conference forLatinAmerica andtheCaribbean onexternal debt,recently held undertheauspices oftheLatinAmerican Economic System(SELA);thiscouldbea goodbeginninq foraseriousefforttoachieve asolution oftheindebtedness that iacrushing ourpeoples. Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryRM/26 Al45/PV.11 111 (Mr.Malmierca Peol!.Cuba) Liketherestofthedeveloping world, mycountry isconfronted wi,thanunjust anddiscriminatory systemofinternational economic relations. Whatever efforts individual countries maymakeinonedirection oranother, theywillalwaysbe restricted inaworldinwhichtheimbalances Ihavementioned pe~8ist. Thug,Cuba reaffirms yetagainthevalidity oftheprinciples oftheNowInternational Economic Order. Neareconvinced thattrueeconomic co-operation thatfulfils the needsofdevelopment andeconomic growthofthedeveloping countries requires, at theveryleast,application ofthoseprinciples inaddition tosuchfurther measures as,interalia,cancellation ofthethirdworld's external debt, elaboration ofuniversal co-operation onenvironmental anddevelopment problems and aninternational contribution tothenecessary processes ofeconomic integration in thosecountries. Icannotconclude without pointing outthat,asinprevious years,pressures andthreats arestillbeingdirected against ourpeoplebyourneighbour tothe north. TheBushAdministration istheeighthUnitedStatesAdministration thathas persisted incarrying outhostile andaggressive actions against Cuba.TheUnited StatesGovernment, inviolation ofinternational law,andparticularly the1982 Nairobi Convention, wenttogreatlengthstocarryoutitsproject forintrusion intoourtelevision space,forthepurpose ofdestabilization, withapirate television station basedonUnitedStatesterritory. Westatewithpridethatthrough ourpeople's intelligence andtenacity, that newUnitedStatesactof59gression hasbeenthwarted atalowcosttoCubaand thatthepiratesignalhasbeeneradicated fromourland. Wearenowalso beginning toeliminate radiobroadcasts thatarealsobeingbeamedfromUnited St~testerritory forthesernepurposes. Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryRM/26 Al4S/PV.1l 112 (Mr.Malmierca Peoli.Cuba)Q Nonetheless,thecriminal economic blockade thathasbeenimposed against us continues, alongwiththeviolation ofourwatersandairspace inthenavalbase theUnitedStatesarbitrarily maintains inourcountry anditsaggressive military manoeuvres aroundit. Cuba,asinthepast,reiterates itsjustdemandforthereturnofland illegally occupied bytheUnitedStatesonournational territory. Ourgreatest desireistoliveinpeaceandtouseallourresources forthenoblepurpose of economic andsocialdevelopment. Nevertheless, thepolitical blindness ofthemost reactionary circlesintheUnitedStatesleadsthemstubbornly topursuetheirvain attempt tobringtheCubanrevolution toitsknees. Wehavesaidbeforeandwesay againtoday: thesocialism beingbuiltbyourpeoplecameintobeingasaresult ofitsownstruggle, andourpeopleisnowdefending thatsocialism asitsmost valuable acquisition, sincewithithascomethesocialjusticethatwasforso manyyearstrampled underfoot, alongwithtruesovereignty andnational independence. Thatpeople, whichhasknownjustice, independence andliberty, will notgivethemupandwilldefendthemtotheverylast. ForCubans, forthe10million menandwomenwhowork,create, buildandare prepared todefendthefruitsoftheirlabours, thesituation isclear: the struggle fortherevolution, forsocialism, isnotonlythestruggle forabetter future. Itisalsotheonly'waytodefendourindependence andournational identity. Weshallnotfalterinthatendeavour. Wearesureourstruggie can onlyendinvictory. ThePRESIDENT: Wehaveheardthelastspeaker forthisafternoon. Ishallnowcallonthoserepresentatives whowishtospeakinexercise ofthe rightofreply. MayIremindmembersthat,inaccordance withGeneral Assembly decision 34/401, statements inexercise oftherightofreplyarelimited to Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryRM126 A/45/PV.11 113 (TbePresident) •10minutes forthefirstintervention andtofiveminutes forthesecondandshould bemadebydelegations fromtheirseats. Mr.WATSON(UnitedStatesofAmerica): Itisindeedunfortunate, bu~not ULexpected, thatImustexercise myrightofreplyinresponse tosomeofthe statements madetodaybytherepresentative ofCuba.Itisindeedunfortunate, but hardlyunexpected, thatthepositive spiritofco-operation andcODciliati~Q which haspermeated thehallsofthisbodysincethefirstgavelfellattheopening of thesession hasbeenignored byCuba.AstheForeign Minister ofCubahassaid, theworldhaschanged. Butapparently Cubahasnot. Thecontentious language anddistortions putforthbytherepresentative of Cubafoolnoone. C~aseekstodeflectattention fromthefailures and
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech by the Foreign Minister of Cuba at a conference on external debt in Latin America and the Caribbean. The speech focuses on the country's economic situation, the impact of external debt, and the need for cooperation and solidarity among developing countries. The speaker also addresses the issue of the US blockade against Cuba and the country's defense of its sovereignty and national identity.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade