| Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United | | | | her words, "is not to be expected, nor would it be |
| States is ready to assist Cuba in a transition to | | | | condoned." |
| democracy, but is not attempting to foment unrest | | | | In the last week, many Cuban exiles in the United |
| on the island while President Fidel Castro is ill. | | | | States have expressed excitement and eagerness to |
| It has been nearly a week since President Castro | | | | return home in a post-Castro era. Asked whether the |
| temporarily handed executive authority to his | | | | United States would allow a reverse-exodus of exiles |
| brother, Raul, before undergoing surgery for what | | | | back to Cuba, the secretary of state had this to say. |
| government sources described as gastrointestinal | | | | "Our role will be to help the Cuban people, when the |
| bleeding. Since then, Cuban officials have accused the | | | | time comes, to have a peaceful and stable |
| Bush administration of attempting to destabilize the | | | | democratic transition," she said. |
| country by repeatedly broaching the subject of | | | | Fidel Castro, who turns 80 next week, has ruled |
| political change on the island. | | | | Cuba since leading the island's 1959 Communist |
| Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press" program, | | | | revolution. Details of his health are sketchy at best. |
| Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed the | | | | Cuban officials say the president is recovering well |
| allegation, but reiterated U.S. support for democracy | | | | after surgery, and is able to sit up in bed. But a |
| in Cuba. "We are not going to do anything to stoke a | | | | Brazilian newspaper reports Cuban authorities told |
| sense of crisis, or a sense of instability in Cuba. This | | | | their Brazilian counterparts that Mr. Castro's |
| is a transitional period for the Cuban people. We are | | | | gastrointestinal bleeding was caused by stomach |
| going to stand with them for the proposition that | | | | cancer, a life-threatening disease. Cuban officials deny |
| there should not be the end of one dictatorship and | | | | the report. |
| the imposition of another dictatorship," she said. | | | | Those who have wished the Cuban leader a speedy |
| She said her message to the Cuban people is that | | | | recovery range from U.N. Secretary General Kofi |
| they have an opportunity to build a stable and more | | | | Annan to former Cuban shipwreck survivor Elian |
| democratic nation. | | | | Gonzalez, once the subject of a custody battle |
| With heightened U.S. Coast Guard patrols along the | | | | between relatives in the United States and Cuba. |
| Florida Straits, Rice said a mass exodus of Cubans, in | | | | |