Raul Castro, acting President of Cuba, waves a flag during a military parade in com-memoration of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution in Havana, on Saturday. - Reuters

HAVANA (Reuters):

Cuba's acting President, Raul Castro, departing from his brother's confrontational approach to their arch-enemy the United States (U.S.), said this weekend he was open for talks with Washington.

The offer made on Saturday was the most direct overture to the U.S. by Fidel Castro's designated successor, who is running Cuba in the absence of its ailing leader.

Experts on Cuba said the Western Hemisphere's only communist country needs to get the U.S. to lift sanctions enforced since 1962 if it wants to revitalise its battered economy.

At a military parade where Cuba rolled out Soviet-era tanks and fighter jets, Raul Castro railed at increased hostility by the Bush administration and condemned the war in Iraq.

But he added: "We take this opportunity to once again state that we are willing to resolve at the negotiating table the long-standing dispute between the United States and Cuba."

He said talks were only possible if the U.S. Government respected Cuba's independence and did not interfere in its internal affairs.

It was the second time Raul Castro has offered to talk with Washington since he took over from his brother on July 31. Fidel Castro has not appeared in public since, fuelling speculation he is close to death.

"Raul Castro's statement is extremely significant, because it is the most direct statement he has made to Washington since taking power," said Dan Erikson of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington policy group.

"It marks a significant departure from Fidel's long-standing preference for conflict and confrontation," he said.