HAVANA - Cuban President Fidel Castro appeared on state-run television Tuesday for the first time in nearly a year since his illness prompted him to step aside.

In a taped interview, the ailing Castro talked about his recent meeting with Vietnamese Communist Party leader Nong Duc Manh.

The 80-year-old Communist leader turned over authorities to his younger brother Raul Castro last July after announcing he was suffering from an unspecified gastro-intestinal illness that required surgery.

Following his decision to step down -- albeit temporarily -- U.S. officials publicly speculated Castro was suffering from cancer and had only months to live.

However, Cuban officials assert Castro is recovering and taking on more leadership responsibilities.

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