-DATE-
19861203
-YEAR-
1986
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
MESSAGE
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CUBA OFFERS TO BUY SUGAR
-PLACE-
SANTO DOMINGO
-SOURCE-
MADRID EFE
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19861210
-TEXT-
SUGAR INSTITUTE HEAD ON CUBAN OFFER TO BUY SUGAR

PA032054 Madrid EFE in Spanish 0343 GMT 3 Dec 86

[Text] Santo Domingo, 2 Dec (EFE) -- Today Dominican Sugar Institute
Director Miguel Guerrero said he was unaware that Cuban President Fidel
Castro had offered to purchase the Dominican Republic's entire sugar
production at twice the price the United States pays in its preferential
market.

EFE asked Guerrero about the matter because an article in today's daily EL
SOL attributed that remark to Castro.

The report came at a time when the Dominican Republic is conducting a
campaign at home and abroad to have the Reagan administration maintain the
country's quota of 302,000 tons in the U.S. preferential market.

"This is the first report I have of this," Guerrero stated. He remarked
that the offer made no sense to him because he didn't know the reason for
it. He added that he could not understand Castro's need to purchase the
Dominican production at twice the price when he could get it at current
prices in the international market to meet his commitments with the Soviet
Union. He also stated that with the state of the Cuban economy, Cuba could
not afford to purchase the Dominican Republic's entire sugar production at
such high prices.

There is no doubt, they are better, the quality is better. Video machines
are only a convenience. Sometimes you do not have 35 millimeter copies. I
watch the ones we buy. But every year we buy a larger number of Latin
American films for our movie houses and our television. You are the one
responsible for this super-interview, it has gone too long.

[Reporter] Thank you very much. Thank you commander.

[Castro] It has been a pleasure.

[Reporter] Sir...
-END-