Message from the Cuban Ambassador

Cuba reaffirms its stand on terrorism:

Mrs. Nirsia Castro Guevara, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba on the occasion of the National Day, 50th Anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution

On the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Cuba, January 1, when we celebrate with joy and rejoicing the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, we wish to convey our best wishes for the happiness, prosperity and peace to the people of Sri Lanka and its government headed by H.E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Fifty years ago, on the first of January, with the victory of the Cuban Revolution the people of Cuba put an end to sixty years of neocolonial domination and achieved full independence and sovereignty. The victory opened the way to implement a policy of social justice with the due respect to human dignity for every Cuban citizen.

We are pleased to recall that this year we are going to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Cuba and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was one the first countries that recognised the revolutionary government of Cuba and established diplomatic relations with it.

Along these years of friendly relations of mutual support and cooperation have been developed for the benefit of our two peoples in the fields of health, education, sports, culture, science and technology and others. Recently we celebrated in Havana the session of the inter-governmental Commission for the economic technical and scientific cooperation between the two countries where several subjects were considered suitable for the expansion of the bilateral cooperation marking a new step in the further strengthening of the relationship.

Both the countries are members of Non Aligned Movement and have played an active role in it as well as in other international organisations defending the noble causes and promoting fair and just relations among countries, no matter whether they are big or small and contributing in that way to safeguard world peace and the basic principles of international cooperation.

It is worth to remember the friendly relations between the former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and former President J.R. Jayewardene and the leader Fidel Castro along with the visit to Cuba in late 1979 to participate in the sixth NAM Summit and the visit of President Rajapaksa in September 2006 when he participated in the XIV Summit of NAM.

50 years after that memorable January 1, Cuba has managed to build a model of society in which justice, non-discrimination and equality of right of every citizen prevail. Our people enjoy very high human development and significant economic achievements. Cuba guarantees to all its population appropriate nutrition, the free access to advanced and efficient health and educational systems, the conditions for the free access and practice of all kinds of cultural and sports activities, levels of adequate housing and employment for all, protection for the life in the case of natural disasters and the full participation of the citizens in each electoral and decisions making process.

We can affirm that despite the economic, commercial and financial blockade Cuba has been subjected to for 47 years that has caused damages of more than 93 billion dollars, with the indefatigable labour and ingenuity of the Cuban people, led by the revolutionary government, and with the precious contribution of the solidarity of the peoples of the world, among them the Sri Lankan people, Cuba has succeeded in maintaining economic development and the social benefits for its population, as well as the fraternal co-operation in health and education with the less favoured peoples in a number of Third World countries.

In 2007, Cuban economy grew by 7.5 per cent, 6 per cent during the first six month of 2008 and expected 4 per cent during the year which, is going to create conditions to keep advancing in 2009.

Cuba has been able to achieve this growing despite the devastating effects during the year of powerful hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma that caused more than 10 billion dollars in damage, but very few in human loses.

Cuba is embarked on a wide program of projects to expand the production of food, the inputs for exports and the substitution of imports, saving energy and diversification of supplies, as well as efforts to increase productivity of work, more efficient planning and management, and adequate investment policy for agricultural and industrial production, services and housing.

As long as the country promotes its development it shares with other peoples its achievement.

Cuban medical cooperation in a variety of modes in currently being offered in 73 countries through the activity of more than 37 thousand internationalist health workers, out of them 18,000 doctors.

There are in Cuba more than 31 thousand foreign students, most of them studying medicine. Besides that, as part of the program 'Miracle' designed to help people with eye diseases, in the last three years more than 1 million opththalmic surgeries have been practised in 33 countries.

We recall that this year we are also going to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the visit of Che Guevara to Sri Lanka which left in the minds of Sri Lankan people remembrances of the legendary hero that today is a beacon in the struggle for achieving a better world.

Finally we like to reaffirm the position of Cuba against all manifestation of terrorism as has been expressed through the signing of all 12 international agreements about this.

We express our wish that a proper solution to the grievances Sri Lanka faces today can be found in the future for the betterment and peace of the Sri Lankan people.

On behalf of the people of Cuba and the President Raul Castro we wish a peaceful and prosperous 2009 to Sri Lankan people and His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa.