Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro denied he had critical disagreements with the country's newly elected leader Raul Castro as some Western media had reported, Cuban daily Granma said Friday.

This is Fidel's first public comments since Raul became the top leader last weekend.

A recent article published by BBC Mundo on its website said Fidel's authority is still a "sword of Damocles" against the new Cuban leadership.

Fidel, 81, fought back, saying the allegation was just attacking him personally in an insulting manner.

The BBC article also reported that rumors said Fidel had "screaming" disagreements over a variety of issues with Raul, 76, who is Fidel's younger brother.

Fidel responded by saying the report speculations "cannot occur even due to basic dignity and respect."

Fidel said Raul has "all legal and constitutional faculties" to lead Cuba, adding Raul is fully in charge as the new leader.

Fidel said he noted some other major US media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal also commented on Cuba's recent elections.

Those media did not insult the elections, but apparently didn't like Cuba's half century of heroic resistance against Western aggression, he added.

Raul was elected as Cuba's new leader on Feb. 24 at the National Assembly of People's Power to succeed Fidel, a veteran revolutionary and leader of Cuba since 1959.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2008)