BBC NEWS | Americas | Cuba offers direct talks with US

"Speaking on state TV on Friday, President Castro repeated his previous assertions that Havana was ready for direct talks with the US 'without intermediaries, directly'.

'But we are in no rush, we are not desperate,' he stressed.

Mr Castro said Mr Obama, who is due to take office on 20 January, could 'do a great deal, could take positive steps'."

I predicted over in Gil The Jenius that Raúl, the semi-retard kid brother of Fidel, would feel the shoes he has to fill to be way too big. If he felt he could have filled them, he would have waited for Obama to make the first move. Mark My words: If Fidel croaks before the first formal meeting is set, Raúl will damn near fly to Washington on the first flight out of Havana.