Regional Meeting of CPs – Contribution of KKE

Dear comrades,

Since our extraordinary meeting held in Athens on August 2006 protesting the unjust attacks of the Israeli army against the people of Lebanon, many events have occurred making this meeting imperative. In 2008 new important developments are expected. New decisions by the imperialist powers crucial for the whole region, are already in process of implementation. A region that, during the last years has turned into a nodal point for a keen competition and for the interests of the imperialist countries. At the same time in the region there is an important resistance by peoples and governments against these plans.

The background of these developments is determined by the effort that began since 2004, following a NATO decision and a US proposal, to built an interstate system aiming at what the imperialists call “democratization of the Middle East”. It relies on NATO military force and by means of arms, war and other forms of intervention to facilitate the penetration of their multinational companies in the region. This region has since the 20th century and even earlier the same strategic importance concerning the interests of the European capitalist powers, due to its energy resources.

This plan sharpens the competition between the imperialist powers. In fact it appears as a competition between two imperialist centres, the USA and the EU. However, the new element is that the ever-existing competition between the USA, France, Germany and Great Britain has now expanded even more, as these forces nowadays also consider Russia, China and India among their rivals. Their competition extends steadily along the whole South-Eastern Asia, gets more acute as showed by wars, coups d’état, politically motivated killings.

At the same time as the fight for economic interests becomes more intense, their central and common goal is to exterminate any resistance of the peoples on the region. They intend to defeat, to overwhelm every form of resistance and common struggle of the people in order to better promote the reactionary choises. The attempt by the big powers to promote an alleged “dialogue” and “consensus” in the region is nothing more than a manoeuvre to manipulate and control the action by popular anti-imperialist movements and forces of the region. Any “support” coming from the USA, the EU and other imperialist institutions and bodies, in fact aims at wearing down the popular resistance.

It becomes all the more clear that, in our region the struggle for national liberation has deep class character; it is objectively linked up and identified with the anti-imperialist struggle for deep social changes, for emancipation of the working class and its allies, for popular rule and society.

Till now, the USA plans on Iraq and Lebanon have fallen through. The US administration did not manage to carry out their plans as intended. However, they have been compensated for the difficulties in the region by advancing their positions in the Balkans. The US and NATO military presence has increased with troops and bases in all Balkan countries. Some of their biggest bases are in Kosovo and FYROM. New bases have been deployed in Bulgaria and Romania along with the already existing ones in Greece and Turkey. The Prodi Italian Government has expanded the US base in Vicenza. The so called antimissile shield, promoted by the US, is under way in Poland and Czech Republic. Having installed such a broadened base of operations in the Balkans, the USA escalates its aggression on the region.

At the same time, the EU own military action and the participation in military missions and occupation forces has increased. Some of its troops are already all along the Balkans, Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon.

The creation of a new aggressive organization called MATO – initials standing for “the Mideast Antiterrorism Organization”- is also imminent. This organization will reflect the cooperation in fields like the military, the police, the information services and the security of the “western forces” along with the moderate allies of the imperialists in the Middle East. Such a development would give impulses to the implementation of the imperialist plans for the whole region. However, it seems that there are a lot of ways for the popular struggle to defeat these plans.

We don’t accept governments or political leaders, especially regarding Bush, Brown, Sarkozi, Merkel or Prodi, to teach democracy to other peoples. Openly now are on the focus of the aggressive policy of USA and Israel the peoples and governments of Syria and Iran. France –as it was announced– broke off diplomatic relations with Syria. Whatever opinion anyone might have about an organization or government, owes to respect the sovereignty and the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. Furthermore, the governments of the USA and the other imperialist countries are not legitimized in any way to present themselves as protectors of democracy and freedom. At the same time they defend so openly the interests of their monopolies. The peoples resisting occupation and fighting are defending heroically their freedom, independence, sovereignty, the right to choose their own path. This is the response to the lessons that the imperialists allegedly want to teach them through bloodshed and military superiority.

We believe that, apart from the fuitful exchange of views about the actual situation in the area, it would be also very useful to plan in a co-ordinated way joint actions and initiatives in order to counter the imperialist interventions and plans.

1. There is no doubt that the Palestinian question remains the main important issue. It is well known that the issue has passed from the UN and the Quartet directly to the hands of the USA under the auspices of Bush. Discussions are being held allegedly to resolve the Palestinian issue in accordance with the “Roadmap”. However, in essence it is promoted a new type of state without borders. There are also plans for the secession of the Gaza Strip and the partition of the Palestinian land. In Palestine, after the criminal blockade against the Palestinian people that had been condemned in a real famine because of the ascension of Hamas to power, the unacceptable pressure, the humiliations and the military invasions of the Israeli troops, the situation was brought to rupture and an internal split was provoked of the resistance movement in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The imperialism intends to widen the breach that already has been created.

The Annapolis’s summit that took place on 27 November 2007 under the US hegemony, Bush made it clear that the main issue is to deal with the “extremists and their dark vision” in Palestine and all along the Middle East. With this command, that signals the opening of a new phase of imperialist assault against the resistance movements, there were expressed for once more promises for the creation of a Palestinian state in 2008.

