Armistice in cocktails war

Cuba was back on speaking terms with all European Union embassies in Havana yesterday after ending a diplomatic flap dubbed the "cocktails war" over the invitation of dissidents to official receptions.

The dispute broke out in 2003 when European embassies began inviting dissidents to National Day celebrations to protest against a crackdown on dissent by President Fidel Castro's communist Government.

After Cuba freed 14 of the 75 jailed opponents, an EU working group on Latin America recommended that the policy be dropped in favour of more discreet contacts with the dissidents.

"As of this moment, Cuba has restored official contacts with all the countries of the European Union," said Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque.