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A/RES/51/17 GA

Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

51
Session
137
Yes
3
No
25
Abstentions
Draft symbol A/51/L.15
Adopted symbol A/RES/51/17
Category GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTORS
Voeten Topics ⓘ
Significance ★ Important vote US State Dept designation
P5 Positions
Russia ✓ United States ✗ United Kingdom ✓ China ✓ France ✓
UN Document A/RES/51/17 ↗

Vote Recorded Vote — A/51/PV.57 Nov. 12, 1996

⚠ 1 surprising vote — country whose ideal point predicts the opposite position.

— Abstain (25)
✗ No (3)
Absent (20)
✓ Yes (137)
Speeches following this vote (9) may include explanations of vote
The Acting President
I shall now call on those representatives who wish to make statements in explanation of vote. May I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.
Mr. Petrella (Argentina)
This is the second year that Argentina has voted in favour of the draft resolution contained in document A/51/L.15. This is because our principal objective, in addressing the question of Cuba, is to help in that country’s peaceful transition towards democracy, within the framework of the principles of the Charter and of international law. This objective is no doubt shared by all peoples of the he…
Mr. Karsgaard (Canada)
Canada has supported this resolution again this year. We have done so because we contest any effort to force change in our own policy through the use of measures having an extraterritorial reach. Canada has always taken a vigorous stand against measures that seek to constrain the freedom of investment and trade of third countries. That is our primary concern with the embargo and the reason why Ca…
Ms. Lee (Singapore)
Singapore has once again voted in support of the resolution on this issue (A/51/L.15) which we have just adopted. In doing so, we still take no position on the specific bilateral problems that led to the imposition of the embargo against Cuba. This is a matter for the two countries to settle bilaterally. However, we maintain our view that international relations have evolved to the point where th…
Mr. Takahashi (Japan)
I have asked to speak to place on record Japan’s position with regard to its abstention in the voting on the resolution contained in document A/51/L.15. As it has indicated in previous years, Japan considers that the question of the United States embargo against Cuba should be discussed bilaterally between the United States and Cuba. It continues to have doubts as to whether a discussion in the G…
Mr. Kasanda (Zambia)
The issue of the American embargo against Cuba has been around for more than 37 years. This means that the origins of the issue date back to the politics of the cold war, characterized by global tension and East-West ideological rivalry. The continuation of the embargo against Cuba is therefore a sad continuation of cold-war tactics in a It must be noted that in spite of the embargo, the Cuban …
Mr. Dlamini (Eswatini)
My delegation wishes to make the following statement in explanation of vote. All nations are equal before the eyes of God. Even if geographically they are small States, to God they are all equal. No nation, therefore, whether large or small, has a divine right to interfere in the sovereignty of any State Member of the United Nations. The Kingdom of Swaziland, in this belief, will therefore cont…
Mr. Amorim (Brazil)
My country believes that the settlement of disputes among States must be undertaken, first of all, through peaceful means. Any other forceful measures, such as sanctions or embargoes, constitute exceptions to this general rule. They should be resorted to only when all other means are exhausted and, in any case, should be firmly based on international law. Sanctions and embargoes that contradict …
The Acting President
We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote after the vote. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 27?
Full text of resolution OCR extract — may contain errors
UNITED UNITED A NATIONS NATIONS General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/RES/51/17 21 November 1996 Fifty-first session Agenda item 27 RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY [without reference to a Main Committee (A/51/L.15)] 51/17. Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba The General Assembly, Determined to encourage strict compliance with the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, Reaffirming, among other principles, the sovereign equality of States, non-intervention and non-interference in their internal affairs and freedom of international trade and navigation, which are also enshrined in many international legal instruments, Recalling the statements of the heads of State or Government at the Ibero-American Summits concerning the need to eliminate the unilateral application of economic and trade measures by one State against another which affect the free flow of international trade, Concerned about the continued promulgation and application by Member States of laws and regulations, such as the one promulgated on 12 March 1996 known as the "Helms-Burton Act", the extraterritorial effects of which affect the sovereignty of other States, the legitimate interests of entities or persons under their jurisdiction and the freedom of trade and navigation, Taking note of declarations and resolutions of different intergovernmental forums, bodies and Governments which express the rejection by the international community and public opinion of the promulgation and application of regulations of the kind referred to above, 96-77491 /... A/RES/51/17 Page 2 Recalling its resolutions 47/19 of 24 November 1992, 48/16 of 3 November 1993, 49/9 of 26 October 1994 and 50/10 of 2 November 1995, Concerned that, since the adoption of its resolutions 47/19, 48/16, 49/9 and 50/10, further measures of that nature aimed at strengthening and extending the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba continue to be promulgated and applied, and concerned also about the adverse effects of such measures on the Cuban people and on Cuban nationals living in other countries, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General1 on the implementation of resolution 50/10; 2. Reiterates its call on all States to refrain from promulgating and applying laws and measures of the kind referred to in the preamble to the present resolution in conformity with their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and international law which, inter alia, reaffirm the freedom of trade and navigation; 3. Once again urges States that have and continue to apply such laws and measures to take the necessary steps to repeal or invalidate them as soon as possible in accordance with their legal regime; 4. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the appropriate organs and agencies of the United Nations system, to prepare a report on the implementation of the present resolution in the light of the purposes and principles of the Charter and international law, and to submit it to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session; 5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second session the item entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba". 57th plenary meeting 12 November 1996 1 A/51/355 and Add.1.
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