in asserting their interests on the world stage.

Kindly find attached below the summary of the Report as presented by Cuba on Resolution 63/7 of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as, some additional information on the issue that will provide sufficient arguments and examples showing how the blockade against Cuba remains rigorously in force and why it constitutes economic war against the Cuban people's sovereign right.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. For the eighteenth consecutive year, on Wednesday 28th October 2009, Cuba will submit the draft resolution entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba" for the consideration by the UN General Assembly.

1. Last year, 185 Member States voted in favour of this resolution, which constitutes an almost unanimous demonstration of the international community's rejection of the genocidal policy of the US government against Cuba and of the application of extraterritorial laws contrary to the Charter of the United Nations.

1. The direct economic damage to the Cuban people due to the application of the economic, trade and financial embargo by the US against Cuba until December 2008, calculated on a very conservative basis, totals 96 billion dollars, a figure that would reach 236,221 million dollars if calculations were made using the current rate of exchange on the US dollar.

1. Despite the expectations by the International Community, the accession to power of a new US Administration has not meant a change in the implementation of the blockade policy against Cuba.

1. The recent regulations published on September 3rd, limit themselves to regulate the implementation of the measures announced by President Obama on the April 13th last, which are strictly limited to fulfil some of the presidential campaign promises made by the US President, and in now to modify the legal framework on which the policy of blockade and its continued implementation are based.

1. The economic, commercial and financial blockade by the United States against Cuba and the political, administrative and repressive mechanisms ensuring its rigorous and effective implementation remain intact, and the actions by the Government to guarantee the effective application of this policy of economic war continue to be carried out.

1. There is no reason either to believe that the Administration has the will to make it more flexible. In this regard, Vice President Joseph Biden has clearly expressed that the United States will maintain the blockade as "a tool to apply pressure" on Cuba.

1. The decision taken by President Obama on 14 September last to extend the application against Cuba of the Trading with the Enemy Act, only applicable in case of war or national emergency, and on which the first regulations of the blockade against Cuba of 1962 are based, it not only a clear demonstration that the legal framework supporting that policy is still fully in place, but also that the US Administration insists has the determination to apply it.

1. Taking into account existing precedents, in cannot be discarded that, in the eve of the vote on the blockade on Cuba, the U.S. announces additional measures which, without dismantling any essential element of the blockade, are aimed at sowing confusion among Member States and the international community.

1. The report submitted by Cuba to the Secretary General on the compliance of resolution 63/7 of the UN General Assembly, has sufficient arguments and examples showing how the blockade against Cuba remains rigorously in force.

1. The economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba continues to be the main obstacle to the economic and social development of the country and to the recovery after the passing of the devastating hurricanes that affected the island in 2008.

1. The blockade against Cuba, the immediate and unconditional lifting of which we demand, continues to be the longest, cruellest and most unjust blockade ever known in the history of humanity. It constitutes a true economic war, which classifies as an act of genocide.

1. Cuba requests all governments committed to the defense of International Law to vote on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009, in the U.N. General Assembly, in favour of the draft resolution which calls for putting an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade by the United States against Cuba.

Report by Cuba on Resolution 63/7 of the United Nations General Assembly
SUMMARY
""Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba"
1. INTRODUCTION

The economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba 50 years ago is the most elevated expression of a cruel and inhuman policy, lacking in legality and legitimacy and deliberately designed to create hunger, illnesses and desperation within the Cuban populace. Nothing has changed through ten successive US governments other than a tightening of this policy. Nothing essential has changed either since the new US government was inaugurated in January 2009.
There has never been such a wide-ranging and brutal embargo against a people like the one the US is maintaining against Cuba. On the one hand, this classifies as genocide by virtue of Section c of Article II of the Geneva Convention of 1948 on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and, on the other hand, as an act of economic war, according to the stipulations of the declaration regarding Maritime War adopted by the 1909 London Naval Conference.
The embargo against Cuba is not a bilateral issue between our country and the United States. The repeated extra-territorial application of US laws and the persecution against the legitimate interests of companies and citizens of third countries significantly have repercussions on the sovereignty of many other States. Protected by this policy, sanctions continue to be applied on US and European companies that do business with Cuba.
According to very conservative figures, the direct harm inflicted on Cuba as a result of the embargo, until December 2008, surpasses 96 billion dollars, a figure that would reach 36 thousand 221 million dollars, if the calculation were to be made using today's value of the US dollar. It is not difficult to imagine the progress Cuba would have been able to achieve and how much progress has been denied it if it hadn't been for these 50 years of being submitted to this brutal economic war.
2. NEW US ADMINISTRATION, SAME OLD POLICY

