Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Bush, Annan, discuss post-Castro Cuba
09-20-2006

NEW YORK, USA (AFP): US President George W. Bush and UN chief Kofi Annan on Tuesday discussed ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro's health and whether Cuba would become an "economic tiger" once he leaves the world scene, the White House said.

Annan, who recently traveled to Cuba for the Non-Aligned Movement summit, gave Bush "a little briefing on his encounter" with Castro, national security official Mike Kozak told reporters.

"They talked a bit about the future potential of Cuba as it develops and becomes a state with a free system and a
free economy," said Kozak, whose brief is democracy, human rights, and international organizations.

"This was not a long, deep, analytical thing. It was more, you know, 'what did you find in Cuba,' and then some general discussion about the future of Cuba. That wasn't a prediction on the health of the leader," he said.

Castro temporarily ceded power to his brother Raul Castro on July 31 after undergoing intestinal surgery.

Bush and Annan were discussing "if Cubans are able to make the kind of changes that they need to make, that it could once again be an economic tiger in the Caribbean," said Kozak.