-DATE-
19720516
-YEAR-
1972
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
ADDRESS AT ALGERIA SQUARE RALLY 16 MAY
-PLACE-
RALLY IN AFRICA SQUARE
-SOURCE-
ALGIERS DOMESTIC SVC
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19720519
-TEXT-
CASTRO ADDRESS AT ALGERIA SQUARE RALLY 16 MAY

Algiers Domestic Service in Arabic 'French 1620 GMT 16 May 72 L

[Direct live relay of speech by Cuban Premier Fidel Castro at rally in
Africa Square, Algiers; the Spanish with sentence-by-sentence French
translation]

[Text] Dear Comrade Houari Boumediene, [cheers] dear leaders of the FLN and
of the Algerian Government, [cheers] Dear Algerian brothers:

We arrived in your country 8 days ago. These have not been 8 days of rest.
These have been 8 days of intense activity. We have visited a large part of
the country. We have been in the desert. We have visited agricultural
experimental centers. [cheers, prolonged shouts of 'Long Live Castro']

We have visited the oil region of Hassi Messaoud. [cheers] We have visited
the town of Oran, the petrochemical complex of Arzew. We have seen the new
industries which are starting to operate the nitrogenous fertilizers
factory, the gas liquefication factory. We have seen how construction is
progressing rapidly on the new refinery in Algiers, the gas distribution
plant, the terminals for loading oil and gas onto ships. We have been
visited the base of Mers-el-Kebir which was returned to Algeria.

Afterwards we visited Constantine. We saw the tractor factory and the
metalworks, which will produce 5,000 tractors every year, and 10,000 truck
engines. We visited Constantine University which is under construction and
which will undoubtedly be a unique installation in the world.

We visited the heroic region of Skikdah and the petrochemical complex which
is being built the3re. We took part in the inauguration of the gas pipeline
and the oil pipeline from Hasi R'mel to Skikdah. [applause]

We visited the new steel works of Hadjar in Annaba, with the steel works
which are starting production. Finally we visited the fertilizer plant in
Annaba.

We have therefore visited a large part of Algeria. We can give our
impressions.

We have been a nation at work. We have seen a solid industry which is
developing. We have seen the intelligent exploitation of Algeria's natural
resources and, what seems to us, an absolutely correct concept of
development. But these are not just simple installations. We have seen
installations which are equipped with the most modern technology that
exists in the world. We have seen oil pipelines and gas pipelines which
carry the products from the wells, over hundreds of kilometers, direct to
the loading terminals and the petrochemical plants.

The petrochemical industry being developed in Algeria can be considered to
be among the most modern in the world. The petrochemical industry of
Algeria and in particular the gas liquefaction plants are installations of
such high productivity that it would be difficult to find another industry
in any other country with such a high productivity level per capita.

According to may own calculations, it would be no exaggeration to say that
the production per capita would be about $100,000 per year. I do not recall
anywhere else, any other industrial installation, with such high
productivity.

If one considers that there are in Algeria gas reserves which are thought
to be among the biggest in the world, if one considers that the world
increasingly needs hydrocarbons, including gas, of one considers that gas
the basic raw material for the petrochemical industry, for the production
of fertilizers, plastics and electric power, for iron and steel works, if
one considers that the technical prospects for the exploitation of these
natural resources are growing year by year, one can only draw the
conclusion that the economic future of Algeria and its people, its
technical and social development are absolutely guaranteed. [applause]

But Algeria does not limit itself to exploiting its hydrocarbon resources.
It is also making progress in the exploitation of its mineral resources.
The Annaba steel works is also a very modern installation which applies the
most modern technical methods in the production of steel. These
installations are not cheap; they are very expensive installations. They
need highly trained workers. They need management cadres. They need a large
number of technicians.

