15TH INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF COMMUNIST & WORKERS PARTIES Strengthen the Struggle !

"r S"#$%l$ t Altern%t$&e R Arun Ku'%r THE 15th Meeting of the Communist and Workers' Parties was held in Lisbon, Portugal The Portuguese Communist Part! made e"#ellent arrangements for hosting this meeting, whi#h was held for the se#ond time in Portugal The meeting was inaugurated b! $eronimo de %ousa, general se#retar! of the Portuguese Communist Part! &PCP' Wel#oming the (arti#i(ants of the meeting re(resenting the )arious Communist and Workers' Parties from around the world, and dwelling on the im(ortan#e of these meetings, he said* +We are here to e"#hange information and e"(erien#es, to bring u( to date our assessments of the #om(le" international realit! and of the main trends in international de)elo(ments, to be#ome better a#-uainted, with greater mutual understanding and stronger relations of friendshi( and solidarit! between our Parties, to define lines and initiati)es of #oo(eration and #ommon or #on)erging a#tion. $eronimo de %ousa in his address mentioned about the im(a#t of the global #a(italist #risis on the Portuguese so#iet! and the struggles #arried out b! the PCP He said the situation is ')er! diffi#ult and dangerous for the rights of the workers' and that the go)ernment is getting in#reasingl! isolated and dis#redited from the (eo(le /t is in this ba#kground, stating +there is no alternati)e without the PCP and mu#h less so, against the PCP., he mentioned their efforts to +strengthen the Part!, b! in#reasing its ranks, rooting it in the work(la#es and sho( floors and strengthening its links with the masses. He reiterated the #ommitment of the PCP towards the international #ommunist mo)ement and said* +the more our Part! is rooted in our national realit! and the more it is #ommitted to its #lass and national duties, whi#h are inse(arable in the Portuguese re)olutionar! (ro#ess, the greater will be our internationalist #ontribution. Three rounds of dis#ussions were held during the #ourse of the meeting /n the first round, all the (arti#i(ants inter)ened b! sharing their anal!sis of the #ontem(orar! world de)elo(ments and the e"(erien#es of struggles in their #ountries against the ruling #lass atta#ks The Communist Parties from the Latin 0meri#an #ountries shared their e"(erien#e in the fight against im(erialism1s offensi)e and the role of the (rogressi)e go)ernments in the region /t was mentioned that more than 2553 billion were s(ent b! the 4ene5uelan go)ernment in health, edu#ation, #ulture, s(orts, housing and other needs of the so#ial se#tor, 6rugua! in#reased the real wages of its workers b! 17 (er#ent, (ensions, salaries and #olle#ti)e negotiations im(ro)ed substantiall! in 0rgentina and in 8ra5il more than 53 million (eo(le #ame out of (o)ert! The! also mentioned that e)er!where (o)ert! indi#es had fallen, e"treme (o)ert!, unem(lo!ment and illitera#! redu#ed and health indi#ators saw an o)erall im(ro)ement %tating that the world toda! is undergoing (rofound and #om(li#ated #hanges, the Communist Part! of China said it is mo)ing towards +multi9(olarit!. /n their inter)ention the! mentioned, +There are signs of in#reasing hegemonism, (ower (oliti#s and neo9 inter)entionism. in the international de)elo(ments whi#h is +(resenting rare o((ortunities and daunting #hallenges for the de)elo(ment of so#ialism. The! further stated* +the international finan#ial #risis had flung #a(italism into a stru#tural dilemma. and that +the de)elo(ment model of neo9liberalism #an no longer sustain itself, bearing out the need for a #hange and read:ustment. Commenting on the international situation, the! noted*

