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Member of World Peace Council


SPEECH OF THANASSIS PAFILIS, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE WORLD PEACE COUNCIL AT THE MEETING OF THE WPC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

10/29/2009 9:34:57 PM - THANASSIS PAFILIS

 

 
Speech of Thanassis Pafilis,
General Secretary of the WORLD PEACE COUNCIL
at the meeting of the WPC Executive Committee
 
 
Damascus, 23-25 October 2009
 
Dear comrades,
 
I should like once more to thank the Syrian National Peace Council, the people of Syria and its leadership for their hospitality and for the huge efforts they have made for the WPC Executive Committee Meeting to be held here. This is our first meeting since the last WPC Assembly, which was held in Caracas, Venezuela in April 2008, while it also coincides with the 60th anniversary of the founding of the World Peace Council. We are particularly pleased to note that today more than 36 organizations and movements are taking part, which is the greatest participation in the Executive Committee in the past twenty years.
 
As assessed during the meeting of the Secretariat of the WPC in September 2008 in Palmela/Portugal, our Assembly in Caracas constituted a significant qualitative step forward for the WPC and the world peace movement. Despite any weaknesses and omissions there might have been, the participation of organizations and countries, the discussions, the resolutions and the election of the new leadership raised the level and prestige of the WPC. This has made it possible for the WPC to contribute decisively to the upswing in the world peace and anti-imperialist movement from better positions.
 
The impetus given us by the Assembly has already appeared in the increased activity we have seen in the period of time that followed it. New expectations have been created and we, as Executive Committee, are called on collectively to respond to the fresh demands that stem from the crucial international situation.
 
Dear comrades,
 
Holding our meeting in a Middle Eastern country reflects the importance which the WPC must place on a region where the situation has become yet more complex and complicated, due to the global capitalist crisis that is intensifying imperialist aggressiveness and exacerbating differences and rivalries. We could say that all the contradictions and characteristics of the new imperialist order have become concentrated in the most telling way in the broader region. This broader region is highly important strategically because of the huge energy reserves of oil and natural gas. Since early in the nineties attempts have been made to build an interstate system by creating a framework supported by NATO’s force of arms to protect the penetration of multinationals in the region.
 
This framework includes control over the international sea passages through the Black Sea, the Aegean, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea as well as the straits of the Gulf. This crescent extends all the way to the eastern shores of SE Asia and is intended to ensure US- NATO domination. However, rivalry is increasing between the USA and the EU member- states, which are demanding a greater share in the division of markets. The Russian Federation, China and India are also laying claim to a new role. And other regional powers, such as Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia are likewise seeking to play a leading role in the region.
 
A significant focus point of rivalry in this period is the energy- producing crescent that includes the regions of former Soviet republics which have rich deposits of oil and natural gas in their territories (such as the Caspian area) and extends to the oil-producing Arab regions, including Iraq, and also Iran. The USA wishes to control these resources and the routes through which they are transported (e.g. the Caucasus and the Balkans) while at the same time limiting the flow of oil and natural gas from the Russian Federation to the EU. The powerful EU States, such as Germany, France, Italy and others which are directly dependent on Russia to meet their energy needs are reacting to this strongly.
 
Especially following the reversal of Socialism in the USSR and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, NATO worked out its new doctrine to reinforce its aggressive role under the new conditions, with the expansion of its range of activity all over the planet, including the former socialist countries in central and eastern Europe and the Balkans, reaching down into the Mediterranean countries. NATO has defined this region as being a high- risk one as regards the security of the interests which it serves, setting up a strong and flexible multi- national force to intervene wherever NATO deems that the imperialist world order has been “disturbed”, strengthening its capacity to carry out “pre-emptive strikes”.
 
The situation in the broader region has been exacerbated following the war unleashed on Yugoslavia, but mainly after the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, and their continuing occupation by the USA and its allies. We would note that the US and NATO military presence has been increased, with troops and bases in all the Balkan countries. NATO has worked out its Mediterranean Strategy and at the Istanbul Summit in June 2004 opened the way to new threats, so that with the pretext of fighting terrorism it is ready to take action against peoples and countries so as to facilitate US hegemony and that of other leading EU powers.
 
In this international political context, the situation for the peoples of the Middle East and the broader region is deteriorating. The Palestinian issue is becoming more complicated and difficult. With the support of the USA and the EU, Israel is implementing a carefully planned policy of slow genocide of the Palestinian people. The continuation of the occupation, the blocking off of areas, the cold-blooded murder of women, children and fighters, the separation wall, the exacerbation of the refugee problem and the expansion of the settlements, all are moving towards a “solution“ far removed from the decision and will of the Palestinians to have an independent state. Imperialist plans are for a state without borders, without an army and with limited sovereignty, while the separation of the Gaza Strip is being planned for.
 
