-DATE-
19720615
-YEAR-
1972
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
TOURS WITH HONECKER, PROCEEDS TO DRESDEN
-PLACE-
FRIENDSHIP RALLY IN LEUNA
-SOURCE-
EAST BERLIN
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19720616
-TEXT-
Addresses Leuna Workers

East Berlin Voice of the GDR Domestic Service in German 1605 GMT 15 Jun 72
L

[Speech by Cuban Premier Fidel Castro at Friendship Rally in Leuna--voice
recording in Spanish followed by translation]

[Text] We have seen the new products here. We have met the engineers and
technicians engaged in research here. We have seen with what enthusiasm new
technology is being applied and the optimism with which the future is being
viewed. All basic raw materials have been secured. Here you use not only
lignite but also oil. This oil reaches you through the pipeline from the
Soviet Union. You will also receive natural gas, and this will fully
guarantee the raw material base for development of this plant. This leads
to considerable technical and economic progress as well as security.

Once upon a time the imperialist countries waged wars to secure their raw
materials. Today, on the basis of the (?new) relations prevailing in the
socialist community and on the basis of peaceful coexistence, these
countries are developing, and this is how we obtain our raw materials. This
is a conclusion of tremendous magnitude. Hence the great significance of
socialist science and technology, since only from these countries, the
socialist countries, can we engage in the necessary scientific and
technical cooperation.

We have an example in Cuba--the first small nitrogen factory for the
manufacture of fertilizer. It was originally built by the capitalist. At
the time of the victory of our revolution, the factory was not yet
completed. It was not yet producing. The capitalist engineers left, and no
one in Cuba knew the slightest thing about the manufacture of nitrogen. No
one knew anything about the chemical industry. For several years our
workers battled to put the factory into operation. And this was only
possible when, much later and after great efforts, we received help from
GDR engineers, that is when 25 technicians left for Cuba. Then after 3
years of hard work with these technicians, we finally managed to get the
factory going so the manufacture of nitrogen could begin.

Meanwhile, we have built a much bigger plant with a capacity of more than
400,000 tons of fertilizer. We already have 50 Cuban engineers and 200
technicians in the factory. At this very moment they are struggling to
expand the factory. It we do not manage to overcome all difficulties we
know we can rely on you.
-END-