MOSCOW, June 28, 1988 (UPI) - The following are quotes on key subjects covered by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in his address to the 19th Communist Party Conference that opened Tuesday: --The slow pace of perestroika (restructuring):
''We are learning democracy and glasnost, learning to argue and debate and to tell each other the truth. This is, of course, not little. But the process of democratization -- both in the center and at local level -- are unfolding too slowly. One has to have the courage to admit today -- if the political system remains immobile, unchanged, we shall not cope with the tasks of perestroika.''
--Resistance to perestroika:
''A real revolution of the consciousness is under way without which it is impossible to create a new life ... We have no right to allow perestroika to run against the rocks of dogmatism and conservatism, against someone's prejudices and personal ambitions.''
--Legal code reform:
''Speaking briefly, the main thing about a law-based state is the supremacy of law. No state body, official, collective, party or non-governmental organization and no person is relieved of the duty to obey law ... perestroika has revealed especially clearly the conservatism of our legal system which is as yet geared in a considerable measure not to democratic, economic, but to command-and-administer methods of guidance with their numerous bans and nitpicking regimentation. Many effective legal acts have therefore become a brake on social development. Hence the need to reform Soviet legislation.''
--Easing of religious restrictions:
''All believers, irrespective of their faith, are equal citizens of the U.S.S.R.''
--Guiding some industry by profit and loss:
''In a number of cases, we encounter also direct attempts to distort the substance of reform and fill new forms of administration with old contents ... There are difficulties and they are not ruled out in the future as well, but reform is reaching ever wider economic fields and demonstrating its vitality. With account of the experience gained, we ought carefully to prepare for completing the changeover of all the enterprises in the sphere of material production to the new system of economic management from the beginning of 1989.''
--Foreign trade ties:
''We shall seek to broaden foreign economic relations with capitalist and developing nations on the basis of mutual benefit as well. In this area too, the course has been set for profound and comprehensive cooperation in science, technology and production through various forms of international cooperative arrangements.''
--Ethnic problem in Soviet republics:
''We have seen for ourselves lately the kind of knots into which the problems of inter-ethnic relations can knit themselves. It is imperative to preserve the friendship and brotherhood of our peoples like the apple of one's eye. There is simply no other way, no reasonable alternative. Those seeking to prove the opposite deceive both themselves and the others.''
--The revitalization of the Communist Party:
''It is necessary to fully revive in the party the atmosphere of principled attitude, openness, discussion, criticism and self-criticism, conscious discipline, party comradeship and unconditional personal responsibility and business-like approach.''
--The goals of the party:
''Our goals are: more democracy, more socialism, a better life for the working man, greatness and benefit of the nation.''
