Bush rejects idea of negotiating with Castro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday rejected the idea of encouraging Cuba to open up democratically by sitting down for talks with new Cuban leader Raul Castro.

Asked at a White House news conference what would be lost by a meeting, Bush said: "What's lost by embracing a tyrant who puts his people in prison because of their political beliefs? What's lost is it will send the wrong message."

"It will give great status to those who have suppressed human rights and human dignity. I'm not suggesting there is never a time to talk," he said, but he added now was not the time to beginning discussions with Raul Castro.

"He's nothing more than an extension of what his brother did, which was to ruin an island and to imprison people because of their beliefs," Bush said.