Cuba Defends
Self-Determination
Havana - Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque ratified on
Wednesday that the Cuban people defend their right to have their own
political, economic and social system.
"Cuba will not give up its independence, sovereignty and dignity,"
he said in a press conference on occasion of the coming presentation
of Cuba's National Report to the Universal Periodic Review of the
Human Rights Council in Geneva on February 5.
Perez Roque explained that the text is the result of a profound
process involving state institutions, including the National
Assembly (unicameral Parliament) and non-governmental groups.
"Over 200 Cuban non-governmental organizations (NGOs) sent their
contributions to the office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights as part of this exercise," he noted, and recalled that on
September 2008, a Cuban NGOs forum adopted a declaration signed by
163 such groups, and another 150 organizations from other countries,
that was also sent to Geneva.
Cuba has a responsible, thick record of cooperation with all human
rights mechanisms applied on universal, non discriminatory bases,
stressed Cuba's top diplomat.
Cuba has always opposed and will continue opposing manipulation,
selectivity and discriminatory treatment in this issue, he said.
"This exercise coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Cuban
Revolution. It was the Revolution which allowed for the first time
in history all Cubans to fully enjoy all their human rights. Cuba
claims its right to self-determination," said Perez Roque.
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