Dissatisfied with Washington’s Intimidation Tactics, Countries Condemn US at the UN

Published in Huanqiu
(China) on 5 October 2019
by Li Mu Weihui, Liu Yupeng (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Liza Roberts. Edited by Patricia Simoni.
The 74th United Nations General Assembly is being held at the U.N. headquarters in New York. In the past few days, there have been several reports from nations’ representatives that the United States has acted aggressively and abused the use of sanctions against other countries. The latest to report this is Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez. In his speech at the General Debate of the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 28, he condemned criminal measures including the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticized the sanctions as "the privilege of the rich and the powerful," and called on the international community to seek ways to limit sanctions.

Russia and Iran, which have been subject to U.S. visa restrictions, have raised a related question: Since the United States is so hesitant to welcome visitors, should the United Nations headquarters be moved out of the United States? Some people have even begun to discuss better locations. In the opinion of analysts, although this proposal is still undeveloped, and even a bit Utopian, it does reflect the anger these countries harbor toward the United States.

Despite claims that it is willing to talk with Iran, the U.S. has drastically increased its sanctions, and this extreme pressure has made it even more difficult for Iran to make concessions. Some American analysts have also questioned the sanctions. The New York Times quoted former U.S. State Department Middle East official Andrew Miller as saying that the so-called maximum pressure campaign of the U.S. government not only “failed to secure a better deal with Iran, but actually created problems that did not previously exist.”

On Sept. 27, Prime Minister Mohamad criticized the sanctions on Iran at the U.N. General Debate. Although Mohamad did not name the United States explicitly, it is generally understood that he was referring to the U.S. Agence France-Presse reported on the Sept. 28 that Mohamad criticized the United States for trying to force all countries to cease economic trade with Iran, saying, "We do not know under what laws sanctions are applied. It appears to be the privilege of the rich and the powerful. If you want to have sanctions, let us have a law to govern them."

Mohamad complained that "when sanctions are applied to a country, other countries get sanctioned as well. Malaysia and many others lost a big market when sanctions were applied on Iran.” After his speech, Mohamad admitted to reporters that Malaysian companies have no choice but to obey U.S. sanctions on Iran for fear of being hit by sanctions themselves. The Associated Press reported that Mohamad paints a picture of wealthy nations doing whatever they want – formulating trade laws, imposing sanctions and pushing "democracy" – while weaker countries are struggling.

Countries directly impacted by U.S. sanctions are even angrier. During the General Debate, representatives from Venezuela, Cuba and other countries criticized the U.S. for abusing sanctions.Foreign Minister Rodriguez condemned the United States on Sept. 28 for imposing the blockade and other "criminal and non-conventional measures" that have hindered progress in Cuba. AFP reported that Rodriguez condemned the United States’ ban on the entry of Raul Castro, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, saying that “This is an action that is void of any practical effect, aimed at offending Cuba's dignity and the feelings of our people. On Sept. 26, in support of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Washington announced that it would impose travel sanctions on Castro and his relatives and ban them from entering the United States.

According to a Russian News Agency report on Sept. 28, Russian Foreign Ministry Director of the Latin American Division Alexander Schetinin said that Russia believes United States sanctions against Castro are meaningless and indecent, and the United States is following a policy of "Monroeism.” This spirit forces its own views on the modern world, and Latin America in particular. A decent society should be ashamed of it. The international community almost unanimously opposes the U.S. blockade against Cuba, as shown by the annual vote of the U.N. General Assembly.


第74届联合国大会正在纽约联合国总部进行,连日来,不断有国家代表抨击美国对别国挥舞大棒、滥用制裁的做法。最新加入这一行列的是古巴外长罗德里格斯,他28日在联大一般性辩论发言中,严厉谴责美国对古巴实施经济封锁等“犯罪措施”。马来西亚总理马哈蒂尔批评制裁是“强国的特权”,呼吁国际社会寻求限制制裁的办法。而遭受美国签证限制的俄罗斯和伊朗则不约而同地提出同一个问题:既然美国如此刁难“来客”,是不是应该把联合国总部搬出美国?一些人甚至开始讨论搬到哪儿更好。在分析人士看来,虽然这一建议还不成熟,甚至有点儿“乌托邦”,但足以反映这些国家对美国的怒火。

虽然声称愿意与伊朗对话,但美方一路升级制裁,“极限施压”导致伊朗更无法让步。一些美国分析人士也对此提出质疑。《纽约时报》援引原美国国务院中东事务官员安德鲁·米勒的话说,美国政府所谓的“极限施压行动”不仅未能与伊朗达成“更好的协议”,而且实际上制造了以前没有的问题。

当地时间27日,马来西亚总理马哈蒂尔在联大一般性辩论发言中也就针对伊朗的制裁提出批评,虽然马哈蒂尔没有直接点名,但舆论普遍认为,他是在指责美国。法新社28日称,马哈蒂尔批评美国试图迫使所有国家停止与伊朗的经贸往来。他说,“我们不知道制裁是依据何种法律实施的,这似乎是富国与强国的特权,如果你想要制裁,让我们制定一项法律来进行管理”。

马哈蒂尔抱怨,“当对一个国家实施制裁时,其他国家也会受到制裁。当对伊朗实施制裁时,马来西亚和其他许多国家失去一个巨大的市场”。他在讲话后对记者承认,由于担心受到美国制裁的打击,马来西亚公司别无选择,只能服从。美联社评论道,马哈蒂尔描绘了这样一幅画面:富国为所欲为——制定贸易法律、实施制裁、强推“民主”,而实力较弱的国家却在苦苦挣扎。

直接遭受美国制裁的国家更是愤怒,委内瑞拉、古巴等国代表在联大期间纷纷对美国滥用制裁予以抨击。古巴外长罗德里格斯28日谴责美国实施封锁和其他阻碍古巴进步的“犯罪和非常规措施”。法新社称,罗德里格斯谴责美国禁止古巴共产党中央委员会第一书记劳尔·卡斯特罗入境美国的做法,称“这是一项没有任何实效的行动,旨在侵犯古巴的尊严和我们人民的感情”。华盛顿26日以支持委内瑞拉总统马杜罗为由,宣布对劳尔·卡斯特罗及其亲属实施旅行制裁,禁止他们前往美国。

据俄新社28日报道,俄罗斯外交部拉美司司长谢济宁表示,俄认为,美国对劳尔·卡斯特罗实施制裁是毫无意义和不体面的行为,美国本着“门罗主义”精神将自己的观点强加于现代世界和拉美地区,一个体面的社会应该为之感到羞耻,国际社会几乎一致反对美国对古巴的封锁,联合国大会每年投票都证明了这一点。
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