Cuba deports Czech diplomat Prague protests

Cuba deports Czech diplomat, Prague protests-ministry

Prague- The Czech Foreign Ministry announced today that Cuba had
deported a Czech diplomat.

Cuban authorities did not extend the diplomat's visa that will expire
this Friday, and declined to give reasons for their move, the Foreign
Ministry told CTK.

According to the ministry, the first secretary of the Czech embassy in
Havana is to leave Cuba within 72 hours.

Czech diplomats perceive the denial of a visa as an act of deportation,
they are protesting against it and have immediately summoned Cuban
charge d'affaires in Prague Aymee Hernandez for an explanation.

"Cuba is undoubtedly reacting to the Czech foreign policy which
constantly criticises human rights abuses in Cuba and supports the Cuban
opposition," the Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry views this unusual conduct as an "evident effort at
escalating the tension in relations between the Czech Republic and Cuba."

The Czech diplomacy has made it clear that it intends to deport one of
the Cuban diplomats working in Prague as a reciprocal step.

"The Czech Republic will take a reciprocal measure," the ministry said.

The case of the Czech diplomat is another in a series of rifts in
relations between Prague and Havana. In February, Hernandez gave the
Czech foreign minister a note of protest in which she complained about
the tender the Foreign Ministry put up in support of projects of
non-governmental organisations for this year.

According to the Cuban embassy, the grants also included support to the
opponents of the Cuban regime.

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