MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Four more political prisoners who are among the 52 who Cuba has authorised to leave the country will arrive in Spain over the next two days, Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said yesterday.

"Another four are due to arrive," he told parliament just hours after seven other Cuban dissidents and 33 of their close family members arrived in Madrid.

A foreign ministry spokesman identified the four who will arrive over the next two days as Omar Rodriguez, Normando Hernandez Gonzalez, Luis Milan and Mijail Barzaga.

Cuba agreed last Wednesday to gradually free 52 political prisoners -- the biggest gesture of its kind in a decade -- in a surprise deal between the Roman Catholic Church after a hunger strike to near-death by dissident Guillermo Farinas.

"The scenario which is emerging in Cuba... reveals a new desire on the part of the Cuban government... to wrap up the release of political prisoners... and advance with social and economic reforms," Moratinos added.

According to Cuban dissidents, there will still be 115 political prisoners in Cuba, the only one-party Communist regime in the Americas, even after all the 52 dissidents are released.

Spain, which helped broker the deal between the Cuban government and the Church, has said it is willing to receive all of the prisoners after their release.

Church officials have said that so far, 20 of the 52 had agreed to leave Cuba, a former Spanish colony, for Spain.