Cuba Blames West for State-Sponsored Terrorism

TEHRAN (FNA)- A Cuban representative to the Tehran anti-terrorism conference said Saturday that Western imperialism has originated and promoted state-sponsored terrorism for centuries.
"It is western imperialism that has originated and perpetrated state terrorism for around 500 years," the Cuban envoy said on the sidelines of International Conference on the Global Fight against Terrorism in Tehran today.

"For over 500 years, we have been suffering from the Western imperialism. My region has experienced genocide and absolute extermination of its indigenous population."

"Western powers must show that they are willing to turn a new page with respect to the fight on terrorism,"

The Cuban representative said the Western powers "must join the global fight against terrorism in a fair, just manner."

He expressed the hope that the "broad conference" may result in building a "platform for a consensus with respect to the fight against terrorism."

Asked to comment on Western efforts to connect Islam and Muslims to terrorism, the Cuban representative called it "hypocritical", and said the West is seeking to find an opportunity to "grab abundant resources" in the Muslim countries.

"They (West) wish to create a public opinion that would permit them to seize the resources," he concluded.

The two-day conference started work in the Iranian capital city of Tehran earlier today. The event, arranged under the slogan of "A World Without Terrorism", is aimed at increasing international convergence and coordination in fighting terrorism.

Presidents of Sudan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Iraq as well as senior dignitaries and officials from 60 world states and world bodies, including the UN, are in Tehran for the two-day conference on Global Fight against Terrorism.

The chief executives of a number of states, including the Armenian president, are also due to join the conference tomorrow.