Washington: Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain today said he hoped Fidel Castro's resignation would be followed by his speedy demise, quipping "I hope he has the opportunity to meet Karl Marx very soon."

McCain, campaigning in Indiana, also slammed Democratic front-runner Barack Obama for saying he would be prepared to hold out the carrot of presidential talks for whoever succeeds the long-time Cuban leader.

"Fidel Castro announced that he would not remain as president -- whatever that means," McCain said in Indianapolis.

"And I hope that he has the opportunity to meet Karl Marx very soon.

"But the point is, the point is that apparently he s trying to groom his brother Raul. My friends, Raul is worse in many respects than Fidel was."

In a formal written statement, McCain also took a shot at Obama, who renewed his offer to speak to leaders of US foes without preconditions, during a campaign debate with rival Hillary Clinton in Texas.

"So Raul Castro gets an audience with an American president, and all the prestige such a meeting confers, without having to release political prisoners, allow free media, political parties, and labor unions, or schedule internationally monitored free elections.," McCain said.

"Senator Obama says he would meet Cuba s dictator without any such steps in the hope that talk will make things better for Cuba s oppressed people.

"Meet, talk, and hope may be a sound approach in a state legislature, but it is dangerously naive in international diplomacy where the oppressed look to America for hope and adversaries wish us ill."

Source : PTI