Castro may have Parkinson's disease: CIA report
An intelligence assessment based on a wide variety of material suggests Cuban leader Fidel Castro has Parkinson's disease, The Associated Press qoated a U.S. official as saying Wednesday.

The assessment, completed by CIA in recent months, was based on a variety of evidence, including observations of Castro's public appearances and the opinions of doctors employed by the espionage agency, according to the official who has seen the CIA report.

The CIA has concluded that Castro suffers from Parkinson's disease and could have difficulty coping with the duties of office as his condition worsens.

The non-fatal but debilitating condition would mean Castro may be entering a period when doctors say the symptoms grow more evident, medicines are less effective and mental functions start to deteriorate.

However, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the information's sensitivity, emphasized the assessment is not a definitive conclusion.

Bush administration officials and members of Congress have already been briefed on the findings about Castro, the official told the media.

But diplomats played down the significance of any CIA assessment and said they were not using such intelligence to make policy decisions about Castro or Cuba.

Castro has been in power on the island of 11 million people since leading a 1959 evolution and has long been at ideological odds with Washington.

The reports about Castro's health have swirled around for years, growing more frequent as the 79-year-old Cuban leader grows older and interest in his inevitable succession sharpens.

Sometimes he is said to have cancer. Other times, he is said to have suffered a series of small strokes.

Castro's designated successor has long been his younger brother, 74-year-old Defense Minister Raul Castro.