Cuba protests against Czech diplomatic note over thwarted party
(PDM staff with CTK) 4 November - Cuban charge d'affaires in Prague Aymee Hernandez yesterday dismissed the diplomatic note in which the Czech Foreign Ministry protested that Cuban authorities quashed a celebration to mark the anniversary of Czechoslovakia's founding in a Havana hotel last Friday.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Vit Kolar told CTK yesterday that Hernandez spoke against the Czech note when she officially called to the ministry yesterday.
She said the hotel itself decided not to provide its premises for the celebration.
Hernandez told the Spanish news agency EFE that "the whole Cuban dissident movement is trumped up, hired by the United States" and that "if someone regrets the behaviour of the Czech government, it is the Cuban people."
The Cuban authorities banned the Czech national holiday reception on that the Czech embassy in Havana wanted to host in a luxury hotel, calling it "a counter-revolutionary action."
The reception was eventually held in the residence of Czech charge d'affaires in Cuba Petr Stiegler.
The Cuban authorities reportedly objected to the participation in the celebration of members of the Ladies in White association of the wives and other close relatives of Cuban political prisoners.
"The hotel had the full right to accept, or reject the action. It was up to it," Hernandez said.
She added the Cuban government will officially react to the Czech diplomatic note.
Czech-Cuban relations have been tense for many years, and that is why their diplomatic representation is on the lower level of charge d'affaires.
The Czech Republic is critical of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and his totalitarian regime. It had pushed through U.N. resolutions criticising Cuba.
CTK news edited by the staff of the Prague Daily Monitor, a Monitor CE service
http://www.praguemonitor.com/ctk/?id=20051103F02773;story=Cuba-protests-against-Czech-diplomatic-note-over-thwarted-independence-day-party
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