Cuba criticizes U.S. sanctions against Italian bank

Cuba criticizes U.S. sanctions against Italian bank

(Xinhua)

08:21, July 30, 2013



HAVANA, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Cuba on Monday denounced the United States

for imposing a fine on an Italian bank for operating with the island,

saying it demonstrated Washington's "insolence" in the treatment of its

European partners.



"The extraterritorial application of this measure demonstrates the

insolence with which the United States treats its European partners and

sets a negative precedent for other institutions to trade with Cuba,"

said the Cuban Foreign Ministry in a statement.



The U.S. Office for Foreign Assets Control imposed the Italian bank

Intensa Sanpaolo a fine of nearly 3 million dollars for making 53

transfers to the island during the period of 2004-2008. It is the second

fine in less than a month and the fifth so far this year as part of the

commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba

since 1962, according to the ministry.



The United States "reinforces the extraterritorial application of the

blockade, by imposing fines on foreign and domestic companies operating

in third countries," the ministry said.





Source: "Cuba criticizes U.S. sanctions against Italian bank - People's

Daily Online" - http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90777/8345368.html