Cuba says it is ‘not a threat,’ ready for dialogue with US based on sovereign equality

Cuba is not a threat to the US and remains ready for dialogue with Washington based on sovereign equality and respect for international law, the country's foreign minister said Saturday.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Bruno Rodriguez said Havana was willing to resolve bilateral differences through dialogue without interference in domestic affairs or any preconditions.

"Cuba is not a threat. The blockade is a threat," he said, adding that his country was prepared to pursue trade, commercial relations and cooperation with the US, as it would with any other country.

Rodriguez also condemned the US economic blockade against Cuba as an "act of collective punishment," saying it was deliberately designed to inflict suffering on Cuban families.

He accused Washington of pursuing a policy aimed at triggering a humanitarian crisis in Cuba, describing the measures as a violation of international humanitarian law.