Cuban Deputy FM: US military action would be "atrocious crime"

The United States would commit an “atrocious international crime” if it decided to use military force against Cuba, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said.

“Using military force against Cuba — a peaceful neighbouring country — would be an atrocious international crime,” de Cossio said in an interview with US television network C-SPAN.

His comments came after US President Donald Trump said during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 22 that “freedom will be coming” to the island. Trump’s remarks prompted the Cuban delegation to leave the assembly hall.

On Saturday, Trump also raised the possibility of military action, telling reporters, “I don’t think we’ll need the military. Cuba is failing very badly.”

According to the Cuban deputy foreign minister, it would be “naive” for the Cuban authorities not to prepare for the possibility that threats from the United States could be carried out.

De Cossio also said that Cuban representatives had held “contacts and meetings” with the US government over the past several months, although those exchanges “did not allow us to make much progress.”

“We are ready to engage with the United States in a respectful manner, with mutual respect,” he added.

By Tamilla Hasanova