Incoming Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) Jose Miguel Insulza said Saturday in Santiago that he never has the intention to intervene in the internal affairs of Cuba.

Insulza told the press earlier that he would work for the "promotion of democracy on the continent, including Cuba," which led to criticism by Cuban President Fidel Castro, who said he was a "little dumbfound" at Insulza's statement.

Insulza, who is to take office as OAS secretary general on May 25, refused to directly respond to Castro's remarks, but said, "What an organization like OAS can do is to mediate in a country's pacification."

The Cuba issue has to be addressed in accordance with the present framework, as the country was excluded from the organization in 1964, he said. "Any eventual return has to go through an agreement of the institution and it is not good to

bring tension into the organization with the Cuba issue."

As the new OAS chief, the only thing he could do is to look for an "approach of dialogue" with Cuba, Insulza added.

Source: Xinhua