Latin American Network Information Center - LANIC

-DATE-
19620630
-YEAR-
1962
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
29 JUNE CEREMONY TO 300 SOVIET TECHNICIANS
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA PRENSA LATINA
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19620702
-TEXT-
PREMIER CASTRO HAILS SOVIET TECHNICIANS

Havana PRENSA LATINA in Spanish to Latin America 1912 GMT 30 June 1962--E
(OFFICIAL USE ONLY)

(Text) Havana-Premier Fidel Castro made the closing speech at the 29 June
ceremony in tribute and farewell to the 300 Soviet technicians who
cooperated in the development of Cuban agriculture for one year. He
stressed that by their contribution they had set a real example of
proletarian internationalism.

"Concrete acts have more force than abstract ideas. When a reply is needed
to show what proletarian internationalism is and what kind of relations are
born and forged among revolutionary peoples, we can point to this fact,"
Fidel said. "We sent 1,000 rural youths to the Soviet Union to learn
agricultural techniques and the Soviet Union sent us 300 rural technicians.
How much we Cubans have gained from this!"

Fidel explained that the Cuban workers and peasants lacked technical
experience, "since that knowledge was had by the owners of the big
estates," and this explains how important it is for Cuba to have had the
aid of hundreds of Soviet technicians. After pointing out that the Soviet
technicians have been able to see at first hand what difficulties face a
country that has recently begun its revolution, Fidel Castro said that
"nevertheless, our difficulties are not as big as the one confronting the
USSR in the October Revolution, when it did not have even one tractor. We
have fewer difficulties because we have somebody to help us. During the
whole year you have been here we have not heard any complaint, we have not
heard of any bad conduct on the part of the 300 young Soviet technicians
who have been in so many different places all over the country. This speaks
very highly of Soviet youth, its discipline and training. It means there is
a new generation taught the duty of social behavior."

Fidel continued: "The development of the Soviet Union is extraordinary--its
great material successes. But what we admire most as the best and greatest
creation of the USSR is the type of men and women it has produced.

We too dream of the day when our revolution can produce human results like
this beside the material gains to which we also aspire."

The Premier went on: "No capitalist country could have sent such a large
number of technicians of such unanimously high morality. In the past we
have had negative visitors like the Yankee sailors who insulted people,
offended the Cubans, and sullied the monument to our hero Marti. The
difference is obvious."

In conclusion Castro said: "Dear young Soviets, in the name of our people
we say goodbye to you today physically, but in our hearts and memories you
will always be present. Through you we have acquired even greater faith in
the brotherhood of peoples and the future of mankind."

The farewell ceremony took place in the hall of ambassadors at the Hotel
Habana Libre. It began with many typical Soviet dances put on by the young
technicians, and improvisations with reference to the Cuban revolution.
Nikolai Bonderchuk, in charge of the group of Soviet technicians, said on
behalf of his comrades that they had witnessed the enthusiasm with which
the Cuban people work and that "Fidel is right when he says that work,
study, and rifle are necessary in this stage of your process and are the
guarantee of its final success."

The ceremony honoring the agricultural technicians who will go back home in
a few days was attended by Carlos Rafael Rodriguez, president of INRA; Maj.
Joel Iglesias, secretary general of the Young Communist Union of Cuba;
Nikolai Belous, Soviet charge d'affaires in Cuba; and other leaders of
Cuban revolutionary organizations and personnel from the Soviet Embassy.
-END-


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