By Steve Holland
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Democratic presidentialcandidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, in a crucialdebate, differed on Thursday on how quickly to hold talks withCuba now that Fidel Castro has resigned.
Cuba was an early topic at the CNN/Univision debate at theUniversity of Texas, in a state where the Hispanic vote couldbe influential when Texas and Ohio vote on March 4.
The Democratic front-runner, Illinois Sen. Obama, expresseda willingness to move quickly toward a meeting with Castro'sreplacement, in line with his previous commitment to holddirect talks with leaders of hostile nations if he is electedpresident in November.
New York Sen. Clinton, seeking to slow Obama's momentumtoward the Democratic presidential nomination, was morecautious, saying Cuba should first make progress onlong-standing U.S. complaints such as improving human rightsand releasing political prisoners.
Castro is being replaced in power by his brother, RaulCastro, 76.
"If we think that meeting with the president is a privilegethat has to be earned I think that reinforces the sense that westand above the rest of the world," Obama said.
Clinton said she would be ready to meet with the new Cubangovernment "once it demonstrated that it truly was ready tochange" direction.
"I would not meet with him until there was evidence" thatchanges were taking place, she said.
The Thursday night showdown in Austin, Texas, gives Clintona chance to turn around a Democratic presidential fight thathas shifted decisively in the Illinois senator's favour afterhis streak of 10 straight victories.
Clinton needs to win upcoming contests in Ohio and Texas ifshe hopes to block Obama's march to the Democratic nominationfor November's election.
Obama has a growing lead in pledged convention delegateswho will choose the Democratic candidate at the Augustconvention. The latest count by MSNBC gives Obama 1,168 toClinton's 1,018.
Obama has managed to gain an increasing share of Clinton'score voting blocs of blue-collar and low-income workers whilecutting into her margins with Hispanics.
The two big states of Ohio and Texas, with a combined totalof 334 delegates at stake on March 4, have plenty of both.
(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason and Claudia Parsons;Editing by Lori Santos)