Letter of the KKE Delegation in the European Parliament denouncing the dangerous escalation of the imperialist intervention in Syria

Athens, 24th July 2012

The KKE Delegation in the European Parliament, with a letter to Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy, condemns the dangerous escalation of the imperialist intervention of the EU, the USA and the NATO in Syria, which creates the conditions for a general conflict in the wider region. They also underline that the developments in Syria are exclusively a matter of the Syrian people and demands to immediately stop the interventions of the EU, the USA and the NATO against Syria and Iran, to immediately lift the EU sanctions against these countries and their peoples and that Greece does not participate in the new imperialist wars.

In their letter, the KKE members of the European Parliament, Giorgos Toussas and Babis Angourakis, note the following:

“The Delegation of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in the European Parliament condemns the dangerous escalation of the imperialist intervention of the EU, the USA and the NATO in Syria and the wider region. The recent criminal attack in Damascus that caused the death of the Minister of Defence, Dawoud Rajiha, and other officials of the Syrian government, is the result of the flagrant imperialist intervention that supports the armed opposition and other mechanisms which have no relation to the real interests of the Syrian people. The cruel competition among the imperialist forces, in order to secure their influence and their geostrategic advantages in the wider region of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf, increases the tension and creates the conditions for a general conflict.

Moreover, the pressure and the threats against Iran enter in a new phase, under the pretext of its nuclear program. The atmosphere of war that has been fostered in the wider region of Eurasia for many years is obviously linked to its energy resources and its geostrategic position and not with the alleged “humanitarian” concerns of central and regional imperialist forces. This already explosive situation is aggravated by the escalating threats regarding a unilateral strike against Iran by Israel, which also seeks to consolidate its role as a powerful force against the peoples of the region.

The policy of the EU, the NATO and the USA, the explosive contradictions with forces that claim a role in the area, such as Russia and China, the involvement of anti-people regimes of the region that aspire to play an upgraded role, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, bring closer the perspective of a general conflict and an open military intervention - as was the case in Libya - in Syria and Iran. Greece is also directly involved in these dangerous plans, mostly because of the US-NATO military base in Souda Bay, which is of strategic importance, and because of the willingness of the Greek government to participate in the criminal plans against the peoples of the region.

The KKE Delegation in the European Parliament underlines the immediate need for resistance by the people of the region against the interventions, in order to thwart the imperialist war.

The developments in Syria are exclusively a matter of the Syrian people, who are the only responsible to decide on their own future and their country’s.

We demand:

• To stop the interventions of the EU, the USA and the NATO against Syria and Iran.

• The immediate lift of the EU sanctions against Syria and Iran that affect their peoples and have negative consequences also on the people in the EU member-states.

• That Greece does not participate in the new imperialist wars which are being prepared against Syria and Iran.

• Not to comply with any “contractual obligation” that involves Greece directly or indirectly.

• Not to use the military base in Souda Bay. It must be closed down immediately.

• The return of all Greek military forces which are abroad.

• To cancel the military manoeuvres and all the agreements of military cooperation with Israel.

The KKE Delegation in the European Parliament calls our people to express their solidarity with the peoples of the region that the imperialists are prepared to drag to massacre in a multifaceted way. To strengthen their struggle for the disengagement from the imperialist unions, the EU and the NATO, that constitutes the most valuable contribution for a peaceful future and people’s prosperity in our region.”