ALINA MATAS Herald Staff Writer

A kiss is just a kiss, according to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and he should be able to give and receive them without major consequences.

"I have greeted many people from the United Nations today, and I have kissed some of the many (woman) officers from the United Nations," said Castro. "I hope that they don't want to throw them out of the United Nations because of that."

The comments, made to WPLG-Channel 10 reporter Ana Azcuy during an interview in Barbados last week, alluded to Miami exiles' repudiation of Magda Montiel Davis, a Miami attorney who was captured on video planting a kiss on Castro's cheek and praising him as a "great teacher" during a recent exile conference in Havana.

"I think it's been a very unjust reaction, negative, fascist," Castro said between sips of wine, his speech slightly slurred.

Greeting and kissing others is simply common courtesy and "it's not a political crime," he said.

But this was not just any greeting, said some who heard Castro's statements on Channel 10 over the weekend.

"He knows very well what's at stake here is something else," said Antonio Jorge, professor of economics and international relations at Florida International University. "Normally you wouldn't greet a dictator and express sympathy for him when he has blood-stained hands."

The video provoked insults and death threats against Montiel Davis. Protesters attacked her as she left her office a few weeks ago and demonstrated near her Key Biscayne home.

Montiel Davis was not available for comment Saturday.