[NYTr] Cuba Determined to Overcome Difficulties
 
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:29:02 -0500 (CDT)


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Cuba Determined to Overcome Difficulties

CamagCB<ey, July 26 (acn) The Cuban people will continue to work to 
overcome difficulties and adversities, said First Vice President Raul 
Castro at the national ceremony held in this eastern Cuban city to mark 
National Rebelliousness Day.

The rally took place at CamagCB<ey's Major General Ignacio Agramonte 
Revolution Square, attended by over 100,000 people, including Cuban 
Communist Party leaders and government officials.

Raul Castro told the crowd and a nationwide TV audience that President 
Fidel Castro continues his recovery and is undertaking an intense and 
very valuable activity by writing articles and reflections being 
published by the Cuban media. He noted that even in the most critical 
moments of his recovery process, Fidel never stopped contributing his 
wisdom and experience on each crucial decision to be made.

The Bush administration expressed its intentions to take advantage of 
the Cuban leaderC"b,b"s health condition to topple the Revolution, but
such a pretext was met with the historic commitment of the Cuban people
to defend their homeland, said Raul Castro.

The First Vice President denounced the hurdles posed by the US 
administration to the fulfillment of bilateral migration accords, 
particularly the irregularities in the number of visas granted to Cuban 
citizens. This, he said, encourages illegal sea departures from the 
island that put at risk the lives of Cubans and the very security of US 
citizens.

Nonetheless, he said Cuba will continue to honor its commitments in 
regards to the migration agreements.

Raul Castro also commented on Cuba's defense preparations. He said the 
Cuban people have continued to prepare for any US military adventure 
against the island. In that light, he noted that hundreds of thousands 
of militia and members of the reserves, as well as regular troops, have 
participated in the Caguairan traning operation, which he said improved 
the country's defensive capacity. The operation seeks to train one 
million Cubans before its conclusion next year with the Bastion 2008 
national military exercise, to take place after the November US 
presidential elections.
   Avoiding war is winning it, said Raul. He noted that in order to win 
the war by avoiding it, much work and considerable resources are 
required.

He said that if the new US authorities to be elected next year put 
aside the traditional arrogance and decide to hold a civilized dialog, 
Cuba would welcome such talks. However, he noted that if such is not 
the case, then Cuba is ready to continue resisting the hostile US 
policy for another 50 years if necessary.

Raul referred to the June 18 manifesto from Fidel Castro when the 
president reiterated that the US will never have Cuba nor will 
President Bush impede the continuity of the Cuban Revolution.
   In another part of his speech in CamagCB<ey, Raul Castro addressed 
domestic issues. He said that salaries in Cuba clearly do not satisfy 
all of people's needs and are out of tune with securing the socialist 
principle stating that every citizen should contribute to society 
according to his or her capacities and in return receive according to 
his or her work.

Such a domestic situation has favored social indiscipline and attitudes 
difficult to eradicate, said Raul Castro. He added that CubaC"b,b"s 
Communist Party and government are reviewing those and other problems 
which require a comprehensive and individual approach in every case.

The Cuban First Vice President went on to describe the international 
situation as very difficult. He cited the wars, political instability, 
environmental deterioration and the skyrocketing oil prices as well as 
the troubling recent decision, mainly by the US government, to produce 
fuel from corn, soybeans and other food staples.

Raul called for increased production and efficiency in the productive 
and service sectors as the only way to increase salaries or lower 
prices on the internal market. He said that expensive food imports 
could be reduced by working the lands which are not being efficiently 
exploited.

As to the country's investment policy, Raul explained that investment 
with foreign participation to be admitted must contribute capital, 
market and technology. He said any investment projects should be based 
on prior positive experiences and with clearly defined legal 
foundations that preserve the role of the socialist state and socialist 
property ownership as the dominant factor.

Raul Castro reiterated the country's willingness to continue 
strengthening cooperation with other nations on the basis of respect, 
noting the advancement derived from relations with Venezuela, Bolivia 
and Nicaragua.

Finally, Raul Castro said that the upcoming general elections to take 
place on the island will once again show the real strength of the 
island's democracy. He affirmed the Cuban people's conviction to keep 
building Socialism and recalled a statement by Fidel Castro on July 26, 
1989.

On that date, the Cuban president said that in the hypothetical 
disintegration of the Soviet Union, Cuba would continue forward with 
its revolution, willing to pay the high price of freedom and acting 
according to principles.

History has shown that decision to be rock hard, said Raul Castro, 
adding that conceptions and methods which were once appropriate, but 
are no longer valid, must be changed.
       
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