The media and diplomatic offensive unleashed by the US government could erroneously lead one to the belief that the embargo against Cuba has started to be dismantled. However, nothing is further from the truth.

The present US government has continued to rigorously apply the embargo against Cuba. It has not taken any steps, directed towards the removal of the complex maze of laws and administrative regulations that make up the legal bases and the regulations of the embargo. Neither have the foundations upon which that policy has been erected been modified.

The measures that have been adopted by the White House if they indeed make good in part for a serious injustice, by returning to Cuban residents in the US their right to visit family in Cuba, they are insufficient and have a very limited scope since they go no further than the intention of returning to the situation family relations existed in the year 2004 when the economic embargo was already fully in effect and being applied.

Those measures do not at all look after the restitution of the constitutional right of American citizens to travel freely to Cuba, the only country in the world that they are forbidden from visiting.
3. REPERCUSSIONS OF THE EMBARGO ON THE MOST SENSITIVE SOCIAL SECTORS
PUBLIC HEALTH: Between May 2008 and April 2009 repercussions on the public health sector add up to 25 million dollars. The economic damages are basically due to the need of acquiring products and equipment in markets that are further away, using intermediaries for such purposes and the subsequent increase in the prices that such procedures bring with them.
FOOD: In 2008, because of additional costs coming from the obstacles to transactions with the United States, ALIMPORT suffered losses of 154.9 million dollars. In the period between April 2008 and March 2009, the agro-food sector, so sensitive for the food security of the country, suffered losses on account of the embargo to the tune of 121.8 million dollars.
Even though US sales of food to Cuba have been allowed since 2000, they are governed by the application of strict measures of supervision and a complicated and bureaucratic process of granting licences, in each case, by numerous American institutions. Despite the announcement by the new American government last March 11 in regards to the issuing of general licences for the export of food, the reality of the situation is that the United States government continues putting up obstacles for Cuba's purchases and there has been no action in sight directed towards carrying out these sales according to the norms, channels and regular practices of international trade.
EDUCATION: The higher education sector has suffered losses totalling 3.8 million dollars affecting production and services, income other than for goods and services, lack of access to American technology, cancelled academic programmes, bank transfers and projects that could not be carried out.
SPORTS: Conservative calculations on losses for equipment that is unable to be used because of lack of spare parts that cannot be bought in the US indicate a total of 781,000 dollars.
TRANSPORTATION: Despite the enormous efforts made by the Cuban government to encourage the sector of transportation and to repair roads for the benefit of the population, the embargo continues to hold up the country's development plans. During the period between March 2008 and April 2009, this sector was affected to a total of 357 million 802 thousand dollars.

4. REPERCUSSIONS OF THE EMBARGO ON THE FOREIGN SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY

The US embargo continues to deprive Cuba of important incomes from exports of goods and services; it puts up obstacles to the country's access to foreign funding sources and creates an onerous increase in prices due to the geographical relocation of trade.
During the period under analysis, repercussions on the foreign sector are calculated at 242.4 million dollars.
Embargo actions directed against the Cuban banking and financial system have continued to be toughened. In this period, possibilities of using correspondent banks have been decreased; this has made transactions more complicated and has further limited the normal functioning of banking and financial institutions. Added to all this are the limitations created by the impossibility of using the US dollar as the means for payment.
The US government has continued to carry out actions to consummate the theft of Havana Club, a Cuban brand which is internationally recognized. Section 211 of the US Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1999 prevents Cuban holders or their successors (among these, foreign companies in Cuba) from having recognition on US territory for their rights on brands or business names that are registered and protected in Cuba.
5. REPERCUSSIONS OF THE EMBARGO ON OTHER SECTORS OF THE CUBAN ECONOMY.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SECTOR. From April 2008 until March 2009, this sector has suffered losses on account of the embargo to the total of 47.2 million dollars. These have had negative repercussions on the country being able to fulfill its projected plans and the recovery after the disasters caused by the passage of three hurricanes in 2008. Repercussions on the home construction programmes were calculated at 7.3 million dollars.