The statement issued by the White House brings again on surface the so-called “Roadmap” of the Quartet from 30th April 2003, not implemented at that time because of the aggressive and intransigent attitude of Israel and the militancy of the Palestinian people. On the other hand, the statement made by the White House gives the impression that the so-called “Quartet” will be, most probably, inactivated and that the USA will take over from now on. The sole recognition for the services provided by the Quartet is the directive to implement the “Roadmap” of April 2003 that provoked a tremendous criticism since, among other things, does not determine borders for the Palestinian state. Bush had promised once more that would be proclaimed till the end of 2008. The supersession of the Quartet, the continuous provocative aggressiveness of Israel towards the Palestinians, the keeping and expandingof the unacceptable dividing wall, the creation of new settlements, have already provoked reactions and will further sharpen the frictions among the imperialist forces.

The latest information regards the demand for an official declaration of war against the “extremists” that president Abbas and the PLO have to take over. In our opinion, that means that the internal dispute inside the Palestinian resistance movement will continue. More generally we are of the opinion that any solution under the control of the USA will serve specific imperialist interests and not the interests of the peoples.

Once more, we underline the internationalist stance and the struggle wagged by the CP of Israel against the aggressive and oppressive policy of the Israeli government inside the country as well as its position regarding the Palestinian issue and the struggle of the people in the region –for example the resistance of the Lebanon people. Due to action of CP of Israel the anti-war movement in Israel has become more combative and effective, so many soldiers deny to service in the occupied Palestinian territories and so many mobilizations were organised promoting the just struggle of the Palestinian people.

The Palestinian issue will be solved only if it will be obligatory for all to strictly implement the UN resolutions which endorse the rights of the Palestinian people. The resolutions that the state of Israel refuses to implement up today: the return of Palestinian refugees on the basis of the UN resolution 194, the implementation of the UN resolutions 1515, 1397 and so many others. Other huge issues are: the Israeli settlements, the occupied West Bank, the managing of water and other resources of public benefit exclusively by Israel. An independent Palestinian state has to be sovereign, with defined boarders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, with its own army and government infrastructure.

We categorically reject any plan aiming at autonomy of the Gaza Strip and partition of the Palestinian territories.

Israel has to return to its boarders before 1967, to free the high heights and the region of Golan that belongs to Syria, to respect the territorial integrity and independence of Lebanon and to stop questioning the borders of South Lebanon.

2.In Lebanon the political crisis goes on. The quest for a commonly accepted president is just the tip of the iceberg. The divide and rule policy continues with particular intensity. The support, by all means, for Siniora government by the USA, the EU (especially France) as well as by the UN in accordance with the resolution 1701/2006 constitutes a direct interference in the internal affairs of Lebanon. The main goal is the disarmament of the forces that resist the imperialist interventions. These interventionist forces make use of the aggressiveness of the Israeli state that presents itself to be the US privileged gendarme of the region.

The so-called financial aid decided in Paris on January 2007 made Lebanon even more vulnerable to the international financial capital, the political pressures and the blackmails. It deepened more the class differentiations and at the same time has strengthened the plutocracy. On the other hand, this policy dragged Lebanon into an internal polemic across sectarian lines or the stand regarding the USA-EU and Syria-Iran.

Efforts are made in order to create the appropriate conditions for a war in the country. Some of them include: The moves to use the chronic issue of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, a problem that has been caused by Israel back on 1948 and concerns their return in accordance with the UN and other resolutions which the Israeli state denies to implement, the continuous tensions and destabilization caused by the assassinations of politicians and public figures.

In spite of all the disputes and tension occurred between Lebanon and Syria or Iran the point is, in our opinion, is that if a plan for further and ultimate destabilization succeeds it will result in the isolation and weakening of Syria; it will lead to an overall weakening of the front against the demands expressed by Israel and the imperialists in the whole region. KKE reckons and supports the basic aim of the resistance forces, that is the defence of the integrity and independence of Lebanon, the defence of its Arab identity, the solution of the Palestinian refugees’ problem in accordance with the UN resolutions, the opposition to the imperialist plans and the rejection of the strong exploitation that broadens the gap between the rich and the poor.

3.The military operations of Turkey against the Kurds on Northern Iraq that may lead to new imperialist interventions. In our opinion, on the target are the rich deposits of oil in Mosuli and Kirkuk. We condemn these attacks as unacceptable and we salute the position of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) regarding this issue. The essence of these developments lies in the project for the tripartition of Iraq, a project in which Turkey has an active role.

The people of Iraq apart from the occupation by the USA and its willing allies have also to confront this threat that further complicates the situation in the region. KKE firmly stands in solidarity and supports the struggle of the Iraqi people against the US occupation, for profound democratic and social changes in their country, without imperialist interventions.

Particularly, we would like to underline the following: Turkey has a military agreement with Israel and they conduct joint military manoeuvres under the US supervision. In spite of the contradictions with Israel, Turkey has a particularly strategic role in the region. It is the only country member of NATO and the only one who has intervened in Northern Iraq; at the same time it controls the flow of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates towards Syria and Iraq. The Kurds’ issue concerns also Iran and Syria.

