By Vivian Sequera, Associated Press Writer. Yahoo! January
30, 2001
HAVANA, 30 (AP) - Saying he hopes to ease tensions between Havana and
Prague, the president of the Czech senate arrived in Cuba for talks with Fidel
Castro (news - web sites) about the arrest of two prominent Czechs who were
jailed after meeting with Cuban dissidents.
Shortly after his Monday evening arrival at a Havana hotel, Petr Pithart
told reporters that he did not know what the two men - one of them a lawmaker
who once served as finance minister - were doing in Cuba when they were arrested
on Jan. 12.
But whatever the motive of their trip, they were representing ``neither the
Czech people nor our country,'' Pithart said.
``I hope (the talks) will help relax that tension that has been produced,''
Pithart said through a Spanish interpreter. ``That's the main purpose of our
visit.''
Cuban authorities have charged Czech Parliament member Ivan Pilip, 37, and
Jan Bubenik, 32, with acting against the island nation's security and inciting a
rebellion. If convicted, they could face sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
Cuban authorities have claimed the two detainees acted on behalf of American
interests, gathering information and providing instructions to anti-communist
dissidents.
Pithart said he planned to tell Castro that the men ``are two private people
who came on their own accord.''
Castro had invited Pithart to meet with him in Havana to discuss the case,
both governments said Monday.
Pithart sent Castro a letter Jan. 18, requesting the prisoners' release and
offering personal guarantees that the two were not American agents, the Czech
senate said in a statement.
Czech President Vaclav Havel welcomed the speaker's initiative. ``In my
opinion, he is the best possible negotiator,'' Havel told Czech radio.
The Cubans have suggested that the Czechs apologize for the men's reactions.
Havel has refused.
The U.S. State Department has condemned the detention several times, calling
the Cuban allegations ``ludicrous.''
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