+%ome #a(italist #ountries ha)e ste((ed u( efforts to s#ramble for dominan#e o)er the new round of industrial re)olution and globalisation and a headstart in resha(ing international rules, so as to restri#t the s(a#e of de)elo(ment and dis#ourse of so#ialism )ia ine-uitable #om(etition, irrational order and unfair rules Therefore we #ommunists must be united to (ursue our own de)elo(ment through #oo(eration. ;n the situation in their #ountr!, the! said their Part! is +#onfronted with in#reasingl! gra)e dangers of la#king in dri)e, in#om(eten#e, being out of tou#h with the (eo(le, #orru(tion and other mis#ondu#t. <uoting their Part! general se#retar!, the! stated that the Part! is +looking into the mirror. to +tid! our attire, take a bath and #ure our si#kness. The! ended their inter)ention b! stating that the CPC is +#ommitted to strengthening e"#hanges and dialogues with #ommunist (arties, workers' (arties and other (rogressi)e for#es of )arious #ountries to share e"(erien#e in go)erning the Part! and the #ountr!, to e"(lore wa!s to address global #hallenges and to (romote the #ontinuous de)elo(ment of the #ause of so#ialism in the world. The Communist Part! of Eg!(t in its inter)ention stated* +The $une =3 re)olution #ame to a##om(lish the histori#al tasks of this unfinished re)olution whi#h are o)erdue, es(e#iall! after the wa)e of o)erall rea#tionar! a(ostas! that swe(t Eg!(t and the region sin#e the mid9se)enties and lasted for more than =3 !ears and what ha((ened during the #olla(se of the 0rab liberation mo)ement as well as the #olla(se of the %o)iet 6nion and the rise of #urrent religious fas#ist rightist trend under authoritarian regimes (er#hed on the breath of our (eo(le for de#ades. 0nal!sing the e)ents (ost $une =3, the! stated* +it is a demo#rati# re)olution establishing a demo#rati# #i)il %tate on the basis of a #onstitution (rote#ting freedoms and (oliti#al e#onomi#, so#ial and #ultural rights of #iti5ens and ensuring (o(ular #ontrol and (arti#i(ation as well as freedom to form (oliti#al (arties, trade unions and asso#iations with an em(hasis on se(arating religion from (oliti#s and (rohibition of religious (arties. 0##ording to them, it is a +de#isi)e stage of the stages of the national demo#rati# re)olution. and what +ha((ened was a (o(ular re)olution with whi#h the Eg!(tian arm! sided. %tating that the +(oli#ies of the transitional go)ernment are still far from the s(irit of this re)olutionar! transformation., the! said that this situation needs to be #orre#ted immediatel!, +be#ause to #ontinue in this situation, hesitation and slowdown would lead to erosion and weakening of re)olution and gi)e #han#e to o((onents and enemies to graduall! regain their balan#e. This, a##ording to them, ne#essitates +effe#ti)e (resen#e and unified efforts of the Eg!(tian leftist for#es. and that the! are tr!ing to a##elerate the (a#e of unit! and +form a unified leadershi( of the so#ialist (arties as the first ne#essar! and urgent ste( re-uired in the #urrent #ir#umstan#es. The se#ond round of dis#ussions #entred on the :oint de#laration (ro(osed b! the PCP Though most of the Parties (resent in the meeting agreed to the (ro(osal, some of the Parties felt that the de#laration does not refle#t their understanding and anal!sis of the international de)elo(ments 0s one of the im(ortant guiding (rin#i(les of the meeting is #onsensus and on this issue there is a la#k of #onsensus, a :oint de#laration was not issued /nstead the PCP had issued a (ress release There was also a dis#ussion on the (ro(osal for :oint a#tions on some of the issues, whi#h was a##e(ted b! all the Parties (resent in the meeting &both the te"ts are (rinted in this issue' The third round of dis#ussions were on the methodolog! of the meetings > whi#h (arties should be made (art of the meeting, what should be the #om(osition of the Working ?rou( &(resentl! it #onstitutes of 11 (arties, o(en to all the (arties that take (art in these meetings and is not a leading bod! but a fa#ilitating bod!' and what should be the format

