Mr. President,

1. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda Item 41 - "Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Embargo Imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba".

2. Last year, the announcements made by the Government of the United States related to a certain relaxation of restrictions on travels and transfer of remittances had given hope to many of us that the steps in the right direction were starting to be taken. Nevertheless, one year has passed by and it is clear that these measures have had a very limited effect and that the embargo is still in place.

3. In fact, the embargo remains largely unchanged and continues to impose severe economic and financial restrictions on Cuba. The embargo has caused, and continues to cause, a high degree of economic and financial damage, negatively impacting on the welfare and well-being of the people of Cuba.

4. Furthermore, the deepening impact of the ongoing global economic and financial crisis and the continued embargo by the Government of the United States will contribute to further aggravate the hardships for the people of Cuba.

5. Moreover, the embargo frustrates efforts towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and negatively affects regional cooperation in the area.

Mr. President,

6. The Group of 77 and China states once again, as it has done in many opportunities before, that the embargo against Cuba contravenes the fundamental norms of international law, international humanitarian law, the United Nations Charter and the norms and principles governing peaceful relations among States. Its continued imposition violates the principles of the sovereign equality of States and of non-intervention and non-interference in each other's domestic affairs.

7. The Group of 77 and China has always been firmly against the embargo. At the Second South Summit held in Doha, Qatar, on 12-16 June 2005, the Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China rejected firmly the imposition of laws and regulations with extraterritorial impact and all other forms of coercive economic measures, including unilateral sanctions against developing countries, and called upon the Government of the United States to put an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba which, in addition to being unilateral and contrary to the UN Charter and international law, and to the principle of neighborliness, causes huge material loses and economic damage to the people of Cuba.

8. Today the Group of 77 and China would like to reiterate once again its long-standing position on this important matter by quoting the Ministerial Declaration of the thirty-fifth annual meeting of our Ministers for Foreign Affairs held in these Headquarters the 23rd September 2011. I quote:

"The Ministers firmly rejected the imposition of laws and regulations with extraterritorial impact and all other forms of coercive economic measures, including unilateral sanctions against developing countries, and reiterated the urgent need to eliminate them immediately. They emphasized that such actions not only undermine the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and international law, but also severely threaten the freedom of trade and investment. They, therefore, called on the international community neither to recognize these measures nor apply them."

Mr. President,

9. We recall that last year 187 Member States voted in favor of the Draft Resolution presented by Cuba. This represented a large majority of the International Community demanding the end to the five-decades-old embargo and to fully adhere to the principles of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of a sisterly country.

10. The Group of G77 and China is committed to work towards a better world for all in which nations, large or small, could co-exist peacefully. The achievement of such peaceful co-existence among nations requires an adherence by all nations to the principles of the United Nations Charter and the peaceful conduct of relations among nations.

11. The achievement of such peaceful co-existence among nations requires an adherence by all nations to the rule of law, including international law.

Mr. President,

12. The Group of 77 and China will again fully support the draft resolution against the embargo and urges all Member States to do so as well.

I thank you.