-DATE-
19851226
-YEAR-
1985
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO CLOSES 13TH CC PLENARY MEETING 25 DECEMBE
-PLACE-
HAVANA CUBA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA RELOJ NETWORK
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19851226
-TEXT-
CASTRO CLOSES 13TH CC PLENARY MEETING 25 DECEMBER

FL261618 Havana Radio Reloj Network in Spanish 1502 GMT 26 Dec 85

[Text] With First Secretary Fidel Castro presiding, the 13th plenary
meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba [PCC] took
place in this capital.  The plenum studied and approved drafts of important
documents that will be submitted for the consideration of the Third
Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba.  Included among these documents
are those referring to the economic and social guidelines for the coming
5-year period, to the system for directing and planning the economy, and to
modifications in the statutes of the PCC.  The plenum also approved the
party's budget for 1986.

Commander in Chief Fidel Castro made the closing remarks yesterday at the
13th plenary meeting of the PCC Central Committee which took place in this
capital.  In his remarks, Fidel described 1985 as a good year, which could
be described as excellent from a subjective point of view because of the
work done by the party, the state, and the workers, and because of the
greater maturity and experience that have been demonstrated.

From an objective point of view, however, it was an adverse year, the
leader of the Cuban revolution said, first because of the prolonged
drought, then because of hurricane Kate, and finally because of the very
low sugar prices on the world capitalist market.  Fidel stressed that our
people have been able to overcome the problems of nature and the effects of
the worldwide capitalist crisis, for which reason the national economy as a
whole grew more than 4.8 percent in 1985 and will continue to grow during
the coming year.

Our forces, Fidel told the plenum, have increased and become stronger, and
even the enemy sees this and cannot ignore the fact that we are a very
tough customer to deal with.  Fidel also expressed satisfaction with the
leadership of the party for the progress and achievements attained.
-END-