New York, 2 November 2020. Cuba reiterates its commitment to the strict enforcement of international law and to the peaceful settlement of international disputes. “While recognizing the work of the Court since its inception, we consider that its decisions and advisory opinions have been of special significance, not only for the cases submitted to its consideration but also for the development of International Public Law”, stated Ambassador Pedro Luis Pedroso Cuesta, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, during the debate of agenda item 74 “Report of the International Court of Justice”.
The island´s representative explained that his country welcomes the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with Article 33.1 of the United Nations Charter and has declared the voluntary submission to the jurisdiction of the Court.
Pedroso Cuesta regretted the existence of Court judgments without enforcement, in clear violation of Article 94 of the United Nations Charter, which establishes that each member of the United Nations undertakes to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice in any litigation to which it is a party.
In this regard, the Cuban diplomat highlighted that the refusal of some members of the Security Council to comply with the judgments pronounced and the hindrance of the mechanisms available to the United Nations to enforce the judgments, by using the privilege of the right of veto at the Security Council, shows the imperfection of the Court's mechanisms to enforce its decisions.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations