Russian FM urges Trump to discard "Cold War" policy on Cuba

Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-18 23:56:44|Editor: Liu

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and national security adviser H.R. McMaster walk to board Marine One departing from the White House en route to Miami to annouce his Cuba policy, in Washington D.C., the United States, on June 16, 2017. (Xinhua/Shen Ting)

MOSCOW, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. administration's new policy toward Cuba indicates a return to the Cold War, and Washington needs to listen to the international community's voice on this issue, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

"The new policy on Cuba announced by U.S. President Donald Trump brings us back to the already forgotten rhetoric in the style of the 'Cold War'. Such an approach has characterized the U.S. attitude to Cuba for decades," The ministry said in a statement.

Trump announced on Friday new restrictions on Americans' travel to Cuba and U.S. business with the Cuban military, a step to tighten the U.S. policy toward the neighboring country. The move is seen as an attempt to roll back parts of Obama's policy of normalizing U.S.-Cuba diplomatic ties, which was introduced in December 2014.

Noting that the past five decades has shown the futility of "the arrogant style of doing business with Cuba", the ministry warned the U.S. government that the anti-Cuban discourse, still in high demand though, would only cause regret.

It urged the Trump administration to pay attention to the anti-blockade resolutions repeatedly adopted by the UN General Assembly, which represent the almost unanimous voice of the international community on Cuba.

The ministry also reiterated Russia's "unshakable solidarity" with Cuba, adding that Moscow is for dialogue and cooperation, instead of blockades, sanctions or outside interference in internal affairs of sovereign states.

The United States severed its ties with Cuba in 1961, shortly after Fidel Castro launched a revolution that toppled a U.S.-friendly government, and the two countries had been at loggerheads ever since.

KEY WORDS: Trump
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