Friday, April 14, 2006

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFP): The Czech foreign ministry protested Thursday against Cuban authorities' refusal to prolong a visa for a diplomat at its Havana embassy, saying it considered the move as an "expulsion."

Retaliatory measures will be taken, the ministry said in a news release published in Prague.

The first secretary at Havana has been given 72 hours to quit Cuba on the expiry of his visa on Friday, the foreign ministry said.

"The Czech Republic interprets this act as an expulsion," it said, adding that Cuban authorities gave no reason for the refusal to renew the diplomat's visa.

Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Vit Kolar, said Cuba's action was a clear reprisal for Prague's outspoken condemnation of the human rights situation under Fidel's Castro's regime.

"That is the only way it can be understood. No one else has so many problems as the Czech Republic in Cuba, not just regarding diplomatic personnel but even the delivery of materials necessary for the functioning of the embassy," he told AFP.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs judges the non-standard action of Cuban authorities as a clear attempt to escalate relations between the Czech Republic and Cuba," the ministry added in the news release.

"Cuba is unmistakenly is reacting against Czech foreign policy, which consistently criticizes the non respect of human rights in Cuba and supports the Cuban opposition," it said.

The ministry said it had immediately protested to Cuba's charge d'affaires in Prague and would proceed with retaliatory measures.

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