By Juan Zamorano, Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) - Cuba's most vocal opposition leaders held a rare meeting Friday to prepare for next week's Ibero-American presidential summit - despite reports that Cuban security forces allegedly detained many participants the night before.

"I don't see that the government is allowing any opening,'' human rights activist Elizardo Sanchez said after arriving at the early morning meeting on the outskirts of the capital.

About half of the 60 leaders scheduled to attend the event were either temporarily detained in their homes or brought to detention centers on the eve of the meeting, Sanchez said.

Cuban Foreign Ministry spokesman Alejandro Gonzalez said he had no information about the event or the detentions.

Dissidents said among those detained was Hector Palacios, president of the outlawed Center of Independent Social Studies. In recent weeks he issued an open letter outlining the opposition's cause to the leaders of Spain, Portugal and Latin American, who are expected to attend the conference in the Cuban capital from Nov. 15-16.

"The police took him away and they told me they would bring him back later,'' said Palacios' wife, Gisela Delgado.

President Fidel Castro has accused opposition groups of trying to derail the upcoming summit, naming many dissidents on a live television broadcast and saying some have tried to arrange secret meetings embassies in Havana.

Opposition leaders maintain they are merely using the summit to carry their criticisms of the government to the world.

Friday's meeting went off without interruptions by Cuban authorities, but earlier this week, the government quashed a protest march with government supporters beating two dissidents in a park.

© 1999 Associated Press