Salamanca Summit Supports Cuba
Dateline: Prensa Latina - October 13
By Luis Enrique Gonzalez
Special Correspondent

Salamanca, Spain, Oct 13 (Prensa Latina)
The 15th Ibero-American Summit issued special declarations that Cuba described as full support of the fight against the blockade and the Venezuelan extradition request for terrorist Luis Posada Carriles.

In a news conference following a meeting of Foreign Affairs ministers during the Ibero-American Summit in Salamanca, Spain, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque stated that the 22 Ibero American states´ unanimously approved lifting of the US economic, financial and commercial blockade was an unequivocal sign of support.

The Special Statement, yet to be signed by regional leaders, demands the US government to remove measures and laws, such as the Helms Burton Act, which violate international law.

Perez Roque said Washington was asked to immediately stop the restrictions it has applied during the last two years to intensify the blockade on Havana.

He also thanked the Ibero American nations for their firm and resolute stance against the blockade.

The blockade not only has caused losses amounting to 82 billion US dollars in over four decades, but also constitutes the main obstacle to the economic and social growth of the Cuban people. It is an enormous and flagrant violation of the rights of our people, noted Perez Roque.

In the name of Ibero America, the Cuban declaration demands that the US comply with 13 successive resolutions of the UN General Assembly and immediately lift the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba.

Concerning the 15th Summit"s full backing of the special communiqué on terrorism, the Cuban minister said it ratified previous stances condemning terrorism in all its forms.

We are interested in ratifying the document on terrorism issued at the 14th Summit in Costa Rica and the request to extradite and try the person responsible for the bombing of a Cubana airliner that killed 73 innocent civilians in October 1976, stressed Perez Roque.

International terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, mastermind of numerous crimes and terrorist acts against Cubans and other citizens, including those from the US, is currently only held at an immigration facility.

Perez Roque believes the summit in Samalanca has sent the US a signal "we all hope it understands."