"To my dear compatriots, who gave me the immense honor in recent days of electing me a member of parliament ... I communicate to you that I will not aspire to or accept ... the position of president of Council of State and commander in chief," Castro said in the statement.

"It would betray my conscience to take up a responsibility that requires mobility and total devotion, that I am not in physical condition to offer," he said.

Castro, who temporarily handed over power to Defense Minister Raul Castro due to his gastro-intestinal surgery in July 2006, was reelected a deputy of the National Assembly in January.

The assembly will be convened on Sunday. Under Cuba's constitution, the National Assembly chooses 31 of its members to form the Council of State, whose leader will be the country's president.

"Fortunately, our Revolution can still count on cadres from the old guard and others who were very young in the early stages of the process," Castro said.

"They have the authority and the experience to guarantee the replacement," he said.

Out of public sight since his surgery, Castro said he would continue to "fight as a soldier of ideas" by writing columns in the Cuban media.

R-2:20-2: PM

E- 2:30-3:10 PM

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