KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Cuba will continue the work undertaken by Malaysia to revitalise the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) once the Caribbean country assumes the leadership of the 114-member movement from Malaysia in September next year, Minister of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television Ernesto Lopez Dominguez said here Friday.
He said Cuba would continue to work to strengthen the solidarity and unity as well as economic co-operation among NAM members to face the challenges brought about by globalisation, and would also strive to work to protect the interests of poor and developing countries.
Other aspects where Cuba would continue the good work of Malaysia were strengthening the just-endorsed NAM News Network (NNN) and improving the efficiency of the Broadcasting Organisation of Non-Aligned Countries (Bonac), he told a news conference.
Dominguez said that during its chairmanship, Cuba would also focus its energy on encouraging more co-operation among NAM countries to eradicate poverty, hunger and illiteracy among poor nations and narrow the digital divide, especially in information and communication technology (ICT).
The minister was here to lead his country's delegation to the just-concluded sixth Conference of Ministers of Information of the Non-Aligned Countries (Cominac VI) where the Malaysian-mooted NNN was endorsed.
"We will continue what Malaysia has done and also encourage the movement to achieve its objectives and its historical position in the international arena," he told reporters when asked what direction Havana would take when it assumes the leadership, the second time in the 45-year history of NAM, after having hosted the sixth NAM Summit in September 1979.
At the press conference, held at the Cuban embassy here, Dominguez also lashed out at the United States for its economic blockade against Cuba, imposed more than 45 years ago, which the Cuban minister said had resulted in more than US$82 billion in economic losses to the island nation and suffering for the country's 11 million people.
"We cannot buy even ice-cream or new drugs (from the US) to treat cancer for the kids. This is like a genocide blockade to kill the Cuban people by hunger and a crime against humanity," he said, adding that despite this and limited resources, Cuba had achieved world-class standards in healthcare, education and sports.
Dominguez also noted that the United Nations General Assembly had early this month overwhelmingly urged the US to end the blockade, with 182 countries supporting the resolution, four opposing and one abstaining, the 14th straight year UN members had approved such a resolution, but this year with increased support for Cuba.
He said Washington continued to spend millions of dollars to sabotage Cuba and the leadership of President Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution but vowed that America would fail in its efforts as had been proven all these years.
"They are churning out all kinds of anti-Cuban propaganda and lies through their sponsored 16 radio and one TV stations. This is an open violation of all international laws," he said.
According to Dominguez, developing countries should not let their culture, history and sovereignty to be destroyed by developed countries with the aim of controlling their destiny and resources.
"We have lived through more than 45 years of blockade and aggression by the US. They are powerful and feel they are the owners of the world but we will not let our revolution to be destroyed even if they use their military might," he said.
