Cuba slams West on "change of regime" in other countries

Cuba on Monday lashed out at Western countries for pushing through "the change of regime" in other UN member states by the use of force, saying that the Western move is taken "for the control of natural resources and strategically important areas." The statement came as Brundo Rodriguez Parrilla, the foreign minister of Cuba, was taking the floor at the General Debate of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, which is scheduled to conclude late Monday. "Right now, the overthrowing of governments through the use of force and violence is being blatantly encouraged; the 'change of regime' is being imposed from Washington and other NATO member countries' capitals, and conquest wars are being waged for the control of natural resources and strategically important areas," the foreign minister said. "Today's world is in no way similar to the one that was envisaged by those who drafted the United Nations Charter, over the ashes left by the Second World War, when they determined to save our generations from the scourge of war, protect the fundamental rights of human beings and equality among all nations, large and small; promote justice, dignity and social progress," he said. "The U.S. and some European governments have decided to overthrow the Syrian government, for which they have armed, financed and trained opposition groups," he said. "They have even resorted to the use of mercenaries." "Cuba reaffirms the right of the Syrian people to the full exercise of self-determination and sovereignty without any interference or foreign intervention of any sort," the Cuban foreign minister said. "For that, violence, massacres and the terrorist actions that have taken a high toll on innocent lives must cease." "The traffic in arms and money to help the insurgent groups as well as the shameful manipulation of reality by the media must also come to an end," he said.