-DATE-
19720526
-YEAR-
1972
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
ARTICLE
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CEAUSESCU DECORATES CASTRO
-PLACE-
ROMANIA
-SOURCE-
BUCHAREST AGERPRES INTL
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19720330
-TEXT-
Ceausescu Decorates Castro

Bucharest AGERPRES International Service in English 1950 GMT 26 May 72 L

[Text] Bucharest AGERPRES 26/5/972--Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary of
the CC. of the Communist Party of Cuba, prime minister of the Revolutionary
Government of the Republic of Cuba, paid a courtesy call on Nicolae
Ceausescu, general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party, president of
the Romanian State Council, at the headquarters of the C.C. of the R.C.P.

Attending the interview were the officials accompanying the distinguished
Cuban guest on his Romanian visit.

Participating were Ion Gheorghe Mauer, Emil Bodnaras, and other Romanian
senior officials.

The interview passed in a comradely atmosphere of warm friendship.

Nicolae Ceausescu presented Fidel Castro Ruz with the Order "Star of the
Socialist Republic of Romania", first class, for special merits in the
revolutionary fight for the national and social liberation of the Cuban
people, for the defense of the national independence and sovereignty of the
socialist homeland against imperialism, for the special contribution made
to the multilateral expansion of the relations of cooperation, friendship
and internationalist solidarity between the Communist Party of Cuba and the
Romanian Communist Party, between the Republic of Cuba and the Socialist
Republic of Romania, between the Cuban people and the Romanian people.

On handing out the high distinction on behalf of the State Council of
Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu said that it was an expression of the valuation
bestowed on the activity conducted by Fidel Castro Ruz for the liberation
of Cuba for the building socialism in Cuba, for the growth of the
revolutionary movement in Latin America and of the cooperation between the
Romanian Communist Party and the Communist Party of Cuba, between Romania
and Cuba, an expression of which to continuously expand the relations of
cooperation, which accord with both the interests of the two peoples and
the interests of all the socialist countries, of peace and cooperation
throughout the world.

Fidel Castro thanked in his reply, on behalf of the people, the party and
Government of Cuba, for the great honour bestowed on him by the awarding of
the high distinction.

We express our thanks to Comrade Ceausescu, the government and party of
Romania, and we consider that this decoration signifies for us a pledge to
continue fighting for the consolidation of the socialist revolution in Cuba
and of the revolutionary movement in Latin America, for the consolidation
of the relations of friendship between our two peoples and parties--Fidel
Castro said.

After the awarding ceremony, the Romanian and Cuban party and state leaders
heartily congratulated Fidel Castro Ruz.

After the courtesy call at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the
Romanian Communist Party, Nicolae Ceausescu and Fidel Castro Ruz, together
with the other Romanian and Cuban party and state leaders taking part in
the meeting went on the balcony of the central Committee Building to great
the thousands of Bucharesters who had gathered in the Republic Square to
warmly greet once more the leaders of socialist Romania and the messengers
of socialist Cuba. A great number of Cuban youth studying in Romania were
also in the crowd.

The appearance of the Romanian and Cuban party and state leaders was
greeted with loud applause. the crowd powerfully cheered for minutes on end
"Romania-Cuba", "Ceausescu-Castro", "Long Live the Romanian-Cuban
Friendship".

The thousands of Bucharesters, carrying portraits of Nicolae Ceausescu and
Fidel Castro Ruz, and waiving little flags of Romania and Cuba,
enthusiastically greeted the distinguished guests. Nicolae Ceasusescu and
Fidel Castro generously answered the crowd's warm and friendly expression.
-END-