Cuba calls for int’l solidarity during COVID-19 outbreak

   HAVANA, May 4 -- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Monday urged international community to step up solidarity and collaboration during the novel coronavirus outbreak.
   The remarks were made during the Special Online Summit of the Heads of State and Government of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group in response to COVID-19, convened at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in his condition as current chair of the movement.
   This meeting took place days after NAM publicly expressed its support to the WHO in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and called on lifting unilateral economic sanctions violating international law.
   "Had we globalized solidarity instead of market principles, the world would have been at a different stage when it comes to tackling the virus," Diaz-Canel said.
   Diaz-Canel also urged the U.S. current administration to quickly investigate and respond on gunfire attack against the Cuban embassy in Washington, adding that despite the U.S. blockade over the Caribbean nation, Cuba will continue defending solidarity among peoples.
   Cuba has so far sent 25 medical teams to help stem the spread of the pandemic in 23 countries, including neighboring Caribbean and Latin American nations as well as Europe and Africa.
   The Non-Aligned Movement comprises 120 member states from Latin America, Asia and Africa and was first founded in 1961.
   The Non-Aligned Movement has historically stood in favor of principles like national independence, sovereignty, multilateral cooperation and peaceful co-existence.  Xinhua