Rice says Cubans will push elections post-Castro

By Staff
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WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) The United States expects the Cuban people to pressure their government for free elections and a democratic transition when ailing leader Fidel Castro dies, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

With US intelligence predicting Castro has ''months, not years'' to live, the island nation's political future is being increasingly debated. Raul Castro, who took over provisionally on July 31 after his brother had emergency surgery for an undisclosed illness, could permanently succeed him and continue the communist system.

Rice, in an interview with Reuters yesterday, cautioned against assuming Cubans would accept another unelected leader.

''I wouldn't assume that that is a configuration, an outcome that's necessarily stable,'' she said.

''I think you're going to have pressure in Cuba for a ... change.

And I think you're going to have the best way to express that in a peaceful way is through a democratic process,'' she added.

A rare outside poll released by Gallup this week found Cubans divided on their country's communist leadership and frustrated by the lack of freedom and economic opportunity.

The United States is anxious to avoid a flood of refugees amid the political uncertainty that would follow Castro's death. Soon after his illness was announced, Rice sent a message of support to Cubans to stay at home to work for ''positive change.'' Rice said such a transition must be ''prepared,'' as the international community did for Liberia and Haiti.

That would be ''an ideal role'' for the the Organization of American States and the United Nations, ''but the goal has got to be very clear. There have to be free elections in Cuba,'' she said.

The United States on Wednesday rebuffed a recent offer by Cuba for talks and said Havana had become even more hard-line since Raul Castro stepped in for his older brother.

Assistant Secretary of State Tom Shannon, the top US diplomat for Latin America, made clear earlier this week that Washington would only deal with Raul Castro's government when it showed commitment to a peaceful transition to democracy.

DEBATE ON RESTRICTIONS The Bush administration is debating whether to ease some restrictions against Cuba post-Castro, particularly if political prisoners are freed.

U.S. diplomats in Havana said recently that if Raul Castro were to free 59 of the 75 dissidents being held after a 2003 crackdown, Washington might ease some sanctions.

But Shannon said all political prisoners would have to be freed, human rights guaranteed, trade unions allowed to form and concrete moves made toward elections before there was any change.

Washington broke off diplomatic relations with Havana in 1961, two years after Fidel Castro seized power in a revolution and turned Cuba into a Soviet ally.

Communications were restored with the opening of low-level diplomatic missions called interest sections in 1978. But a strict US embargo is in place.

REUTERS PDS PM0653

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