Liberté, Liberté chérie-euhhh... bis repetita

Today is France's national holiday, le 14 juillet, or Bastille Day.

And of course, France is celebrating according to her principles. As usual.

The French Embassy has invited Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and other Cuban officials to its Bastille Day reception in Havana, but took dissidents off its guest list, a French diplomatic source said.

France's invitation to Perez Roque, several deputy ministers and other officials, comes two years after it froze such contacts.

(...)

And instead of inviting dissidents to its annual July 14 festivities this year, the French Embassy will welcome a dozen dissidents to a working group scheduled for July 13.

(...)

"I am grateful that France recognizes the opposition, but it concerns us that the French position breaks with that of the EU's not to invite either the government or the opposition," said Miriam Leiva, wife of Oscar Espinosa Chepe, one of the jailed dissidents who was released in November.

On another continent, another French embassy, in Poland, is symbolically celebrating: « La prise de la Bastille au Bistrot - Cul-de Sac » or "[Celebration of] The storming of the Bastille at the dead-end bar".

Hey, I haven't made up anything! No need to.

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July 10, 2005 - Gare du Nord (Waterloo is at the other end of the Eurostar line)