The Cuban government reiterated Wednesday that if Panama gives a pardon to four anti-Castro activists, Cuba will sever diplomatic ties with that country, according to the official daily Granma.

The newspaper quoted a newsletter released by the Cuban government as saying that Cuba will cut off foreign relations withPanama if Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso pardons the anti-Castro activists. Luis Posada Carriles, Gaspar Jimenez, Pedro Remon and Guillermo Novo Sampol had been accused by the Panamanianjustice of attempting to murder Cuban President Fidel Castro.

The newsletter criticized Panama for not carefully analyzing and understanding the communique issued by the Cuban government onAug. 22 before making the decision to withdraw its ambassador to Cuba and request Cuban ambassador to leave Panama.

On Aug. 22, Cuba said in a statement that according to information from Panama and the United States, Moscoso is ready torelease the four activists before leaving off her post.

The statement said, "We want to warn that, if these monstrous criminals are pardoned, diplomatic relations between the republicsof Cuba and Panama will automatically be broken."

In November 2000, the four Cuban exiles were arrested for allegedly having planned to assassinate Castro at a 2000 summit ofLatin American and Iberian leaders in Panama.

A Panamanian tribunal sentenced Luis Posada and Gaspar Jimenez Escobedo to eight years in prison and Guillermo Novo Sampol and Pedro Remon seven years in prison for endangering public safety and forging documents, but not for the presumed assassination attempt against Castro.

Moscoso denied Monday that the four Cubans were included in anylist of prisoners to be pardoned before she hands over the presidency to Martin Torrijos on Sept. 1.

"I have not made any decisions to pardon Panamanians or foreigners. But if I do, I will announce it," she said.

Source: Xinhua