Latin American Network Information Center - LANIC

-DATE-
19720614
-YEAR-
1972
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
APPEARANCE
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
VISIT TO BRADENBURG GATE
-PLACE-
WEST BERLIN
-SOURCE-
HAVANA PRELA
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19720615
-TEXT-
At Brandenburg Gate

Havana PRELA in Spanish 1913 GMT 14 Jun 72 C--FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

[Text] Berlin, 14 Jun--Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro this afternoon
visited the famous Brandenburg Gate, a symbol related to many historic
German events and, from there, he viewed the West Berlin border.

The Cuban leader, who arrived in the German Democratic Republic [GDR]
yesterday, was received at the beautiful victory gate by Gen Heinz Kessler,
chief of staff of the National People's Army, and Lt Gen Arthur Kunath,
city commandant, who provided Castro with a detailed explanation of the
circumstances which led to the closing of the gate on 31 August 1961,
denying access to West Berlin.

The members of the Cuban party and government delegation accompanying Fidel
Castro on the 8-day visit to this Central European country also were
present.

Prior to his departure, Fidel Castro, in his own handwriting, wrote the
following message in the visitors' book of the historic gate, built in
1770. The terrible difficulties which imperialism created around and in the
heart of the German Democratic Republic can be appraised here, and also the
great values of this country's revolutionary people in overcoming almost
inconceivable obstacles. The remains of what in other times were the
symbols of fascism, reaction and imperialism--whose ideological supporters
and heirs are attempting a comeback--can be seen all around us.

It remains very clear that the GDR will still have to struggle very hard to
defend itself from the provocations and subversive activities of the
imperialists, the propaganda and the ever-present insidious lie. But we
also have no doubt that the GDR will emerge victorious, and that nothing
will be able to stop the creative and peaceful future of its people and
particularly of the new generations which are taught the glorious and
invincible ideologies of human solidarity and internationalism.

Our most fraternal greetings go to the courageous and self-denying border
guards of the GDR People's Army who stand guard in the front line of the
entire-socialist community.
-END-


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