Obama's Cuba policies receive faint praise

[Jimmy2]

U.S. changes in Cuba policy `are extremely limited and insufficient,' the nation's foreign minister told the U.N. General Assembly.

UNITED NATIONS -- In a 20-minute speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said that despite the election of Barack Obama, not much has changed in the relationship between Cuba and the U.S.

Rodriguez mounted the U.N. podium to a largely quiet and restrained General Assembly audience.

While the foreign minister applauded the lifting of restrictions that limited the transfer of funds between families in the U.S. and Cuba, he insisted it was not enough.

``These measures are a positive step, but they are extremely limited and insufficient,'' he said.

``Nor has there been any signal indicating that the U.S. government is ready to put an end to the immoral practice, which has increased in recent days, of the misappropriation of Cuban funds that have been frozen in American banks and of other goods based on orders by venal judges who are violating their own laws. ... The essential thing is that the economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba remains intact.''

He then admonished the General Assembly for not taking action to ``punish'' Washington for its actions.

There was no immediate response to the speech from the U.S. mission at the U.N.

Rodriguez challenged the White House to prove its ``desire'' for change.

``Should there be a true desire towards change, the U.S. government could authorize the export of Cuban goods and services to the United States and vice-versa,'' he said.

Rodriguez declared that the neo-cons who he said ``drove'' foreign policy under George W. Bush have regrouped and wield substantial influence in the Obama administration.