of these meetings in the future 0fter an intense dis#ussion, it was de#ided that more time is needed to de#ide these issues and was mandated that the Working ?rou( will de#ide these issues thoroughl! and #ome out with some (ro(osals before the ne"t meeting, the 1@th /nternational Meeting of the Communist and Workers' Parties The meeting #on#luded with a massi)e (ubli# manifestation #ommemorating the birth #entenar! of Comrade 0l)aro Cunhal, the legendar! re)olutionar!, anti9fas#ist fighter and leader of the PCP who was born on Ao)ember 13 Earlier, all the (arti#i(ants in the /nternational Meeting (aid homage to Comrade Cunhal and saluted his memor! during their inter)entions Bour rallies that started from different (arts of Lisbon, #on)erged at a huge arena in the heart of the #it!, where a musi#al #on#ert re(resenting the famous 4i#tor $ara band and other artists (erformed $eronimo de %ousa, addressed the gathering, in the (resen#e of the entire leadershi( of the PCP and the (arti#i(ants of the /nternational Meeting St%te'ent "! 15th Intern%t$"n%l Meet$ng "! C"''un$ t %n( W"r)er P%rt$e 8elow is the te"t of the (ress release issued b! the 15th /nternational Meeting of Communist and Workers1 Parties held in Lisbon, on Ao)ember C913 THE 15th /nternational Meeting of Communist and Workers1 Parties was held in Lisbon, on Ao)ember C913, under the motto +The dee(ening of the #risis of #a(italism, the role of the working #lass and the #ommunists1 tasks in the struggle for the workers and (eo(les1 rights /m(erialism1s offensi)e, the realignment of for#es at the international le)el, the national -uestion, #lass eman#i(ation and the struggle for so#ialism. /n the Meeting, DD (arties, from @1 #ountries (arti#i(ated and greetings were re#ei)ed from an additional 1E (arties whi#h, for )arious reasons, were not able to (arti#i(ate The meeting anal!sed, among other main as(e#ts, the de)elo(ment of the international situation in the #onte"t of the dee(ening of the stru#tural #risis of #a(italism and of a #om(le" (ro#ess of realignment of for#es at the international le)el, alerting to the great dangers deri)ing from im(erialism1s offensi)e 0t the same time, the (arti#i(ants saluted and )alued the resistan#e and struggle of the workers and (eo(les, reaffirming the real (otential that the #urrent situation holds for the de)elo(ment of the liberating struggle, for (rofound #hanges in the anti9mono(olist and anti9im(erialist dire#tion, for so#ialism The meeting noted the dee(ening of the #risis that e"(loded in F33C with the Lehman 8rothers bankru(t#! 0 #risis that is far from o)er, bel!ing the ruling #lass dis#ourse on an alleged +re#o)er!. and #onfirming the anal!ses of the #ommunists about its nature and e)olution whi#h, among other as(e#ts, #onfirms it as a #risis of o)er9(rodu#tion and o)er9 a##umulation of #a(ital 0 #risis that e"(resses the shar(ening of #a(italism1s #ontradi#tions > in (arti#ular its fundamental #ontradi#tion between the so#ial #hara#ter of (rodu#tion and its (ri)ate a((ro(riation > highlighting the histori#al limits of the s!stem and the timeliness of the struggle for the fundamental alternati)e to #a(italism > so#ialism /t denoun#ed the aim of big #a(ital, of the ma:or im(erialist (owers and their international and su(ranational stru#tures of im(erialist #on#entration > su#h as the Euro(ean 6nion > to im(ose on the workers and (eo(les a so#ial regression of a #i)ili5ational dimension assaulting e#onomi#, labour and so#ial rights, )iolentl! atta#king the li)ing #onditions of the working and (o(ular masses and de#laring war on the so)ereignt! and inde(enden#e of %tates

