Spain protests to Cuba over parliamentarian's entry ban - Summary

Mon, 04 Jan 2010

Madrid - Spain will protest to Cuba over its decision to refuse entry to a Spanish member of the European parliament, the Foreign Ministry said Monday. The Cuban ambassador to Madrid has been summoned to a meeting on Tuesday with Juan Pablo de Laiglesia, a secretary of state responsible for Ibero-American affairs, the ministry said.

De Laiglesia was due to ask Cuba to explain the "unjustified" decision to bar entry to European MP Luis Yanez early Monday.

Yanez had tried to enter Cuba with a tourist visa, according to sources of his Socialist Party.

The sources said the Cuban authorities did not give any explanation for their decision, but electronic media reports claimed they had suspected Yanez planned to meet with dissidents during his private visit.

Yanez' wife, a Socialist member of the Spanish parliament, was reportedly allowed entry. However, she decided to accompany him back to Spain.

The expulsion came just days after Spain took over the rotating European Union presidency on January 1. Madrid has said it intends to upgrade relations between the EU and the Caribbean island.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/302048,spain-protests-to-cuba-over-parliamentarians-entry-ban--summary.html.