VZCZCXRO1224
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #0138 0601243
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291243Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0112
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0102

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000138 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL CU EZ EUN
SUBJECT: CUBA: CZECHS SHARE US POSITION ON EU COMMISSIONER 
MICHEL'S VISIT 
 
REF: STATE 20108 
 
(SBU) In response to Charge's points on the proposed March 
6-7 visit of EU Commissioner Louis Michel to Cuba, Czech MFA 
Department of the Americas Director, Katerina Fialkova, 
indicated that the Czechs share our reservations and they too 
would prefer that Michel not travel there at this time.  She 
noted, however, that the Commissioners are not constrained by 
the opinions of the EU member states since it is their 
prerogative to travel where and when they see fit. 
Nonetheless, the Czechs have repeatedly made clear that it is 
imperative for all high-level EU visits to Cuba to highlight 
the situation of dissidents, political prisoners and the 
political opposition.  While Cuba is not on the agenda of the 
EU COLAT (EU Committee on Latin America) scheduled for March 
3 and 4, Fialkova anticipates that Michel's trip/agenda is 
likely to be discussed nevertheless by the EU member states 
under the last item of any other business. 
Thompson-Jones