The resignation of Cuban leader Fidel Castro may open the door for his brother, Raul, to officially take over the communist government.

古巴領導人菲德爾.卡斯特羅辭職，為他的弟弟勞爾.卡斯特羅可能正式接管共產黨政府鋪平道路。

The announcement by Fidel Castro comes only days before officials are to select the island's top ruling body, the Council of State. The 81-year-old leader is expected to remain on the 31-member ruling council, but says he will not compete for the top post.

就在古巴即將選舉該國最高領導機構國務委員會成員的幾天之前，菲德爾.卡斯特羅發表了不再尋求領導職務的聲明。預計，81歲的卡斯特羅仍將保留國務委員會委員的職位。古巴國務委員會是由31位國務委員組成。但是卡斯特羅說，他不再尋求擔任最高領導人的職務。

Cuban state television read a letter from Mr. Castro in which he said he is physically unable to fulfill the duties of president.

古巴國營電視臺宣讀了卡斯特羅致古巴人民的一封信。他在信中說他的身體狀況使他不能勝任國務委員會主席的職務。

In the letter, Mr. Castro says he will not seek and will not accept the post of president and commander-in-chief.

卡斯特羅在信中說他不再尋求和接受國務委員會主席和武裝部隊總司令的職務。

For months, Mr. Castro's failing health has raised questions about the political future of the island and the man who ruled it for nearly 50 years. The Cuban president underwent intestinal surgery in July 2006, and handed over power temporarily to his brother, Raul.

幾個月來，卡斯特羅健康情況日益衰弱，引起了人們對古巴這個島國未來政治前景的關注。卡斯特羅統治古巴近50年之久。他于2006年7月作了腸道手術，隨后把政權暫時移交給他的弟弟勞爾.卡斯特羅。

Many analysts say Raul, 76, is the most likely to succeed Fidel Castro as Cuba's president and would retain many of his older brother's political and economic policies.

許多分析人士認為，76歲的勞爾是最可能接替菲德爾.卡斯特羅擔任古巴國務委員會主席的人選。他也將維持菲德爾.卡斯特羅的許多政治和經濟政策。

In Miami, critics of the Cuban government welcomed the news of Mr. Castro's resignation early Tuesday.

在邁阿密，批評古巴政府的人士則對星期二早上宣布的卡斯特羅辭職的消息表示歡迎。

Democracy activist Ramon Saul Sanchez said the announcement is good news for advocates of democratic change in Cuba.

民主活動人士桑切斯表示，卡斯特羅的聲明對古巴境內致力于民主變革的人士是好消息。

"Frankly the fact that Castro has ceded all political powers at this point is an inspiration not only to us but to those inside of Cuba, the elements of change within the regime itself, that want to see some other direction for the country," he said.

桑切斯說：“坦白的說，卡斯特羅在這個時刻放棄了所有政治權力，不但鼓舞了我們，也鼓舞了古巴境內的人士，鼓舞了古巴政權內部要求變革的因素，它們期望古巴改變發展的方向。”

Sanchez says he does not believe a transition to Raul Castro will bring immediate change to the lives of Cuba's 11 million people. But he says pressure for broad reform on the next Cuban leader, from inside Cuba and outside, will grow.

桑切斯說，他并不相信把政權移交給勞爾.卡斯特羅會立即給古巴1100萬人民的生活帶來變化。可是他說，來自古巴境內和境外要求古巴下任領導人進行廣泛改革的壓力將會增加。

"This is the beginning of a new direction, probably a first step in a new direction, that could end up in more reforms," said Sanchez.

桑切斯說：“這是一個新的發展方向的開端，可能是一個新的發展方向的頭一個步驟，進而導致更多的改革。”

Earlier, President Bush said the international community should work with Cuba's people to bring about a democratic transition on the island.

美國總統布什早些時候說，國際社會應當和古巴人民共同努力為這個島國帶來民主變革。