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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Cuba condemns attitude of the rich countries at the Rome Summit

ROME, November 16. — Cuba has condemned the attitude of the rich countries who were absent from the Heads of State or Government meeting at the FAO Food Security Summit taking place in this capital.

In a statement to PL, Ulises Rosales del Toro, head of the Cuban delegation in Rome and vice president of the Council of Ministers, highlighted the fact that those present must accept that food should not be used as an instrument of political pressure.

This is a battle that our country has waged for many years and which, on this occasion, has reached the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Summit, he commented.

The importance of cooperation and solidarity was also reconfirmed, as was the need to abstain from adopting unilateral measures that do not comply with international law and endanger food security, he added.

Likewise a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba and minister of agriculture, Rosales del Toro criticized the absence of the world’s most powerful nations who do not appear to have the courage to face representatives of the developing countries.

Now they cannot justify themselves, he stated, referring to unfulfilled promises of aid in order to eradicate world hunger.

With respect to the validity of the FAO Summit, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno stated that the issue is not to cancel the meeting but to highlight the attitude of the rich countries, which are not only responsible for the current situation but also for the global financial crisis. (PL)

Translated by Granma International

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