HAVANA -- (AP) -- Cuba confirmed Wednesday it was approached by U.S. officials after last week's terrorist attacks about exchanging information, and called for a prudent response aimed at justice rather than revenge.

 ``All that is advisable is a calm and brave search for definitive solutions to terrorism,'' the government said Wednesday in the Communist Party daily Granma.

 A separate note sent by the Foreign Ministry to international media confirmed that there had been diplomatic contacts between U.S. and Cuban officials in both
 Washington and Havana since the Sept. 11 attacks.

 Although the countries have not had diplomatic relations for four decades, ``the formerly mentioned contacts have no special significance and were in no way secret or abnormal,'' the foreign ministry statement said.

 Cuba remains on the U.S. State Department's list of seven countries that promote terrorism. Since the attacks, Washington has also contacted Sudan and Syria, on the same list.

 Cuba's foreign ministry said contacts with Washington occur sporadically to discuss issues such as illegal immigrant smuggling, drug trafficking, and ``any attempt to use our territory for terrorist activities toward the United States or other countries.''

 ``Cuba does not oppose any sporadic or regular exchanges with U.S. authorities that can be useful and opportune for both countries,'' the ministry statement added.

 The communique in Cuba's official newspaper said that ``rivers of blood could be stopped'' around the world if evidence is shown proving involvement in the attacks by and guaranteeing impartiality for Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who Washington calls its primary suspect.

 ``If such proof exists as leaders of the United States government categorically affirm, and they do not demand that religious leaders pass over the most profound
 convictions of their faith ... an alternative to war could be found,'' the communique said.

 ``Cuba would support without wavering'' a negotiated solution preventing war, added the statement, something it insisted the American people would surely prefer.

 ``The American people want justice, not revenge,'' said the communique.

 ``The American people never could be part of brutal methods to coldly assassinate other people, violate laws, punish without proof, deny the elemental principles of equity and justice as they combat terrorism, however repugnant and unscrupulous it may be.''

                                    © 2001