However, these places have not only the industrial plants but also Algerian
workers, Algerian engineers, Algerian technicians and Algerian cadres to
run them. [applause]

There is not the slightest doubt that the exploitation of these resources,
the development of the petrochemical industry and the development of the
steel industry, in our opinion, are absolutely correct. That is way, as
Comrade Boumediene said, facts show that this is a correct view. Without
steel there can be no development. [applause] To try to develop without
steel [cheers] is like trying to make war without guns and ammunition.
[applause]

Algeria has gas. Algeria has iron. There are countries which have neither
gas nor iron nor coal, but which produce tens of millions of tons of steel.
There are small industrialized countries in Europe which produce 10, 12,
14, 15 million tons of steel; why should not Algeria produce steel which it
greatly needs, when it has gas and even coal, when it has iron?

One can now see quite clearly that there are gas pipelines hundreds of
kilometers long, oil pipelines which are absolutely new, built with
Algerian steel. How much would this have cost if all this steel had had to
be imported?

The metalworks, the tractor land truck factories, the steel structures
works, the factories making components for the machine-building industry
have an assured future in this industry which is developing in Annaba.
[applause]

We had an opportunity to visit some educational establishments, including
the agricultural institute at Mostaganem. Moreover, we have a group of
compatriots who are studying at the hydrocarbons institute in Boumerdes. In
Mostaganem, we were able to see the installations and material equipment.
And, above all, we were able to talk with the students.

In connection with the Boumerdes Institute, our comrades have told us about
its high technical level, its teachers and the general quality of that
center of education. This guarantees the training of Algerian technicians
for the development of the country.

In addition to the industrial achievements, we have been able to see the
Algerian land. There is not doubt that it will be very difficult to find
other lands which are as fertile as your country.

Algeria not only possesses great hydrocarbon and mineral resources, but it
also has extraordinary agricultural resources. Well, this is our impression
of the country, its resources, its industry and its economic possibilities.
But, above all, indeed, we were impressed by the Algerian people, [cheers
and applause] by the Algerian youth [cheers], the Algerian workers [cheers
and applause], the Algerian peasants [applause], the Algerian women, the
Algerian children.

If the natural resources are extraordinary, the human resources of Algeria
are even more extraordinary. [cheers and applause]

And what special significance does Algeria have fro the third world
countries? Algeria is, in our opinion, a real example for the countries of
the third world. Why? Because Algeria not only made its revolution fighting
relentlessly against a mighty industrial and military power. [applause]

Algeria not only defended its independence, during the 150 years when it
was under occupation. [applause] Not only is it an example for the world
and for history in the last century and in this century. When we visited
Skikdah; we are told about the massacre of August 1955. In a single day,
3,500 Algerians were assassinated there. We remembered the last world war.
We remembered the massacre of the village of Lidice in Czechoslovakia. But
then, at least, the world knew that a great crime had been committed. In
the much greater massacre of Skikdah, the colonialists had such a control
over the information media that the world never heard of the great crime
committed there. [applause and cheers]

Algeria not only gave an example of how to defend the fatherland, how to
conquer freedom, how to carry out the revolution with weapons in the hand.
[applause] This example is there and will always be there for other peoples
still suffering under colonialism, oppression and exploitation of all
kinds.

But also, after winning its independence, Algeria is now showing the
peoples of the third world what must be done with their natural resources.
[applause] Other peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America also possess
great natural resources, mineral resources and hydrocarbon resources, oil
and gas. [cheers and prolonged shouts of "Long Live Castro'] the other
countries of the third world, what have they done with their natural
resources? They have handed them over to the imperialists. They have put
them into the hands of the imperialist monopolies. And what is happening to
these countries? have the imperialists insured their development? No.
[cheers] They take away the natural resources and encourage the people to
adopt the consumer habits of developed countries.

They will leave behind them the mine galleries. They will leave behind
empty pits. They will leave behind the habits of a consumer society, but
they will not leave behind any kind of prospects for development. The
greatest poverty is in store for them together with the expensive tastes
ingrained in a minority of imperialism, capitalism and colonialism. That is
the truth.

We are thrilled to see what Algeria has done with its natural resources,
how it has insured a vast development which (?allows it) to play the role
it deserves among the peoples of the third world. In our view, this is the
example that Algeria is giving to the world. [shouts of 'Long Live Castro']

We know that, having insured the start of your industrial development, you
are getting ready to launch the agrarian revolution. As we said in Oran,
the industrial revolution, the cultural revolution and the agrarian
revolution are firm pillars on which a revolution is successfully achieved.