The Cuban sugar industry was affected to a total of 127.5 million dollars during the period under analysis. Just for relocating markets in order to import agricultural consumables, the country had to pay 76.0 million dollars. During 2008, production of sugar cane was affected by the embargo for 162.799 tons, equivalent to 44.7 million dollars, according to the market price at that moment.
The Informatics and Communications sector have also been heavily affected by application of the embargo. Cuba is not able to connect to the Internet at a suitable speed. The embargo forces Cuba to use a band width and connection services via satellite, something that is very expensive and has a limited capacity. The problem could be solved if Cuba would be permitted to connect without conditions or discriminatory requirements to the undersea fibre-optic cables that pass a few kilometres off the coast of Cuba. US authorities have not allowed this.
The Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (ETECSA) has lost 53. 7 million dollars in the period being studied. These damages are basically due to the fact that there is no access to the American market to buy specialized equipment, spare parts and other necessary consumables needed for the good functioning of the company's activities. This forces them to seek out intermediaries, thus making the product more expensive.
The Cuban tourism industry has not escaped the adverse effects of the embargo. It is estimated that income lost totalled 1214.5 million dollars.
Basic Industry, an important backbone for the national economy, is constantly under siege by the embargo policy. In this sector, the nickel industry continues to be one of the most attacked and persecuted branches. During the stage that we are analyzing, the industry has suffered losses of 62.9 million dollars. Of these, 45.8 million dollars are a result of the effects on exports since the US forbids imports of products manufactured totally or partly with Cuban raw materials even though they may have been made in third countries.
Effects on the iron and steel industry have reached 38 million 164 thousand dollars. If these losses had not been incurred, it would have been possible to buy 139,284 refrigerators or 1,773,423 galvanized steel roofs that could have roofed 49,261 homes of 70 square metres each.
6. OPPOSITION TO THE GENOCIDAL POLICY OF THE EMBARGO AGAINST CUBA.

Last year, for the seventeenth consecutive time, the UN General Assembly adopted, with the overwhelming majority of member states the resolution "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba" (63/7), with the highest vote that this resolution has reached in that UN body.
The General Assembly, with the favourable vote of 185 of its members, categorically reiterated the call to discontinue this illegal and genocidal policy being imposed by the government of the United States on the people of Cuba. That backing by the international community is consistent with its rejection of the application of economic, commercial and financial measures with extra-territorial effects and that are contrary to international law and to the principles of the UN Charter.
Opposition to the embargo is also growing significantly inside the United States. In a growing spectrum of US public opinion, the perception of the need for a basic change in government policy regarding Cuba is broadened; the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial embargo would constitute an essential variable.

7. CONCLUSIONS

The economic, trade and financial embargo, imposed by the government of the United States against Cuba, continues being the prime obstacle to the economic and social growth of the country, as well as for its recovery after the passage of three devastating hurricanes that affected it in 2008.
The embargo violates International Law. It is contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. It constitutes a transgression on the right to peace, development and security of a sovereign state. In its essence and its aims, it is an act of unilateral aggression and a permanent threat against the stability of a country. It constitutes a flagrant, massive and systematic violation of the rights of an entire people. It is also in violation of the constitutional rights of the American people since it denies them the freedom to travel to Cuba. Moreover, it violates the sovereign rights of many other states because of its extra-territorial nature.
Besides being illegal, the embargo is morally unsustainable. There is no like unilateral system of punishments in existence being carried out against any other country in the world for such an extended period of time. Therefore, the United States must lift the embargo, with no more delays or excuses.