Despite the impression created by the new US President, an impression intended to mislead the peoples, imperialist strategy does not change. The occupation of Iraq continues along with the occupation of Syrian Golan, as do the threats against Syria and Iran, the extortion and pressure on all the governments and countries in the region. For the WPC, the Palestinians’ struggle and solidarity with them is a serious priority. We are struggling for:
 
· The safeguarding of respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country against any imperialist intervention made under any pretext whatsoever.
· The withdrawal of the Israeli army from all the territory occupied in 1967 (the Golan Heights area and the West Bank), the complete dismantling of the settlements and the creation of a Palestinian State in the Gaza Strip and on the West Bank, alongside Israel, and with East Jerusalem its capital.
· A solution to the refugee issue and the return of the Palestinian refugees based on Resolution 194 of the UN General Assembly.
· The immediate release by Israel of all Lebanese and Palestinian political prisoners as well as of Palestinian Ministers and MPs
· The restoration of Lebanon’s territorial integrity and the withdrawal of the Israeli army from all the occupied lands in Southern Lebanon, including the Shebaa farms.
· We are against the setting up of UN military forces to be deployed in the region to impose imperialist plans
· We express our solidarity to the PLO and all forces struggling for the just cause of the Palestinian people and against the efforts for the territorial and political division of the Palestinians.
 
Dear comrades,
 
The assessments that we set out in the final declaration of the Assembly regarding the intensity of imperialist aggressiveness and the exacerbation of rivalries has acquired particular importance with the capitalist crisis. The consequences of the crisis make the rivalries yet more acute and create dangerous situations. The concerted effort made by the imperialists to overcome it is creating explosive problems, such as dismissals, unemployment and a drop in the peoples’ living standard. According to UN data, one billion people are scourged by hunger, while two billion live under the lowest poverty threshold. At the same time, according to SIPRI data, in 2008 military spending marked a new record, reaching the astronomical sum of 1, 46 trillion dollars. The statements made by the new US President concerning nuclear arms reduction and the agreement with Russia which were given so much attention should not create illusions. They are extremely vague, fail to provide for the destruction of nuclear weapons but rather provide for their storage and do not include the nuclear weaponry carried on ships, etc, nor do they set a clear timetable. What is clear, however, is that the production of small “smart” nuclear weaponry is advancing. What is a fact is that the recent nuclear agreement between the USA and India is going ahead. It is clear that there was a retreat as regards the National Missile Defense program thanks to the peoples’ mobilizations, but the new modification of the program made by the USA is in the same direction and very dangerous. The new National Missile Defense is being shifted to the south, deployed on moving ships. The new US President has announced demilitarization, but at the same time that the people and government of Ecuador are getting rid of the US base at Manta, five new bases are to be built in Colombia and the Fourth US Naval Fleet is being sent to South America for the first time in years.
 
The new US Leadership and the EU have made many statements concerning the building of new global relations of understanding, as they did at the NATO Summit in Strasbourg last April, where the “Declaration of Allied Security in the 21st century” was adopted. This document clearly sets out NATO’s quest for a wider range of action and for a more intense and rapid offensive and interventional action to the detriment of the peoples. They are using fresh pretexts, such as the impact of climate change, the need for energy security, the problem of piracy, electronic threats and others. Within this framework the new NATO doctrine, which is the most aggressive ever known to mankind, is to be approved in December 2010.
 
Thus, with the US political leadership, the character of this murderous organization is to be confirmed on its 60th anniversary as an enemy of peace and of the peoples. The policy of the new leadership in the White House is similar.
 
Despite the publicity given to Obama’s tour of Africa, “the land of his forefathers”, it had to do with negotiations for the establishment of AFRICOM and the expansion of the US military presence on that continent.
 
It is obvious that today the imperialist machinery is trying to create illusions amongst the peoples by means of clever, well-designed propaganda to the effect that supposedly the strategy of imperialism has changed. The objective is to create complacency and to divide the worldwide anti-imperialist movement, with adoption of the view that imperialism can become humane. It is harmful and dangerous for such views to prevail. Besides, there is nothing new about this situation. We must recall the beginning of the nineties with the election of Clinton, when there were quite a few similarities to today.
 
One typical example of this enormous hypocrisy is the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to US President Obama, which shows how “objective” this prize is. It is, perhaps, the first time a prize has been given to someone for what he says he will do rather than for what he has actually done, overcoming and concealing the imperialist aggressiveness expressed with wars, interventions, threats and attacks against the workers and popular strata.
 
