MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cuba rejects EU approach.

The Cuban government's expulsion of a Spanish Member of Parliament and two Dutch legislators is proof that Fidel Castro's Communist regime has no interest in patching up relations with Spain or the European Union, Cuban dissidents said in Havana.

Cuban officials denied entry Friday evening to Jorge Moragas from Spain's opposition Popular Party and who currently sits on the Foreign Relations Committee. Two Dutch MPs carrying tourist visas planning to meet with dissidents were also turned away.

The Cuban Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Mr. Moragas was a "bitter enemy of the (Cuban) revolution" who liked to meddle in the country's affairs and was prone to "brazen political provocation".

However dissident Vladimiro Roca of the All United Movement said the regime's stance "hinders Spain's intentions of spearheading a change in relations" between Cuba and Europe.

"Castro has shown the Spanish government that there can be no dialogue with the Cuban government. It couldn't be clearer" emphasized Mr. Roca, who added that Mr. Castro policy is to keep the country under a "state of international siege". "Any possible understanding or improvement of relation with Spain or the EU would mean a relaxation of tensions within the country", insisted Mr. Roca.

"If the Spanish government thinks that talking with the Cuban regime is going to solve any problems, this proves it's missing the point" said Marta Beatriz Roque, the only female among 75 peaceful dissidents jailed a year ago following the Castro regime's harshest crackdown in decades. She has since been released for health reasons.

The Cuban government "is teaching a lesson to Spanish Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. I hope he really understands what is going on" said Ms. Roque.

Political analysts believe the strong non friendly attitude of the Castro regime towards the EU could be aimed at hampering relations between dissidents and NGOs on the one hand and foreign governments on the other "with the purpose of keeping the Cuban people from knowing the truth about what is really happening to prisoners in Cuba" stressed Ms. Roque.