大多国家希望美国解除对古巴经济制裁 Most of the World Wants an End to the US Economic Embargo against Cuba

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联合国大会星期二几乎一致投票赞同结束美国对古巴半个多世纪的经济制裁。

联大191个成员国呼吁华盛顿取消在冷战高峰时期开始对古巴实行的贸易制裁。只有美国和以色列投了反对票。

这是自从联大连续24年讨论这个问题以来的最大的支持力度。

但美国驻联合国副代表戈达德说,这种投票“无助于推动局面。”

他说:“尽管正常化将是一个漫长和复杂的过程,但是我们已经取得了相当的进展。我们因此很遗憾古巴政府选择谋求这个年复一年的决议。决议文本没有反映已经取得的重大进展,也没能反映奥巴马总统所提倡的进行接触的精神。因此,美国不赞同这一决议。”

去年12月,奥巴马总统下令全面恢复与古巴的外交关系,还放宽了一些旅行限制,但只有美国国会才能解除美国对古巴实行了56年的贸易禁运。

联大投票之后,古巴外长罗德里格斯敦促美国单方面解除贸易禁运。他说:“对古巴的封锁禁运是美国的单方面行动,应当单方面解除,不需要为此要求得到回报。只有美国才能采取必要的措施遵守国际法,从而有利于美国的国家利益,就像奥巴马总统所说的那样。解除制裁会让美国获益。”

美国驻联合国代表戈达德说,美国和古巴官员已经在哈瓦那举行了会晤,以制定一个更为广泛的合作议程。议程涉及执法、打击贩毒、人权和气候变化等议题。

戈达德在联大上表示,美国和古巴关系全面正常化需要双方多年持续努力,坚持不懈。

The United Nations General Assembly Tuesday voted almost unanimously for an end to the 50-year U.S. economic embargo against Cuba.

One hundred ninety-one members of the General Assembly called for Washington to end the measures put in place during the height of the Cold War. Only the U.S. and Israel voted against it.

This was the strongest support the world body has expressed for ending the embargo in the 24 consecutive years it has taken up the issue.

But Ron Goddard, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said the vote will "not help move things forward."

"Although normalization will be a long and complex road, we've made considerable progress. We regret therefore that the government of Cuba has chosen to proceed with its annual resolution. The text falls short of reflecting the significant steps that have been taken and the spirit of engagement President Obama has championed. As a result, the United States cannot support it."

Last December, President Barack Obama ordered full restoration of diplomatic relations with the island nation. He also eased some travel restrictions, but only the U.S. Congress can lift the 56-year-old embargo.

Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, urged the United States to unilaterally lift the embargo after the vote was held.

Bruno Rodriguez, Cuban Foreign Minister, said after the voting: "The blockade against Cuba is a unilateral act of the U.S. and should be lifted unilaterally without asking for anything in return. It's only up to the U.S. to adopt the necessary measures to comply with the international law, as President Obama has said, to serve the national interests of the U.S., which will be benefited by the lifting of the blockade."

Ambassador Goddard said U.S. and Cuban officials have met in Havana to set a broad agenda for cooperation spanning law enforcement, drug trafficking, human rights and climate change.

Godard told the assembly that fully normalizing relations between the U.S. and Cuba will require years of persistence and dedication on both sides."