We know that in the immediate future the great task which you, the Algerian
people, intend to achieve is the agrarian revolution. [cheers]

We also note the efforts made by the Algerian leadership to carry out this
program in an intelligent and wise manner. It is no easy task. It is a
complex task. It is a complex task. It is a difficult task. However, we
admire the great wisdom of the call to national solidarity so that the same
people that fought united for its liberation now unite for the agrarian
revolution. [prolonged applause and cheers]

We must not forget that Algeria waged a national war against colonialism,
and this was a war by every Algerian. [applause] Algeria is not waging a
war against under- development, against poverty and logically this must be
a war of every Algerian. [applause] We admire the wisdom contained in the
call for unity and solidarity, and we admire the appeal to the Algerian
people to hand over their lands that the Algerian people's response to that
appeal.

And we know from our own experience that this path and this line will bring
success, that the Algerians united (?like brothers), will successfully
achieve the agrarian revolution. [applause and shouts of
'Castro-Boumediene']

Between the Algerians and us, that is between the Algerians and the Cubans,
meetings have been easy. Understanding has been easy. [applause] Unity has
been easy. [applause] Unity has been easy. [applause] Simply because we are
two revolutionary peoples, because we are two peoples who won liberty with
weapons in our hands, because we are two peoples who have fought for more
than a century to achieve our independence. This is why we understand each
other well.

Our delegation felt very honored in this country. It has been deeply moved
by the warmth, the friendship and the affection with which it has been
welcomed in this country. And we admire this affection all the more because
it is the affection of a heroic people, a fighting people which knows how
to be as affectionate with its friends as it knew how to be intransigent
and fierce with its enemies. [prolonged applause]

Will those Algerians who are listening carefully raise their hands?
[repeated three times by the translator]

Will those Algerians who agree that we should continue this speech raise
their hands? [applause and cheers]

You have shouted slogans of solidarity with Vietnam. You have been
mentioning the name of Nixon [derogatory shouts from the crowd; applause]
You have spoken about Vietnam, and now we specifically want to speak about
Vietnam. [shouts]

While we have been in Algiers, the new imperialist escalation happened, the
blockade of Vietnam started, the ports are mined. These circumstances
enabled the Algerian leadership and the Cuban delegation to make an
analysis of the problems of Vietnam. The views of Algeria and Cuba on
Vietnam are absolutely unanimous [applause], for absolute support
[applause] and absolute solidarity. [applause] And that is logical

We carried out our liberation and fought against the Yankee imperialists.
Algeria carried out its struggle against the NATO-supported French
imperialists. And the Vietnamese have been fighting for more than 25 years,
first against the French colonialists and later against the Yankee
imperialists. Vietnam synthesizes the struggle of Algeria and Cuba. Vietnam
fought yesterday against the same oppressors as Algeria and it is fighting
today against the former oppressors of Cuba, Algeria and other countries.
[prolonged applause and shouting of 'Nixon--assassin']

There is complete coincidence between the Algerian revolution and the Cuban
revolution, in the support for Vietnam and for the revolutionary movement
in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The Cuban position on Vietnam is defined in one way: The Vietnamese are
fighting not only for Vietnam. They are fighting for the rest of mankind.
In Vietnam a battle is being waged for the liberation of other peoples. The
Vietnamese have died fighting also for (?the Cubans), for the Latin
Americans, the Africans, for the Algerians. [applause]

And that is why we say that we are prepared even to give our own blood for
Vietnam. [applause] We Cubans are prepared to do all that is necessary for
Vietnam. We Cubans are prepared to even fight there by their side for
Vietnam [shouts from the crowd] And we know that these are the feelings of
all revolutionary peoples. The imperialists will be beaten in Vietnam.
[applause and shouts] Moreover, the struggle will cost more sacrifices from
the Vietnamese. But the victory of the Vietnamese is guaranteed in Vietnam.
[applause]

