← Votes

A/RES/59/11 GA

Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Embargo Imposed by the United States of America against Cuba

59
Session
179
Yes
4
No
1
Abstentions
Draft symbol A/59/L.2
Adopted symbol A/RES/59/11
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/59/11 ↗

Vote Recorded VoteA/59/PV.44 Oct. 28, 2004

— Abstain (1)
✗ No (4)
Absent (7)
✓ Yes (179)
Speeches following this vote (10) may include explanations of vote
The President
Before giving the floor representatives wishing to speak in explanation of vote on the resolution just adopted, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and should be made by delegations from their seats.
Mr. Hamburger (Netherlands)
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The candidate countries Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia and the countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia align themselves with this statement. The European Union believes that the United States trade …
Mr. Sardenburg (Brazil)
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the countries of the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) — Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil — and the associated countries Bolivia, Chile and Peru. As in previous years, MERCOSUR members and associated countries voted in favour of the resolution that the Assembly has just adopted. The application of coercive unilateral measures does not contribute…
Mr. Omura (Japan)
Japan shares the concern expressed by many delegations today regarding the extraterritorial application of jurisdiction arising from the Helms-Burton Act of the United States, which is likely to run counter to international law. My Government has been closely following the implementation of the legislation as well as the circumstances surrounding it, and its concerns remain unchanged. For that re…
Mr. Aspelund (Iceland)
Iceland voted in favour of the draft resolution. Iceland believes that it is not in the best interest of the multilateral system for States to apply unilateral trade sanctions outside the United Nations system. However, I would like to make it clear that Iceland’s vote in favour of the resolution is not intended to be, in any way, an indication of support for the policies of the present Governme…
Mr. Sawford (Australia)
Australia shares concerns about the state of human rights and political freedoms in Cuba, but we do not consider that isolating Cuba through economic sanctions is an effective means of achieving human rights and political reform. Australia has consistently expressed its opposition, as a matter of principle, to the promulgation and application by States Members of the United Nations of laws and m…
Mr. Strømmen (Norway)
The Norwegian Government believes there is a clear distinction between unilateral measures, on the one hand, and sanctions adopted by the international community, through the United Nations, on the other. In our view, no country should impose its legislation on third countries. Norway has, therefore, once again voted for the resolution on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and finan…
The President
We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote. The Cuban delegation has asked to speak in exercise of the right of reply. May I remind members that, in accordance with General Assembly decision 34/401, statements in exercise of the right of reply are limited to 10 minutes for the first intervention and to five minutes for the second and should be made by delegations from their seats. I…
Mr. López Clemente (Cuba)
Once again we have heard an explanation of vote from the representative of the European Union (EU). The EU has explained that its vote has nothing to do with the sufferings imposed on our people by the economic blockade of all of these years, but that it has to do with the blockade’s extraterritorial aspect. We all know that. The EU has expressed concern about human rights in Cuba, and that has …
The President
May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 28? It was so decided. The meeting rose at 1 p.m.
Full text of resolution OCR extract — may contain errors
United Nations A/RES/59/11 General Assembly Distr.: General 16 December 2004 Fifty-ninth session Agenda item 28 04-47686 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 28 October 2004 [without reference to a Main Committee (A/59/L.2)] 59/11. 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 that affect the free flow of international trade, Concerned at the continued promulgation and application by Member States of laws and regulations, such as that 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 that express the rejection by the international community and public opinion of the promulgation and application of regulations of the kind referred to above, Recalling its resolutions 47/19 of 24 November 1992, 48/16 of 3 November 1993, 49/9 of 26 October 1994, 50/10 of 2 November 1995, 51/17 of 12 November 1996, 52/10 of 5 November 1997, 53/4 of 14 October 1998, 54/21 of 9 November 1999, 55/20 of 9 November 2000, 56/9 of 27 November 2001, 57/11 of 12 November 2002 and 58/7 of 4 November 2003, Concerned that, since the adoption of its resolutions 47/19, 48/16, 49/9, 50/10, 51/17, 52/10, 53/4, 54/21, 55/20, 56/9, 57/11 and 58/7, 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 A/RES/59/11 2 concerned also at 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-General on the implementation of resolution 58/7;1 2. Reiterates its call upon 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 sixtieth session; 5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixtieth session the item entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. 44th plenary meeting 28 October 2004 _______________ 1 A/59/302 (Parts I and II).
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