Central Europe.
February 1, 2001
PRAGUE/HAVANA, Feb 1, 2001 -- (CTK - Czech News Agency) Senate chairman Petr
Pithart, who has been negotiating for the release of deputy Ivan Pilip and
ex-student activist Jan Bubenik in Havana since Tuesday morning CET, is to be
received by Cuban President Fidel Castro at 06:00 a.m. CET on Thursday, Czech
Senate sources told CTK today.
Czech deputy foreign minister Hynek Kmonicek shortly before CTK was given
the above information said he would not comment on the whole matter. He said
that Pithart's mission to Cuba had now "entered a very delicate stage."
"In this situation we on principle confirm meetings only after they take
place," Kmonicek told CTK in reply to a question whether Pithart had met
other Cuban representatives as planned and whether other dates had been set.
Kmonicek declined to give any details citing the delicate nature of the
matter. "The Cuban side does not comment on the ongoing negotiations and we
will for the time being take the same approach," Kmonicek said. "So
far nothing that would require any exceptional commentary has occurred,"
Kmonicek said. Pithart, who has been in Havana at Castro's invitation since
Tuesday morning CET, has had long-lasting negotiations with representatives of
the Cuban parliament and had a meeting with both Czech detainees in the Villa
Marista prison for dissidents of about 40 minutes.
No date of Pithart's expected meeting with Castro has been officially
announced. Pithart (KDU-CSL) is to be in Cuba till Friday when he must
reportedly return back home because of other pressing duties. Pilip, 37, and
Bubenik, 32, were detained in Cuba on January 12 after a meeting with Cuban
dissidents.
On January 16 they were put in prison. Labelled as U.S. agents they are to
be put on trial. If found guilty, they face up to 20 years in prison according
to some sources.
((c) 2001 CTK - Czech News Agency)
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