Deputy Foreign Minister promises Cuban dissidents financial support

Eight Cuban dissidents and former political prisoners arrived in Prague on Sunday to meet politicians and other Czech personalities supporting human rights around the world. The Cubans will meet with former Czech president and dissident Vaclav Havel, Senate Chairman Petr Pithart, members of the Czech Parliament, and had lunch with Deputy Foreign Minister Pavel Vosalik. According to Mr Vosalik, the Czech Republic is willing to finance a campaign that would promote democracy in Cuba from the foreign ministry budget meant for international help. After a meeting with the Chairman of the main opposition Civic Democrats, Miroslav Topolanek, the group was assured that the Czech Republic would continue to support its cause, even if a new government headed by the right-of-centre Civic Democrats was formed. Among the dissidents are three former political prisoners. They were invited to Prague by the Czech humanitarian organisation People in Need, which has been supporting human rights activists fighting against the totalitarian Castro regime in Cuba.