"Another main theme is thepreparation for the transformation of the country," Tomas Pojar, amember of the humanitarian group People in Need, which organised theconference, said.

The participants agreed for the need to list the names of thosewho take part in the imprisonment, torture and other persecution of theCuban opposition. "These people should not receive visas to travelabroad," Pojar said.

BesidesHavel, Hrusovsky, Laar and Dimitrov, former Spanish PM Jose MariaAznar, former Canadian PM Kim Campbell, former Costa Rican presidentLuis Alberto Monge, former Chilean president Exquiel Silva and formerUraguayan president Luis Albert Lacalle signed the memorandum as didmany intellectuals and NGO members.

Dimitrov said that Vaclav Havel's reputation can help advance the situation in Cuba.

The ICDC was formed on Havel's initiative last year. The wivesand daughters of 75 dissidents currently imprisoned for their politicalviews in Cuba sent a letter of thanks to the committee on Thursday.

To offset my criticism, I have to admit that nobody does anythingfor Cuba, not even my neocon heroes. However, talking just doesn't cutit. Signing declarations doesn't either. And punishing the evil regimeby not issuing tourist visas to its representatives is as laughable asUNSC declarations. Imagine: Castro's goons are quite happy living onthe island and enjoying power they would never be able to practice abroad.Imagine.

Again:

"The idea behind this conference should not be the violentbreakdown of the wall that is around this prison, but to ring the bellson all the doors," Havel said

In other words, Havel is perfectly happy expressing concerns, but toactually do something about Castro's murderous reign, that would beunacceptable! Why, one must ask. If Castro was removed, there would beno more conferences. And that is something powerless intellectualswould never allow to happen.