There will be no peace unless it is based on the independence of the
peoples of Indochina. [applause] there will be not peace except only the
basis of the seven points of the South Vietnamese liberation movement.
[applause] The people of Vietnam have shown that they will not be cowed by
the bombing or by aggression. The people of Vietnam are firm, unshakable.
They will win. [applause]

Vietnam is not alone. Right is on the side of Vietnam. World public opinion
is on the side4 of the Vietnam. All progressive countries are on the side
of Vietnam. All the socialist countries are on the side of Vietnam.
Moreover, all we revolutionaries are prepared to fight for Vietnam.
[applause] Against this the imperialists will not be able to do anything at
all. [applause and shouts]

The common positions of Algeria and Cuba extend to the whole of the
revolutionary movement. Our positions are common with respect to
unconditional support for the heroic people of Palestine [applause], for
the Arab countries whose territories have been occupied by the invaders.

Our positions are common in our support for the Guinean people against
colonialist aggression, in our support of the people of Guinea-Bissau, in
our support for the people of Angola, Mozambique, as well as the people of
South Africa. Our positions are common in our support for the revolutionary
movements in Asia, Africa and Latan America. This is why we can say that
there is a great unanimity of views between the Algerian revolution and the
Cuban revolution, and the bonds of our friendship are growing stronger and
will grow stronger in the common struggle against imperialism. in the
common struggle against poverty and underdevelopment, in the common
struggle against the problems of our peoples. [applause]

The relations of friendship and fraternity between the peoples of Algeria
land Cuba will grow. We will work and will fight toward this end. We will
work and fight to make the union and solidarity between the peoples of
Algeria and Cuba even closer. [applause]

We have a long road ahead of us. We have ahead of us a great task for our
peoples, in our continents, in or obligations to other peoples. And we
shall fulfill our duty of solidarity. [applause and prolonged shouts of
'Long Live Castro']

It only remains for us to express our appreciation. We want to express the
appreciation of our delegation to the Algerian government for the
invitation to visit this country, for the extraordinary affection with
which we have been welcomed here, for all the attentions paid us. In
particular, we want to thank our brother Boumedienne for his attention.
[applause] We want to thank him for the great honor he has paid us by
accompanying us throughout Algeria. We want to thank him for giving us the
chance to get to know his deep thoughts, his feelings, his profound love
for the Algerian revolution; his absolute and total dedication to the cause
of his people, [applause] His hard-working spirit, his extraordinary
modesty, his magnificent feelings of friendship and fraternity for us.

It was also easy for us to communicate with each other, to exchange ideas,
to develop friendship because this is friendship between two guerrilla
fighters, between two revolutionary fighters [applause] who have lived
through similar experiences in the past and two are living through a
similar experience in the present.

And finally, we want to thank the Algerian people for their expressions of
solidarity and friendship toward the Cuban revolution. [applause]

It is not easy to express ourselves where language separates us, but we
want to say in the name of the entire delegation that we have been
completely won over by the love and affection of the Algerian people.
[applause] We want to say that we will never forget this meeting. We will
never forget our impressions of Algeria. [applause] We will never forget
its children, its youth, its workers, its peasants, its people. We will
never forage the affection of everyone, of civilian and military
authorities, of the revolutionary leaders of government officials

We only want to say so that tomorrow we are leaving Algeria, but are
leaving with sadness. When a delegation is received so well, when it is
received with this spirit of solidarity and fraternity, when one is
received not only with the proverbial hospitality of the Arab people but
also with the hospitality of fraternal peoples, of fighting peoples, of
revolutionary peoples, inevitably on leaving there is a feeling of
sadness--sadness, but with confidence in the triumph of the Algerian
revolution, sadness, but also with optimism in the victory of our peoples,
sadness, but also with hope in the future of the Algerians, Cubans,
Vietnamese, Guineans and or all peoples who are fighting against
imperialism, who are fighting against underdevelopment, who are fighting
against poverty. [applause]

And so, we say to you, Algerians, that over there in the American
Continent, in the Caribbean, in the island of Cuba you have and you will
always have a true brother. Many thanks. [long applause]
-END-