Washington, February 28, SPA -- US President George W Bush said Thursday he will not hold talks with Cuban leader Raul Castro because of theregime's track record of jailing political dissidents and suppressing human rights. "I'm not suggesting there's never a time to talk, but I'msuggesting now is not the time not to talk with Raul Castro," Bushsaid in a press conference. "He's nothing more than the extension ofwhat his brother did, which was to ruin an island and imprisonpeople because of their beliefs." Raul Castro became the official leader of Cuba on Sunday, morethan 18 months after he was actively running the country because ofFidel Castro's illness. Fidel announced last week that he wasformally resigning after 49 years in power.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/531493