Chronicle on Cuba - February 2006

Security

February 24: "The prospects of the country, which are being achieved mainly due to energy savings, demand even greater attention be paid to defense tasks. We cannot forget that the enemy will take advantage of any oversight, because they also are preparing and improving their weaponry and ways of engaging in war," said Cuban Defense Minister Raul Castro. Under this premise, the Military Council of the Western Army convened by its chairman, Army Corp General Leopoldo Cintra Frias, conducted a thorough and critical assessment of the results achieved during the Combat Readiness Year 2005. The important meeting, held at the Military Council's headquarters in Havana, was attended by Political Bureau Members, Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida Bosque, and Pedro Saez Montejo, Communist Party Leader in the Cuban capital. General Raul Castro congratulated the members of the Army when he said "a noticeable leap forward has been made." This, he said, is confirmed by the progress made in combat capacity and readiness, and the training of personnel, including the updating of knowledge about our defense conceptions provided to reserve and territorial militia officers, and Party and Government cadres of the territory. (Ahora, 24/2/06)