“New Zealand prides itself on being in the forefront of countries supporting the international rule of law and not the international rule of might ”, said former Associate Foreign Minister in the Helen Clark government ,the Hon Matt Robson.

“To uphold this principled position Foreign Minister, the Hon Winston Peters, must strongly condemn the US action of placing Cuba on its “List of Non-Cooperative Terrorism countries “.

“This illegal act is a further breach of international law alongside the ever-tightening unilateral sanctions on Cuba, in place since 1960, which have been condemned as illegal by an overwhelming vote in the UN General Assembly, including that of New Zealand vote” said the Hon Matt Robson.

“Cuba is recognised by the UN for its commitment to anti-terrorism measures. The irony is that it has been the United States that has supported terrorism against Cuba from the attempted assassination of its leaders, military invasions ,economic sabotage to the bombing of a Cuban airliner and protection in the US of the culprits.”

“Cuba is renowned not for terrorism but for sending medical professionals to the poorest countries of the world since 1960, training doctors in Cuba from those countries, including many from Pacific nations, and during Covid providing specialist health personnel, including to developed Italy , to world acclaim”.

“The Hon Winston Peters should place New Zealand on the side of the vast majority of countries supporting international law and condemn the United States for its illegal persecution of a developing country.”

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