OECS rejects USA labelling of Cuba as State Sponsor of Terrorism

A decision by the United States Government to continue its listing of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, has not gone down well with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). And, the sub-regional grouping has issued the following statement on the issue:

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) welcomes the recent decision by the Government of the United States of America (USA) to remove the Republic of Cuba from its list of States that are “not cooperating fully” in its fight against terrorism.

The OECS notes, however, with alarming concern, the decision of the Government of the USA to continue to include the Republic of Cuba on the US State Department’s list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT).

The OECS expresses its profound concern with the arbitrary decision of the United States Government and denounces these baseless accusations.

The OECS further notes its acute awareness that maintaining Cuba on the SSOT list has caused and continues to cause immense hardship and suffering to the Cuban people, and calls on the United States Government to immediately remove Cuba from that list.

The OECS reaffirms its rejection of the unilateral imposition by the United States of America of the 62-year-old economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. ​ ​ This embargo, as well as the designation of Cuba as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism” are unjust and wrongly imposed upon the people of Cuba, and must be terminated immediately so that relief can be brought to the harsh conditions which the Cuban people have endured.

The OECS reaffirms its solidarity with the Government and people of Cuba.