[NYTr] Cuba: Albania, Salvador US-Occupied Iraq counted as "Absent" in UN Vote on Blockade

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

[Note: in addition to Micronesia's abstention, the US and the three
toadies who voted with them, El Salvador and Iraq -- currently
under criminal occupation by the US -- as well as Albania (Mother Teresa
Land) did not vote. This adds up to 191. Cuba, presumably, makes the
192nd (the number of nations accredited to the General Assembly).
We'll double-check this and make sure we haven't forgotten anyone.-NY
Transfer]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

Cuba Beats US Blockade at UN

United Nations, Oct 31 (Prensa Latina) Cuba celebrates Wednesday its
overwhelming triumph at the UN over the US-imposed economic blockade,
that confirmed world rejection of that coercive policy.

The backing takes place after President George W. Bush urged the UN
General Assembly to support his hostile policy against the Caribbean
island.

The October 30 vote, for the 16th consecutive time, on a resolution to
put an end to the US economic, financial, and commercial blockade of
Cuba, had 184 votes for, four against and one abstention.

This time Cuba achieved one more vote from Nicaragua, while the only
country not formally associated to the United States to vote against
was Israel.

Financially and militarily linked to the United States through formal
Compacts of Free Association, the Marshall Islands and Palau sided with
the US, while the Federated States of Micronesia discreetly abstained.

Albania, Iraq and El Salvador were absent from the voting.

Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque told Prensa Latina that this
"was a moving triumph of our people and shows increasing world
admiration of the Cuban struggle."

Over 20 countries and representatives of groups at the UN, among them
Mexico, G-77, Russia, China, the Non Aligned Movement, India, Libya,
South Africa and several Latin American states joined the resolution.

hr iff ir mf

PL-5