Raul Castro visits Russia, the first by a Cuban leader

August 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Cuban President Raul Castro has said that he is ready to talk about everything and anything with the United States, but added that the country's political system was not on the negotiating table. Castro's remarks came during a speech to the closing session of the Cuban Parliament on Saturday afternoon.

April 29th, 2009 Castro: Onus not on Cuba for US better relationsHAVANA — Raul Castro has dismissed Barack Obama's policy changes toward Cuba as "minimal" and says it is up to the U.S. — not Cuba — to do more to improve relations.

April 18th, 2009 CUMANA - Cuban President Raul Castro has said he is ready to discuss any issue including democracy and human rights with the US as long as talks are held based on mutual respect. 'We have communicated to the US government in private and in public that we can discuss everything,' Castro said at a meeting of Latin American leaders here Thursday.

March 6th, 2009 HAVANA - Cuban leader Fidel Castro rejected media reports that his close associates in the government have been replaced by younger brother President Raul Castro's men. The Cuban leader said several media organisations have been spreading rumours about a replacement of 'Fidel's men with Raul's men', which is incorrect.

March 3rd, 2009 HAVANA - Cuban President Raul Castro Monday undertook a major cabinet reshuffle removing key figures like Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and Carlos Lage, secretary of the Cuban Council of Ministers. In a statement that was read out on Cuban state television, Castro - who formally took over power from his brother, historic Cuban leader Fidel Castro, a little over a year ago - announced the mergers of several ministries and a score of changes in several portfolios.

February 13th, 2009 HAVANA - Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who has not been seen in public since 2006, was 'very agile and active', said Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Cuban media reported Friday. 'He is in very good condition, we talked for long,' Bachelet told reporters late Thursday after the meeting.

February 6th, 2009 HAVANA - Cuban leader Fidel Castro has said that US President Barack Obama's politics was 'losing its virginity', Spanish news agency EFE reported Saturday. In the third article in two weeks criticising the actions of the new US president, Cuba's ex-president commented on White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's statement that 'what interests president Obama is the Cuban-American community'.

February 6th, 2009 HAVANA - Former Cuban president Fidel Castro has criticised US President Barack Obama saying his 'politics is losing virginity', the EFE news agency reported Saturday. 'Sooner rather than later, Obama's politics are losing their virginity,' he said in his article titled 'Reflection' published in official media Friday.

February 3rd, 2009 MOSCOW - Cuban President Raul Castro has ended a week-long visit to Russia, the first by any Cuban leader to the former Soviet Union since 1985. During his visit Castro and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a memorandum on 'strategic' cooperation and reached an agreement to grant the Caribbean state a $20 million loan tentatively to buy Russian-made construction, electricity-generating and agricultural equipment.

February 3rd, 2009 MOSCOW - Cuban leader Raul Castro has completed his official week-long visit to Russia. It was the first trip by a Cuban leader to the country since 1985.

January 22nd, 2009 HAVANA - Ailing Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has called new US President Barack Obama a 'honest' person with good intentions, but expressed doubt whether he could transform those into action. The former Cuban president said Obama's inaugural speech as 'impressive' in a comparative article 'Reflection' recounting Castro's conversation Wednesday with visiting Argentine head of state Cristina Fernandez, EFE news agency reported Friday.

January 21st, 2009 HAVANA - Ailing Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro received visiting Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner here, Cuban news agency Prensa Latina reported Thursday. The 82-year-old leader, who has permanently relinquished rule to his brother, Raul Castro, has been rarely seen in public since suffering from a serious health crisis in 2006.

January 11th, 2009 CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said that Cuban leader Fidel Castro would not appear at official public events in future because of his delicate health, EFE reported Monday. 'Regrettably, we know that that will not occur again...

January 8th, 2009 HAVANA - Cuban President Raul Castro has expressed confidence in bolstering ties between Havana and Tehran while meeting Iran's Industry and Mines Minister Ali Akbar Mezharabian, according to an official statement. Mezharabian, the special envoy of Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, delivered a message from the Iranian leader for the Cuban president and his brother Fidel, and stressed Iran´s friendship and solidarity towards Cuba.

January 1st, 2009 SANTIAGO DE CUBA - Cuban President Raul Castro said Thursday that the Cuban revolution after 50 years was 'stronger than ever despite the obsessive and revengeful hate of the United States.' Despite the current difficult times, the revolutionary movement had moved barely a millimetre from its principles, the younger brother of the ailing revolutionary leader Fidel Castro said at the formal celebration of the anniversary. The 77-year-old president spoke in Santiago de Cuba, the southern town where Fidel Castro declared victory from city hall over the Fulgencio Batista regime on Jan 1, 1959.