Taking the situation into account, we consider that the WPC should continue the struggle steadfastly, firmly and unwavering in an anti-imperialist direction based on the Resolutions passed by the Assembly.
 
Our recent activity
 
In the period that has passed since the last WPC Assembly, we had a marked increase in initiatives, meetings and interventions made by the WPC but also by dozens of members on all continents. From better positions and with increased prestige, the WPC acted both alone and in cooperation with other organizations on crucial issues that are of concern to the world peace movement and to the whole world. Its action and devotion to the ideals of peace and anti- imperialist solidarity are constantly gaining more recognition from mass organizations and institutions. Within this framework, the WPC’s acceptance with Observer status by the non- Aligned Movement (NAM) at the Summit Meeting of 113 countries held at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in July 2009 was significant. It followed the coordinated efforts made by the WPC and MOVPAZ of Cuba with the recommendation of the Cuban Presidency of the NAM.
 
Three of the five Regions convened in regional meetings in Belgrade, Katmandu and Rio de Janeiro.
The WPC has made its presence felt with dozens of bulletins and messages on the occasion of important events and demonstrations regarding many critical issues.
 
Herebelow we shall list indicatively the most basic initiatives organized or co- organized by the WPC or with its active participation over the past year and a half. We would stress that dozens of other initiatives could be mentioned and added to this list.
·      AIPSO National Conference. Patna, India, April 2008
·      Founding Congress of the Peace Committee of Chile. Santiago de Chile, June 2008
·      African Conference of Left Parties and Movements. Johannesburg, South Africa, 14-17 August 2008
·      Meeting of the WPC Secretariat. Palmela, Portugal, 7-9 September 2008
·      International Conference for Solidarity with the Western Sahara. Seville, Spain 3-5 October 2008
·      Forum of the Peoples of Asia and Europe (AEPF). Beijing, China, 14-16 October 2008.
·      AAPSO Congress. Hyderabad, India, 14-16 December 2008.
·      World Social Forum. Belem, Brazil, January 2009
·      Regional Conference on the Fourth US Fleet and the 60years of NATO Buenos Aires, Argentine March 2009
·      Regional conference on the 60 years of NATO and the 10 years of the aggression against Yugoslavia, Berlin, Germany, 13-14 March 2009.
·      Regional Meeting of the WPC Europe. Belgrade, Serbia, 22 March 2009
·      International Conference on the 60years of NATO and 10 years since NATO’s war on Yugoslavia. Belgrade, Serbia, 23-25 March 2009.
·      International Conference and demonstration against NATO. Strasbourg, France, 2-5 April 2009.
·      International Meeting for Solidarity with the five Cuban patriots. Havana, Cuba, May 2009
·      Attendance and intervention at the UN Council of Human Rights on the subject of Cuba. Geneva, Switzerland, May 2009
·      Regional Conference of the WPC. Asia, Katmandu, Nepal, June 2009
·      Second Congress of CEBRAPAZ and regional meeting of WPC Americas. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 23-25 July 2009
·      International Seminar of WFDY on NATO and Imperialist Aggression. Havana, Cuba, 27-29 July 2009
·      Events held to mark the 60th anniversary of MOVPAZ Cuba. Havana, Cuba, 2-6 August 2009
·      WPC visit to the PR of China at the invitation of CPAPD. 8-15 August 2009
·      WPC visit to the PDR of Korea at the invitation of KNPC, 15-18 August 2009
·      WPC participation to the UN DPI/NGO conference in Mexico City, September 2009
·      The 3rd Trilateral meeting of movements in Toronto, Canada September 2009
·      Attendance and intervention at the UN Council on Human Rights regarding Vietnam. Geneva, Switzerland, September 2009
 
 
 
 
WPC Fronts for Struggle and Action in the Upcoming Period
 
  1. Facing the upcoming capitalist economic crisis, it is clear that the rivalries, differences and aggressiveness of imperialism are becoming more acute. Under capitalism, overcoming the crisis and having the recovery expected means that manpower and human capital are destroyed, as has been proven by history. The two previous great crises led to two world wars. Today, we do not set our minds at rest, but we make more effort taking into account local and regional interventions and conflicts, as well as the general dangers. In view of this, the united struggle against the imperialist system as a whole and on separate fronts is imperative. Thus, coordination between the WPC and the national movements on the regional level is required. Initiatives must be taken on issues regarding occupation (Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq, Balkans), threats and intervention (Syria, Iran, the Caucasus, Venezuela and Bolivia) in the upcoming period. Needed at the same time is for action to be taken by peace committees with trade unions and other social organizations that are consistently fighting unemployment, dismissals, and the blows struck against the rights of working people. We can and must especially condemn the increase in armaments which constitutes a part of imperialist policy on the one hand but gives rise to indignation amongst the peoples and highlighte the need for their reduction.
 
