UN General Assembly speech:

Cuban Envoy thanks President Rajapaksa

The people and the Cuban Government are thankful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the speech he made at the UN General Assembly regarding the lifting of economic blockade against Cuba by the United States, said Cuban Ambassador Nisrsia Castro Guevara.

She was speaking at a discussion to explain the changes and new development of the Cuban economy to members of Sri Lanka-Cuba friendship Association, Matale Branch. She said from the inception of the Cuban revolution United States of America, with its friends in the West tried to destroy Cuba.

"But the strong leadership of Fidel Castro and the unwavering support that the Cuban people gave, defeated all attempts and enabled Cuba to face any threat from the United States of America. After 1991, when the Soviet Union and other Socialist countries fell, Cuba had to face many economic hardships, but in the agricultural sector Cuba was able to show improvement and change the existing out-dated laws and regulations, to suit the needs of the people of Cuba," the Ambassador said.

The meeting was held at Richard Basnayake's house in Kotuwegedara, Matale.

She said that the Western media, specially in the United States say that the Cuban government has failed in their Socialist Economy and is changing over to a capitalist economy very fast, by privatization of the state-owned enterprises.

"This is not the truth. The urgent need to change the present economy cropped-up when the international economic factors influenced the Cuban economy in an unhealthy manner," she said.

Sri Lanka Cuba Children's Readers Club President Madumali Thusitha received the Ambassador with a bouquet of flowers. Its Secretary Nipuna Dayananda proposed the vote of thanks.