/t referen#ed in (arti#ular the harsh realit! of the (eo(les and the im(a#t of the #risis and of the #a(italist offensi)e on de)elo(ing #ountries, where the (eo(les find their right to e#onomi# and so#ial de)elo(ment e)en more #urtailed /n this framework, attention was drawn to the im(a#t of #a(italism1s #risis on agri#ulture and food, :eo(ardising still more the food so)ereignt! of numerous #ountries and dooming great masses of the world (o(ulation to star)ation and malnutrition /t highlighted the dangers that arise from the intensifi#ation of the militarist, warmongering and interferen#e (oli#! of the ma:or im(erialist (owers and A0T; /t stressed that the wars of aggression, the (ro#esses of interferen#e and instigation of internal #onfli#ts, the strengthening of re(ressi)e, authoritarian, #ontrol and es(ionage measures are (art of the for#e9based res(onse b! big #a(ital to #a(italism1s #risis, ha)ing as its #entral aims to maintain the #ontrol of the resour#es and sour#es of energ! and #ontain the re)olt, the struggle of the (eo(les and the ine)itable so#ial and re)olutionar! e"(losions that the #urrent situation entails Parti#i(ants e"(ressed their solidarit! with the ongoing struggles in all #ontinents against the aggressi)e im(erialist offensi)e, for so#ial (rogress, inde(enden#e and so)ereignt!, (ea#e, the right to so#ial and e#onomi# de)elo(ment, for the #onstru#tion of alternati)es of so)ereignt! and (rogress to im(erialism1s hegemoni# domination, the real fundamental alternati)e to #a(italist barbarit! > so#ialism /t reaffirmed the #entral role of the working #lass and its allian#e with other anti9mono(olist strata in defen#e of their rights, namel! the right to em(lo!ment, for labour and so#ial rights, in defen#e of the so#ial fun#tions of %tates Parti#i(ants )alued and e"(ressed their solidarit! with all the (eo(les who resist im(erialism1s (oli#ies of interferen#e and aggression > es(e#iall! to the (eo(les of the Middle East, saluting the ongoing struggles in that region against all forms of aggression and o((ression, for so)ereignt!, demo#ra#!, so#ial :usti#e and national unit!, as in Eg!(t and Tunisia /t reaffirmed its solidarit! with the Palestinian (eo(le and their struggle for national rights, as well as with other (eo(les in the region who are )i#tims of aggressions and interferen#es, su#h as the %!rian (eo(le /n a framework of #ontinuing resistan#e and gathering of for#es, but where the (otential for the de)elo(ment of a re)olutionar! struggle grows, im(ortant fa#tors emerge in )arious regions of the world to #ontain im(erialism1s hegemoni# domination Parti#i(ants saluted and )alued the struggle of the (eo(les, of the #ommunists and other (rogressi)e for#es in Latin 0meri#a, #onsidering that the (ro#esses of struggle, (rogressi)e and of so)ereign affirmation in this region, as well as the #oo(eration based on solidarit! that is emerging in the region, #onstitute an im(ortant fa#tor and stimulus for the de)elo(ment and strengthening of the anti9im(erialist struggle The (arti#i(ants reasserted their solidarit! with Cuba and its so#ialist re)olution, as well as with the 4ene5uelan (eo(le and their 8oli)arian re)olution, among others /t stressed the im(ortan#e of the struggle in defen#e of demo#rati# freedoms, against the ad)an#e of the far right, against "eno(hobia and ra#ism, against religious fanati#ism and obs#urantism, against anti9#ommunism /t reaffirmed solidarit! with other #ommunist (arties and all re)olutionar! for#es that are the target of (oliti#al (erse#ution and anti9 #ommunist #am(aigns > namel! in the Euro(ean #ontinent, whi#h is #arried out b! se)eral go)ernments as well as b! institutions like the Euro(ean 6nion Con#rete e"(erien#es of struggle in different #ountries and regions were (resent in most inter)entions, #onfirming that the workers and (eo(les do not #onform and that, e)en in

