-DATE-
19711117
-YEAR-
1971
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
CONFERENCE
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
IQUIQUI PRESS CONFERENCE
-PLACE-
IQUQUI
-SOURCE-
MOSCOW TASS
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19711118
-TEXT-
TASS REPORTS CASTRO'S IQUIQUI PRESS CONFERENCE

Moscow TASS International Service in English 1518 GMT 17 Nov 71 L

[Text] Inquiqui November 17 TASS--The TASS special correspondent
reports--the Prime Minister of Cuba's Revolutionary Government Fidel
Castro, who is heading a government delegation of his country now touring
Chile, spoke at a press conference yesterday held here for local and
foreign journalists.

Fidel Castro said he had "very good" impressions of his meetings and talks
with Chilean officials, workers and employees. Our tour of your country, he
said, showed that its main wealth are people and special admiration is
evoked by the miners of Chuquicamata, who voluntarily do overtime work,
realizing the country's needs.

Fidel Castro also pointed to the ever more active participation of Chilean
workers in solving questions of state importance. At the same time he noted
that the conditions of long work under capitalism have left a certain
imprint on the worker so the education of the worker is an important task
of the revolution.

Fidel Castro stressed further the importance of conducting a correct
political line in respect of various groups of people who waver in the
process of the revolution. "They can be won for the revolution," he
stressed.

The prime minister called for the unity of the peoples of Latin America.
Our future, he said, is the alliance of Latin American countries. We should
struggle for the attainment of this goal.

Speaking of sectarianism, Fidel Castro noted that from the beginning of the
revolutionary struggle against the Batista dictatorship the Cubans had
adhered to the principle of unity. Although there had been instances of
sectarianism that inflicted some damage to the revolution, the unity of all
revolutionary forces of Cuba has always taken the upper hand, he said. "The
revolution strengthened in unity", Castro stressed. He said relations
between Cuba and Chile were good. He expressed confidence that a further
qualitative improvement will take place in these relations."

Fidel Castro said the transformations in Chile were a "genuine
revolutionary process". Its first manifestation was the establishment of
diplomatic relations with Cuba. "This was a real revolutionary step",
Castro said.

The prime minister again emphasized the exceptional importance of drawing
specialists to "cooperate with the revolution". In this connection he
pointed to the big work done in his time by V.I. Lenin in Russia.

Asked "whether freedom exists in Cuba", Castro spoke about the social
transformations in his country where the right to labor, free education,
free medical aid, etc. are guaranteed, and where such scourges of
imperialism as illiteracy and prostitution have been stamped out. All that
Cuba has serves the interests of the entire people. "The revolutionary
process in Cuba is irreversible", Castro stressed.

Fidel Castro also expressed confidence that the American imperialists, now
committing aggression in Indochina, will be routed.
-END-