Foes and friends of the United States joined with full force in the United Nations General Assembly to denounce Washington for continuing to defy the world opinion asking it to lift the 46-year old economic embargo against Cuba.

For the 17th consecutive years, the 192-member Assembly urged the US to lift its economic, commercial and financial embargo but it would have little impact on Bush administration, which is expected to ignore it as it had done with previous 16 resolutions.

As many as 185 members, including European Union states, voted for the resolution which was opposed by the US, Israel and Palau. Micronesia and Marshall Islands abstained. Last year's resolution was carried by 184 votes to four with one abstention.

Both presidential candidates, who are seeking votes of the exiled Cuban community especially in Florida, oppose lifting of the embargo. But Democratic nominee Barack Obama has indicated he might ease parts of the sanctions. However, Republican John McCain intends to keep it in tact.

Unlike Security Council resolutions, the ones adopted by the Assembly are not enforceable and are recommendatory in nature.

Moving the resolution on Wednesday, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque described the embargo as "illegal and unjust" and said the new US president would have to decide whether to continue the failed policies of President George Bush.

But American representative Ronald Godard said the embargo was so designed as to permit Cuban people to access food and other humanitarian supplies but prevent the authoritarian regime from benefiting from economic power.