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US says 'no' to Cuba's request for hurricane embargo relief
Sep 8, 2008, 12:03 GMT
Rabat, Morocco/Washington - The United States Sunday gave a resounding 'no' to a request by the Cuban government that it lift its decades-old embargo for a limited time to allow relief goods and reconstruction materials to be traded to the disaster-struck island.
Hurricane Ike was headed for landfall on the communist island in the Caribbean Sunday evening, little more than a week after Hurricane Gustav left 100,000 homeless. Over the weekend, Cuba evacuated at least 250,000 people to safety from its eastern regions from the newest storm.
Speaking to reporters in Rabat, Morocco, Rice criticized the authoritarian passing of power from one Castro to another earlier this year, which she said is 'not acceptable in a Western hemisphere that is democratic, and it is not acceptable for the Cuban people.'
'So, I don't think that, in the context that we see now, that a lifting of the embargo would be wise,' she said, according to a transcript released in Washington.
In February, the ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro ended nearly half a century of rule by passing on the presidency to his brother, Raoul.
'What we cannot do is to have the transfer of power from one dictatorial regime to another,' she said.
She also cited human rights abuses on the island.
The Cuban government on Saturday asked the US to lift its embargo on trade in certain materials needed to survive and rebuild after hurricane devastation. Russia has been ferrying materials such as tents and refugee materials to Cuba in recent days.
The appeal from Cuba's foreign ministry asked Washington to allow North American companies to extend credit to Cuba to buy goods needed during the desperate recovery efforts, Cuban media reports said.
The call echoed an appeal last week from Cuban dissident groups who sent an open letter to United States President George W Bush asking for a temporarily lift of restrictions on Cuba so that voluntary organizations and Cubans living abroad could send aid to the victims of Hurricane Gustav.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
trying to start a Nuclear war with the United States.
These Castro chucklheads have undermined and harassed us all over the globe for the last 50 years, fomenting Marxist revolution in S. America, havens for drug smuggling, etc. The latest is a brand new spate of bomber flights from Russia.
No, they had all the time in the world to make nice, while the weather was good.
F--k em.
sound like the kind of guy that blames the dog and not the owner. The people didn't start anything, the Cuban government did. The suppressed people need the help, not the dictatorial government. If we can rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, countries we invaded, we can throw the people of Cuba a line.
...but given the owners there, what makes you think any of it would actually go to the people?
Man are you ever whacked in the head. Precisely who tried to start a nuclear war with the US? The Cubans? Pull your head out of your arse and breathe some oxygen for a change. Those bowel gasses you've been sucking up are doing you no good. F--k you moron.
that this isn't very humane, and with the intelligence of the present administration(???)(sorry, I had to get that in) surely they can figure out how to get the help directly to the people.
...because if we want to see what totalitarian gov'ts do with aid, just look to Myanmar for guidance...
Castro now has his tit in a wringer and he now needs help. Cry me a river.
he isn't hurting - it's the people of Cuba!
Its the people who kept him and Raul there. Good people rise up against totalitarian regimes and throw them out on their butts. Most must have agreed with him or they would have done something about it. You walk the walk not just talk the talk. I say we tell Castro to let all the people who want to leave go and we'll help those people. The others that want to stay can stick it out with their commie bro.
but not everything is so black and white!
As a Cuban disaster escapee, all I can add is that while I pity those that are not going to get aid, any US aid will never reach them as the Fidals and their brothers will not allow it. All aid would go the the gov only. GOD BLESS the USA...
-Estaban
Can we just call you Juan?
page: 1
NowSep 8th, 2008 - 13:53:44
THAT is heartless.
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