  1. Despite all that is said, militarization is becoming stronger, first of all with the transformation of NATO based on the decisions taken during the Summit Meeting in Strasbourg, so we had better prepare for December 2010 when the new military doctrine will be presented in its entirety. We would repeat the WPC’s position on the dissolution of NATO, for in the recent period the idea of changing NATO into an Organization for Global Security is being highlighted. We are in total disagreement with this idea. NATO cannot be transformed. It is an aggressive imperialist organization.
 
The course being taken by the EU is similar. With its new constitution it is proceeding to form military forces and to increase its military presence on all continents. The recent referendum in Ireland shows the crude, anti-democratic intervention and political intimidation used by the multinationals and their political representatives against people that had to be forced to accept the Lisbon Treaty.
 
In this framework, another timely issue remains the question of foreign military bases, the most typical example being the Manta base in Ecuador. We welcome the decision taken by that government and the struggle of the peoples, who got rid of that US base and at the same time are participating in the fight to stop new US bases from being established in Colombia within the context of the US policy to turn that country into the Israel of Latin America.
 
Another serious issue remains that of the missile defense and the modification of the US plan to change it into a moving offense system which will be transferred to the South- Eastern Mediterranean. The WPC is promoting its position and continuing its struggle for the dismantling and withdrawal of this aggressive weapon system.  
 
  1. Nuclear disarmament and the destruction of all nuclear weaponry remains unnegotiable position of the WPC. The much- publicized US- Russia agreement in practice constituted a meeting that confirmed that those two countries dominate the nuclear sector. This agreement and Obama’s statements do not constitute a substantial step towards nuclear disarmament. That which was announced was simply a description of today’s realities and the need to update the policies of the two biggest nuclear powers.
 
Specifically:
 
i.      The agreement provides for storage, not destruction
ii.     There is no clear timetable.
iii.    “Mobile” nuclear arms are not covered by the agreement.
iv.    Small “smart” nuclear arms are not covered by the agreement.
v.     There is double talk as regards other potential or existing nuclear powers, e.g. a united stance vis a vis Iran is set out but Russia is continuing its cooperation with that country, while the USA has signed a nuclear agreement with India.
vi.    As concerns to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty), the hypocrisy towards the DPR of Korea continues with the ban on nuclear arms production, but at the same time not a single substantial step is taken towards nuclear disarmament, while no revision has been made in the First nuclear strike doctrine.
vii.   The issue of the peaceful use of nuclear energy has become confused with the overall imperialist policy which, on the one hand, denies its use to certain countries for economic reasons as well, but on the other hand tries to conclude agreements to build nuclear plants, in an effort to assure control over them. Thus, imperialism will be able to extort countries that will try to become economically independent of them.
 
The WPC stands firm in its position regarding nuclear disarmament and within this framework and this direction supports the amendment of the NPT. Regardless of various views that there may be, the WPC supports the right of all countries to the peaceful use nuclear energy.
 
  1. The WPC will participate actively in the activities of the NPT Review Conference which is to take place in New York in May 2010, putting forth its positions and principles.
 
Dear comrades,
 
Sixty years have elapsed since the WPC was officially founded, sixty years of unceasing vanguard action for peace and social progress. The WPC was born following the great victory of the peoples over fascism, a victory that they scarcely had time to celebrate due to the heinous, abhorrent crime committed by US imperialism at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 
The need for an organized peace movement arose from this devastating nuclear threat, a need that found its expression in the WPC. The path taken by the WPC has indeed left its mark on the more recent history of mankind with its great struggles for nuclear disarmament, a stop to intervention, solidarity with the peoples fighting for their independence and the struggle against imperialism.
 
The struggle continues today under different circumstances which from some points of view are more difficult.
 
It is particularly important and crucial for the WPC, the national committees and all progressive people to wage one more significant battle, which is the battle against the distortion and counterfeiting of history, which is being pushed in an organized way by imperialism, with its center in the EU itself. This has as its frontispiece the vulgar anticommunism with which all progressive movements are being slandered, with the main objective being to poison the minds of the younger generation, so that they will absolve the imperialists of their crimes and subject themselves to capitalist barbarity.
 
The Declaration of the WPC Assembly in Caracas stresses. “Besides the popular movement, the WPC must safeguard the history of the progressive movement, its positions and the blood that has been shed by the peoples for freedom and social progress. We shall struggle with all our might to stop the ideological dark ages being pushed by imperialism to establish its domination. “
 
We owe this to the millions of victims. But we owe it mainly to the younger generations which can and must, with our contribution, wage a victorious battle for a peaceful future for humanity.