Fidel Castro opens up for first time on warming of US-Cuban relations
| HAVANA
Retired Cuban leader聽Fidel聽Castro聽on Monday appeared to lend his support to talks with the United States in his first comments about his longtime adversary since both countries agreed last month to restore diplomatic ties.
But聽Castro聽stopped short of an enthusiastic endorsement of the rapprochement, announced on Dec. 17 by his younger brother and聽Cuba's current president,聽Raul聽Castro, and U.S. President聽Barack Obama.
"I don't trust the policy of the聽United States聽nor have I had an exchange with them, but this does not mean ... a rejection of a peaceful solution to conflicts or the dangers of war,"聽Fidel聽Castro, 88, said in a statement published on the website of聽Cuba's聽Communist Party聽newspaper聽Granma.
The聽United States聽and聽Cuba聽held historic high-level talks last week in聽Havana聽that are expected to lead to the re-establishment of diplomatic ties severed by Washington in 1961.
"Any peaceful or negotiated solution to the problems between the聽United States聽and the peoples or any people ofLatin America聽that doesn't imply force or the use of force should be treated in accordance with international norms and principles," Fidel聽Castro聽said.
"We will always defend cooperation and friendship with all the peoples of the world, among them our political adversaries."
He took power in a 1959 revolution and spent much of his 49 years in power railing against the聽United States, which never succeeded in many attempts to oust him.
He was finally forced into retirement in 2008 by poor health and was succeeded by his brother Raul, who is now 83.
"The president of聽Cuba聽has taken the pertinent steps in accordance with his prerogatives and the powers given to him by the聽National Assembly聽the聽Communist Party of Cuba,"聽Fidel聽Castro聽said of his brother in the statement.
His silence on the issue had led to speculation over his health and whether he supported his brother's rapprochement with the聽United States.
On Jan. 12, he sent a letter to friend and retired Argentine soccer star聽Diego Maradona聽that squelched rumors he had died.
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Kieran Murray)
