U.N. vote condemns U.S. embargo on Cuba
10/28/2009UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to condemn the 47-year U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, an annual ritual that highlights near unanimous global opposition to America's hard-line stance toward the communist island.
It is the 19th time in a row that the world body adopted the symbolic measure, and the first since U.S. President Barack Obama took office in January. Many representatives to the world body expressed hope the new American administration will work to normalize relations with its longtime enemy.
But Wednesday's 187-3 vote — with two abstentions — was unlikely to sway Washington, which has loosened financial and travel restrictions on Americans with relatives on the island but has said it would not lift the embargo until Cuba accept some political, economic and social changes.