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Cuba thanks Russia for efforts to lift economic embargo

President of Cuba’s National Assembly of the People's Power also expressed "endless gratitude" to the Russian side for emergency humanitarian supplies

President of Cuba’s National Assembly of the People's Power Esteban Lazo Hernandez Stephen Chernin/Getty Images

President of Cuba’s National Assembly of the People's Power Esteban Lazo Hernandez

© Stephen Chernin/Getty Images

MOSCOW, November 30. /TASS/. Cuba is grateful to Russia for its unwavering calls to lift the trade and economic blockade of the Caribbean island country and for the humanitarian aid that Moscow has provided, Esteban Lazo Hernandez, President of Cuba’s National Assembly of the People's Power (unicameral parliament), said on Wednesday.

"I would like to use this opportunity to thank the upper house of the Russian Federal Assembly for calling for the lifting of the [economic] blockade [of Cuba], which you have systematically and unanimously adopted since 2016," he said.

He also expressed "endless gratitude" to the Russian side for emergency humanitarian supplies. "We appreciate it," he added.

Cuba's economic embargo and UN General Assembly resolutions

The United States severed diplomatic ties with Cuba in 1961 in response to the nationalization of American property on the island. Washington later enforced a trade and economic embargo on the Caribbean island nation.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on November 3 calling on the US to end the 60-year trade and economic embargo against Cuba. The resolution was supported by 185 countries, including Russia, and opposed by Israel and the United States, with Brazil and Ukraine abstaining. The General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on the United States to lift the embargo on Cuba for the 30th time. It has been held almost annually since 1992.

On November 16, the Federation Council at the plenary session adopted a statement on the need to end the US economic, trade and financial embargo against Cuba. In the document, the senators condemned Washington for illegal restrictions.

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