Cuba calls on UN to prevent military strikes against Syria

Cuba is urging the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly to work to prevent a proposed military strike against Syria.

In a statement issued by the country's foreign ministry, the country called on the Security Council to "fulfill its mandate to prevent any breach of peace and stop military intervention that threatens international security in this volatile region of the world."

"Cuba believes the General Assembly, the only UN body that represents all countries, is also responsible for stopping the aggression, especially since the Security Council, predominated by the United States, cannot make a decision," said the statement.

According to Xinhua, the Cuban government also urged UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon to "become directly involved in preventing the events presented as almost inevitable by the U.S. president," the statement said, suggesting Ban should take urgent and aggressive diplomatic steps to carry out the overwhelming responsibility of his office, which is to maintain peace and global stability.

While condemning U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to attack the Arab country, the statement also called on the U.S. Congress-which is expected to deliberate on Obama's strike proposal when it reconvenes on Sept. 9 -- to oppose military intervention in Syria, as Britain's parliament did Thursday.

"If the U.S. Congress rejects the proposed attack announced by the president, as the British parliament did, it will make a surprising and valuable contribution to world peace, but if it approves the measure, then the congressmen will have to accept the consequences in the relentless records of history," said the statement, which also urged more nations to "promote a solution to the conflict through diplomatic channels, without further bloodshed.