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Excerpts from Gorbachev's first speech as USSR leader

MOSCOW, March 11, 1985 (UPI) -- Following are excerpts from Mikhail Gorbachev's maiden speech as the new leader of the Soviet Union: ''All of us, all our party and country are if deep grief. Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko, a true Leninist, an outstanding figure of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Soviet state, of the international Communist movement, a person with a responsive heart and of a big organizational talent, has passed away.

''Konstantin Ustinovic traversed a long and glorious road. Every post, assigned to him by the Party, ever fuller revealed his talent, ability to work with people. At the post of the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee and the President of the Presidium of the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet, Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko devoted all his efforts and knowledge to developing the economy of the country, raising the well-being and cultural level of the people, ensuring the security of the motherland, preserving and consolidating peace on Earth.

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''Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko regarded as the apple of his eye the unity of the Communist Party, the collective character of the activity of the Central Committee and its Political Bureau. He always sought to achieve that the party act at all levels as a close-knit, well-adjusted and spirited organism. He regarded the unity of ideas and deeds of the Communists as an earnest of successes, of overcoming shortcomings, as an earnest expression of steady advance.

''The strategic line, worked out at the 26th Congress, at the subsequent Plenary meetings of the Central Committee with vigorous participation of Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov and Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko, has been and remains unchanged. This is the line towards speeding up the country's social and economic development, toward perfecting all aspects of the life of society. The point at issue is restructing the material and technical base of production.

''The point at issue is the perfection of the system of social relations, above all economic ones. The point at issue is also the development of the individual, qualitative improvement of the material conditions of his life and work, of his spiritual makeup.

''We are to achieve a decisive turn in transferring the national economy to the tracks of intensive development. We should, we are bound to attain within the briefest period the most advanced scientific and technical positions, the highest world level in the productivity of social labor.''

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''In the foreign policy sphere our course is clear and consistent. This is the course of peace and progress.

''The first precept of the Party and the state is to preserve and strengthen in every way the fraternal friendship with our closest friends and allies -- the countries of the great socialist community. We will do everything that depends on us to expand cooperation with socialist states, to enhance the role and influence of socialist in world affairs. We would like a serious improvement of relations with the Chinese Peoples Republic and believe that, given reciprocity, this is quite possible.

''The Soviet Union has always supported the struggle of peoples for liberation from colonial oppression. And today our sympathies to out to the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America which are following the road of consolidating independence and social renovation. For us they are friends and partners in the struggle for a durable peace, for better and just relations between peoples.

''As to relations with capitalist states, I would like to say the following. We will firmly follow the Leninist course of peace and peaceful coexistence. To goodwill the Soviet Union will always respond with goodwill, as it will respond with trust to trust. But everyone should know that we shall never waive the interests of our motherland and those of its allies.

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''We value the successes of the relaxation of international tensions achieved in the 1970s and are ready to take part in carrying on with the process of establishing mutually beneficial cooperation between states on the basis of principles of equality, mutual respect and non-intervention in the internal affairs. New steps along these lines could duly mark the 40th anniversary of the great victory over Hitler fascism and Japanese militarism.

''Never before has so terrible a threat loomed so large and dark over mankind as these days. The only reasonable way out of the existing situation is agreement of the confronting forces on an immediate termination of the race in arms, above all, nuclear arms, on Earth and its prevention in space. An agreement on honest and equitable basis without attempts at outplaying the other side and dictating terms to it. An agreement which would help all to advance toward the cherished goal - the complete elimination and prohibition of nuclear weapons for good, toward the complete removal of the threat of nuclear war. This is our firm conviction.''

''After the end of the plenary meeting, the members of the Central Committee, the first secretaries of regional committees, and all participants in the plenary meeting will go to their areas in order to get down to work with fresh vigor. A good deal is to be done. First of all, it is essential to successfully complete work for the implementaion of the economic and social development plans of this year and thereby to ensure a confident start of the next five-year-plan period.

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''The severe winter has somewhat slowed down the attainment of planned targets in a number of sectors. It means that one should muster ones energies, tap reserves and make every effort to make up for what has not yet been done and to attain the planned targets by the end of the year.

''Comrades, these days we feel still more keenly how mighty and monolithic the ranks of the Communists are and how united our Soviet people are. At the recent elections Soviet people again expressed unanimous support for the course of our party and the state. This support is both inspiring and binding.''

''Today, the plenary meeting of the Central Committee placed upon me the complex and great duties of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. I am well aware of the great trust put in me and of the great responsibility connected with this. In the forthcoming work I count on the support and active assistance of the members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the Central Committee, and the Party's Central Committee as a whole. Your versatile experience is the gist of the historical experience of our people. I promise you, comrades, to do my utmost to faithfully serve our party, our people, and the great Leninist cause.

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''Allow me to express confidence that, looking ahead to the 27th Congress of the CPSU, the people and the Party, rallied round the Central Committee, will do everything for our Soviet motherland to become still more rich and powerful and for the creative forces of socialism to reveal themselves still more fully.''

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