Greece and Turkey have recently agreed to form joint military units in the NATO framework that will take part in the so-called “peace operations” leaded by NATO as well as in the operations of the “ Rapid Intervention Force” set up by NATO.

It is quite possible that Greece will get involved in the imperialist adventurisms and plans in the region. We underline that Turkey having signed these agreements continued to question the sovereign rights of Greece over the Aegean Sea, continues to violate the Greek airspace and questions, in the framework of NATO, the borders of the two countries on the Aegean Sea. Both ND and PASOK governments bear responsibilities because they support the accession process of Turkey in the EU and other imperialist organizations, while at the same time leave open these issues affecting seriously the relations between the two countries.

KKE does not only condemn these agreements, unacceptable for both people, but at the same times tries to strengthen the co-ordination and joint action against these decisions, first of all with the TKP, the other fraternal parties and the anti-imperialist, anti-war, peace movements in the whole region.

4.The Cyprus issue is also connected to the complicated situation of the broader region. Since 1974 the invasion and occupation of the 37% of Cyprus by the Turkish troops remains an international problem. Since the independence from the English colonialism and the creation the Republic of Cyprus in 1960, imperialism has tried to provide solutions according to its interests. Lately, after the rejection of the Annan Plan by AKEL and most of the political forces in Cyprus as well as by the overwhelming majority in the referendum, pressures for a similar plan have been intensified.

KKE, stands in solidarity with the fraternal party of AKEL and with the struggle of the Cypriot people, and considers that their will, expressed on the referendum, must be respected by the UN and the EU while searching for a fair and viable solution on the Cyprus issue that will unite Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. A solution that will provide for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation on the basis of the International Law, the UN resolutions and the High Level Agreements. The solution of the Cyprus issue must be based on a state with single sovereignty, international personality and citizenship; with guaranteed its independence and territorial integrity; it will consist of two communities politically equals in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council. The solution must exclude the partial or full union of the island with any other country, as well as any form of partition or secession, and must provide for the demilitarization of the island.

5.Lately new elements came into surface indicating that our region is located in the “eye of the storm”. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan brings closer scenarios of destabilization and partition of Pakistan that is ruled by the dictator Musaraf with the support of the USA since many years. It is likely that the redrawing by the US of the map of the “New” Middle East that provides for the emergence of an autonomous Baluchistan (from both Pakistan and Iran) may be very close indeed. Huge interests compete and collide in the region. Our parties as well as the forces of resistance have to prepare themselves in the best possible way.

6.In Sudan, in spite of the legalization of the CP, the situation remains complicated. In the region of Darfur the conflict goes on and the UN military force that consists mainly of French soldiers does not fulfil its duty while at the same time armed conflicts continue.

Dear comrades,

During the last months a series of initiatives and actions in solidarity with the struggle of the people on the region were undertaken. We can mention, apart from the meetings that took place in some of our countries, the support to our struggle expressed on the occasion of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties held in Lisbon on 10-12/11/2006, the especial important meeting that was held by AKEL in Nicosia on 17-18/3/2007 about the Middle East, as well as the International Meeting in Minsk, Belarus on November 2007.

From our side, we also tried to cope with our engagement of the previous meeting as well as with the situation in the region by sending delegations to Palestine, Lebanon and Israel, with visits of MPs and meetings in the Greek and European Parliament with comrades and deputies from Lebanon, Palestine etc, as well as with solidarity missions by All-Workers Militant Front (PAME), Greek Committee for International Peace and Détente (EEDYE), the Federation of Greek Women (OGE); various trade unionists have visited many countries on the region. In our opinion, there are more to be done, to continue initiatives of solidarity and visits of delegations of parties, trade unions and mass movements. Around the issues of Palestine and Lebanon the Greek government appears to be totally in line with Condoleezza Rice and Bush’s policy, and more generally with the NATO and EU military policy. Our party denounced on many occasions the responsibility of the Greek government for promoting the imperialist plans. We believe that the Palestinian issue and its solution for the benefit of the Palestinian people is the key issue in order to achieve positive developments for all the peoples in the region. For all the above we consider that the solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people must be our basic duty. We must strengthen the co-ordination of our action.

Nowadays, there is a great need for a pan-Arabic popular struggle with class features in every country and all around whole region. From this point of view, we support all progressive forces, despite any differences we might have, that are willing to confront imperialism as well as the internal class enemy, either it is evident or hidden. The peoples’ unity should be class-based. A great effort is needed in order the demarcation lines to be developed across political and class interests and not across religious or sectarian issues. It’s not an easy case, but there is quite enough experience. We have to move on this direction or else the peoples will always be treated like toys in hands of those who are interested on the oil and the bourgeois power instead of peoples’ social prosperity and independence.

We think we can all contribute to the convening of a big meeting of our parties, trade unions, movements against occupation and war, youth and women’s organizations and others in order to further strengthen our struggle.

We also endorse the proposal made by our comrades of the Palestinian People’s Party for the creation of a committee that will deal with this kind of issues.