VZCZCXRO6260
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSL #0211/01 0951535
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051535Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0836
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0021

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRATISLAVA 000211 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR AND WHA/CCA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM KPAO CU LO
SUBJECT: CUBAN DISSIDENTS CONNECT LIVE WITH SLOVAKS IN 
INSPIRATIONAL WEBCAST 
 
REF: A. HAVANA 332 
 
     ¶B. BRATISLAVA 140 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY.  Cuban youth dissidents and former Slovak 
dissidents and student leaders from the 1989 Velvet 
Revolution connected live via webcast on April 3 to share 
experiences.  On the same day that Spanish Foreign Minister 
Moratinos concluded his visit to Cuba (ref A), Embassy 
Bratislava hosted 40 Slovaks who offered advice and moral 
support to 20 Cubans, hosted by USINT Havana, in an event 
that was inspirational for all involved.  Embassy Bratislava 
will continue to support the promotion of human and civil 
rights in Cuba through targeted events.  END SUMMARY. 
 
20 CUBANS, 40 SLOVAKS, ONE CONNECTION 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On April 3 - the same day that Spanish Foreign 
Minister Moratinos finished his visit to Cuba, forty Slovaks 
from government, parliament, NGOs, and student groups 
gathered in the Embassy to speak with twenty Cuban youth 
dissidents and independent journalists in Havana by webcast. 
The occasion allowed participants to discuss issues of 
political dissent, ranging from peaceful resistance to 
wrongful imprisonment.  The Cuban dissidents earned applause 
from the Slovaks, who exhorted them to "continue the 
struggle."  The Cubans, gathered in the COM's residence in 
Havana, repeatedly expressed their thanks for the willingness 
of the Slovaks to share experiences and hopes. 
 
¶3. (U) Former Slovak dissident Miroslav Kusy and Velvet 
Revolution student leaders Zuzana Mistrikova, Anton Popovic, 
and Filip Vagac described their experiences in opposing the 
former regime and helping the transition to democracy in 
Czechoslovakia.  Chairman of the parliamentary human rights 
committee Laszlo Nagy (Party of the Hungarian Coalition, 
SMK), a member of the intelligentsia who also helped with the 
transition, moderated the event.  Also sitting at the front 
table, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), 
former Speaker of Parliament, and current MP Pavol Hrusovsky 
assured the Cuban dissidents that concerned people across the 
Atlantic care and speak out about the Cuban dissidents. 
Working in an information vacuum, the Cubans were heartened 
to hear that their cause is known and supported outside their 
country. 
 
 
WHAT HAPPENS THE DAY AFTER? 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) One question the Cubans posed to the Slovaks: "What 
happened to the Communists after the revolution?  Are they 
still among you?"  The reply that former oppressors are 
living and working in Slovak society today was surprising to 
the Cubans.  The Slovaks explained that the cycle of 
oppression had to break, that retaliation was not the path to 
democracy.  Cementing this theme, the Slovaks recommended 
that the Cubans learn as much as possible about individual 
rights and responsibilities and the rule of law to prepare 
for the day they can begin to build their own democracy. 
 
¶5. (U) For their part, the Slovaks asked the Cubans directly 
what they could do to help support their cause.  The Cubans 
responded that continued moral support and financial support 
when possible would be helpful.  MP Nagy pointed out that 
members of the Slovak audience had made trips to Cuba 
carrying money and encouragement for the democratic cause 
(ref B).  KDH leader Hrusovsky mentioned the Cuban dissident 
whom he has "adopted". 
 
 
THE PARTICIPANTS 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Robert Zanony, Deputy Spokesperson for Prime Minister 
Fico, attended the webcast, as did the MFA's Cuba desk 
officer and head of the Latin America section.  The 
international secretaries for KDH and SDKU (Slovak Democratic 
and Christian Union) sat in the audience.  The NGOs Pontis 
Foundation, People in Peril, Hlava 98, Citizen and Democracy 
and the think-tank Slovak Foreign Policy Association were 
represented.  Local university and high school students also 
attended the event to show their support. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In Havana, Slovak DCM Anton Jurkovic helped USINT 
moderate the event.  Cuban attendees were: independent 
journalist Carlos Serpa Maceira, independent journalist (and 
 
BRATISLAVA 00000211  002 OF 002 
 
 
75er) Jorge Olivera Castillo, Ahmed Rodriguez Albacia (Young 
People Against Censorship, JSC), Belinda Garcia (JSC), 
Ricardo Rodriguez Borrego (Alternative Republican Movement), 
Edgard Lopez Moreno (Marti Youth Coalition, CJM), Orlando 
Valdespino Mont (CJM), Caridad Martin Garcia (CJM), Alexander 
Decon Perez (CJM), Giselle Fernandez Estrada (CJM), Antoine 
Clemente Hernandez (CJM), Livan Ruiz Brito (CJM), Yunieles 
Rivera Mena (CJM), Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina (Cuban Youth 
Movement for Democracy), Enrique LastNameUnknown (Cuban Youth 
Movement for Democracy), Alvaro Yero Felipe (Cuban Human 
Rights Foundation), Yeney Santiuste Garcia (relative of 
"Ladies in White" supporter), Ignacio Estrada (Cuban Human 
Rights Foundation for HIV/AIDS sufferers). 
 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (U) Following the successful webcast, Slovak participants 
relayed their pleasure in passing on their knowledge, 
experiences, and emotional support to the Cubans.  Both sides 
felt inspired and energized by the event.  In Charge's 
closing comments to the assembled Slovaks, he urged the young 
Slovak students to exercise their voice in civil society at 
home and abroad and praised the work of Slovak NGOs.  In 
addition to supporting transformational diplomacy directly 
across borders, this webcast enabled us to highlight for 
Slovak government officials the crucial role that their own 
NGOs play in democracy promotion. 
 
 
OTHER EMBASSY ACTIVITIES 
------------------------ 
 
9.(SBU) On March 16, the Ambassador gave an interview at the 
Pontis Foundation's successful "Cage of Solidarity" event 
commemorating the 2003 crackdown on 75 peaceful Cuban 
dissidents.  The Embassy provided support to the event in 
terms of planning advice, lending of equipment, and providing 
posters of 10 Cuban dissidents for display.  Next on the 
agenda, the Ambassador intends to host a discussion group at 
the end of April featuring the Slovak participants (including 
KDH MP and former Justice Minister Daniel Lipsic and NGO 
reps) in the International Committee for Democracy in Cuba 
(ICDC) conference in Berlin. 
SILVERMAN