UNITED NATIONS, September 28 (RIA Novosti) - Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said at the 64th session of the UN General Assembly on Monday that U.S. President Obama had failed to fulfill his promise to improve relationships with Havana.
"The international community reacted optimistically to the change of leadership in Washington... Original and conciliatory declarations by the White House raised hopes, and signals of change, dialogue, and cooperation that were being constantly repeated, were welcomed," the Cuban foreign minister said.
"But unfortunately time is passing and the speech is not followed by action. The White House declaration has nothing in common with reality," he said.
Earlier in September, the U.S. extended by a year the trade embargo on Cuba, which has been in place since 1961. U.S. President Barack Obama said the decision - "with respect to Cuba" was "in the national interests of the United States."
"The real and irrefutable fact is that the new U.S. administration continues to ignore the most urgent annual appeal by the UN General Assembly - to put an end to the embargo against Cuba," Rodriguez said.
The Cuban foreign minister earlier said the damage to the Cuban economy by the United States' 47-year-old trade embargo totaled $96 billion.
Rodriguez also criticized the U.S. administration for its failure to close a detention center for terrorist suspects at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba.
The detention center for terrorist suspects was opened at the U.S. naval base in Cuba in 2002.
Soon after taking office in January, President Barack Obama said the jail would be closed within a year, but finding countries willing to take the prisoners has proved difficult.
In addition, Rodriguez pointed out that "troops have not yet withdrawn from Iraq, while the war in Afghanistan widens and threatens other states."
Under an agreement signed between Washington and Baghdad, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq should be completed by the end of 2011.
