-DATE-
19870407
-YEAR-
1987
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
IZVESTIYA CITES CASTRO SPEECH TO YOUNG COMMUNIST
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
MOSCOW IZVESTIYA
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19870416
-TEXT-
IZVESTIYA CITES CASTRO SPEECH TO YOUNG COMMUNISTS

PM08 Moscow IZVESTIYA in Russian 7 Apr 87 Morning Edition p 4

[TASS report:  "Fidel Castro Speech"]

[Text] Havana, 6 Apr -- Fidel Castro, first secretary of the Cuban
Communist Party Central Committee and chairman of the republic's Council of
State and Council of Ministers, addressed the formal closing session of the
Fifth Cuban Young Communists Union Congress.

Monthly appraising the results of congress, the Cuban leader stressed that
the forum's work had reflected the best qualities of the young generation:
boldness, honesty, self-confidence, revolutionary, communist awareness, and
a high cultural level.  I believe, F. Castro said, that our young people
are the best thing to come out of the revolution.  This was the dream of
those who stormed the Moncada barracks and died defending the revolution.

Touching on the economic situation, F. Castro stressed the need to further
step up the struggle to improve education efficiency and save material
resources.  The country is now faced with a serious task -- to successfully
complete the sugar cane harvest season and sow large areas with sugar cane
to compensate for the losses from the natural disasters which have struck
Cuba.  The country is faced with more and more new difficulties.  However,
despite everything the country is developing and will continue to do so.
Heat and power plants, petrochemical enterprises, and the "Juragua" nuclear
power plant are being built.  F. Castro dwelt in detail on plans for
large-scale housing construction and the creation of public health care
institutions, schools, preschool institutions, and youth clubs.

The Cuban leader devoted a great deal of attention to the country's current
process to rectify mistakes and eliminate negative trends that have
appeared, stressing that in many cases the disorder in the economy caused
by stupidity or lack of principle may quality as a crime against the
country's economy.

F. Castro noted that during the congress many delegates had discussed
mistakes and negative trends from a communist standpoint.  Resolving these
problems and creating a more healthy climate in the country must take
revolutionary form and proceed under the leadership of the party, the Young
Communists Union, and mass public organizations.

The Cuban leader described the latest anti-Cuban campaign unleashed by the
United States in the context of the recent 43d session of the UN Human
Rights Commission in Geneva as cynical and hypocritical.  American
imperialism, which has maliciously accused Cuba of human rights violations,
bears the responsibility for the deaths of millions of people in various
parts of the world.  Cuba has been accused by the country which is whipping
up the nuclear arms race and implementing a program in preparation for
"Star Wars," unleashed a dirty war against Vietnam, crudely trampled on
Grenada's independence, and is currently responsible for aggression against
Nicaragua.  Thanks, however, to the courageous stand taken by the
representatives of Latin American countries at the Geneva session, he
noted, the United States' base designs on Cuba have failed, which has
provoked insane anger in Washington.  The imperialists are enraged that our
continent today is not what it was 30 years ago.  They cannot understand
the changes that have taken place or the steadfastness of the Latin
American countries which refuse to join the dirty anti-Cuban campaign.  One
day the imperialists will understand the stupidity of their policy of
threats and aggression against our country.

We do not advocate lasting enmity with the United States, F. Castro
continued.  Even if we one day succeed in living in peace with this
country, we will not cease to strengthen our defense or forget for one
second that our integrity and our existence have been made possible by our
constant readiness for defense.

The Cuban people are proud of the young generation, F. Castro emphasized.
He urged young people to work to even greater effect and put all their
energy into the cause of revolution, socialism, and communism.
-END-