Former President Fidel Castro has ended his silence over the Dec. 17 declaration that Cuba and the United States would move to restore full diplomatic relations, writing that though he does not trust Washington's politics, differences between the nations should be resolved through cooperation. Castro made the comments in a statement sent to a student federation and read Monday at the University of Havana. Castro wrote: "I don't trust the politics of the United States, nor have I exchanged a word with them, but this does not mean I reject a pacific solution to the conflicts." He said he will always defend cooperation and friendship among the world's peoples, including Cuba's adversaries. They are the first comments the 88-year-old has made on the negotiations launched by his brother, Raul Castro. AP