By Maria Babbage
OTTAWA, March 2 (Reuters) - Canada took its criticism of Cuba one step further on Tuesday, slamming the Communist authorities for banning foreign observers from a trial of four leading dissidents.
``They have taken what I consider to be unacceptable actions in conducting a trial 'in camera' and rounding up a number of other political dissidents. I think that's a major step backwards,'' Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy told reporters.
``We called in the Cuban ambassador yesterday afternoon to tell him exactly what we thought. Our ambassador in Cuba has made similar representations, and I'll be making a personal communication.''
Cuban security forces blocked dozens of foreign diplomats and journalists from attending Monday's sedition trial of the ``Group of Four'' dissidents, the island's biggest political court case this decade.
Axworthy on Monday had said he was unhappy that the Cuban authorities had rounded up anti-government activists on the weekend ahead of the trial to prevent any protests.
The authorities had detained or placed under house arrest at least 90 opponents of the government during the 14-hour trial, dissident sources said. The government began releasing the detainees on Tuesday.
The Group of Four -- Vladimiro Roca, 56, economist Marta Beatriz Roque, 53, academic Felix Bonne, 59, and lawyer Rene Gomez Manzano, 55 -- were jailed in 1997 after criticising Fidel Castro's government and demanding reforms.
Axworthy has long advocated constructive dialogue, which has put him at odds with the more confrontational stance of the United States.
``I don't want to suspend anything because I think we've made some real progress in a number of key areas over the last year and a half,'' Axworthy said when asked if the human rights dialogue should be cut off.
``We'll certainly assess things, but I still believe that it is important to continue engaging directly.''
Axworthy discussed the issue on Monday with the European Union's trade commissioner, Sir Leon Brittan, and said Canada would consider possible joint action with the European Union at the annual meeting of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights starting in Geneva on March 22.
Brittan told reporters on Monday afternoon the European Union ``deeply deplored'' what he called Cuba's ``step backward'' in not allowing foreign observers to attend the trial.
17:20 03-02-99
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