HAVANA, April 22 (Xinhua) - U.S. President Barack Obama "misinterpreted" Cuban leader Raul Castro's statement, former Cuban Leader Fidel Castro was quoted as saying by local media Wednesday.

    Fidel, in an article entitled Obama and the Blockade published by local media, said "there is no doubt" that Obama misunderstood Raul.

    "When the Cuban president said he was ready to discuss any topics with his U.S. counterpart, he meant he was not afraid of addressing any issue," wrote Fidel.

    "That shows his courage and confidence in the principle of the (Cuban) Revolution," he wrote.

    Since Obama won the U.S. presidential election in November 2008, Raul has expressed Havana's willingness to have dialogues with Washington on all issues based on conditions of equality.

    At the end of the 5th Summit of the Americas held in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, Obama, in an interview with reporters, mentioned Raul's statement as a signal of progress.

    Obama also said there was something that the Cuban government could do, such as to reduce the charge on the remittance of money to Cubans by their relatives overseas.

    Fidel defended Cuba's measures, saying "every country charges a certain amount (of money) on all hard currency transfers."

    "Not all Cubans have relatives abroad that could send them remittances," he said, noting "redistributing a relatively small part of them to benefit those in stronger need of food, medicines and other goods is absolutely fair."

    Fidel criticized Obama as the latter, though did not create the U.S. embargo against Cuba, "embraced it" like other 10 U.S. presidents."