the #urrent diffi#ult #onditions, liberating ad)an#es and a#hie)ements of an anti9 mono(olist and anti9#a(italist nature are (ossible /t was affirmed that so#ialism in#reasingl! emerges as the real fundamental alternati)e to #a(italism and its #risis Grawing lessons from the dela!s, mistakes and distortions that #ountered basi# (rin#i(les of so#ialism, but )aluing as highl! (ositi)e the e"(erien#es of building so#ialism and what the! meant and mean for Humanit!, highlighting the a#hie)ements of the new so#ial s!stem, re#ognising that there are no models of re)olution, the (arti#i(ants stressed the determining role of the masses in the #onstru#tion and management of so#ialist so#ieties /t was stressed that the #urrent international situation makes it (arti#ularl! ne#essar! to strengthen the #oo(eration among all (rogressi)e and anti9im(erialist for#es and, firstl!, among #ommunist and workers1 (arties from all o)er the world, one of the most solid guarantees for the strengthening of the (eo(les1 struggle and the #onstru#tion of the alternati)e of so#ialism /n this sense, the ri#h e"(erien#e and ad)an#es made with the /nternational Meetings of Communist and Workers1 Parties was highlighted, as a s(a#e for e"#hange of information, e"(erien#es and o(inions, of (ossible #on)ergen#e of (ositions and de#isions on #ommon and #on)erging initiati)es, reaffirming the im(ortan#e of ensuring their #ontinuit! The meeting ado(ted )arious lines and initiati)es of #ommon or #on)erging a#tion b! Communist and Workers1 Parties to be materialised until the 1@th /MCWP &whi#h #an be found at the end of this (ress release', ha)ing mandated the Working ?rou( to stimulate and monitor their im(lementation and materialisation The /nternational Meeting wel#omed the e"isten#e of three (ro(osals for the )enue of the 1@th Meeting /ts date, (la#e and motto will be de#ided during the meeting of the Working ?rou( of the /nternational Meetings of Communist and Workers1 Parties to be held in due time Gu$(el$ne !"r C"''"n "r C"n&ergent A#t$"n THE (arti#i(ant (arties of the 15th /nternational Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties define the following guidelines for their #ommon and #on)ergent a#tion and mandate the Working ?rou( to tr! to im(lement these guidelines in #oordination with other Parties of the %olidnet List 1 Commemorate, during the !ear F31E, the 133th anni)ersar! of the beginning of World War /, and the D5th anni)ersar! of the beginning of World War // through a :oint #am(aign alerting to the dangers of new international militar! #lashes, alerting to the need to enhan#e the struggle for (ea#e and against im(erialist aggressi)eness and wars and highlighting that the struggle for (ea#e is intimatel! linked with the struggle for so#ialism &/n this sense the ?erman CP, the Aew CP of Aetherlands, the Workers' Part! of 8elgium and the CP of Lu"embourg informed about the (re(aration of an a#tion in the ?erman border town 0e#hen, on Bebruar! 15' F Mark the 15 Hears from the beginning of #riminal im(erialisti# A0T; aggression against the Bederal Ie(ubli# of Hugosla)ia, a new (hase in the de)elo(ment of militar! im(erialisti# strateg! and the beginning of the o##u(ation of Joso)o and Metohi:a, southern %erbian (ro)in#e = To stimulate, in #oordination with the (arties from 0sia, 0fri#a, Latin 0meri#a and the Caribbean, the organisation of an international seminar on the #a(italist #risis's im(a#t in the de)elo(ing #ountries, fo#using es(e#iall! on issues su#h as the right to e#onomi# and so#ial de)elo(ment and (rote#tion of natural resour#es, as well on issues of agri#ulture, land tenure, and food se#urit! Highlight the role of mono(olies in the

destru#tion of the global en)ironment, asserting an anti9mono(olist and anti9#a(italist )iew(oint on the growing en)ironmental #risis E ;rganise an international #am(aign in solidarit! with the ongoing (ro#esses and struggles in Latin 0meri#a and Caribbean, and in (arti#ular with %o#ialist Cuba > against the 6%0 blo#kade, the #ommon E6 (osition, and for the return of the four Cuban (atriots still held in 6% (risons >with 8oli)arian 4ene5uela and with the Colombian (eo(le's struggle for (ea#e with so#ial :usti#e 5 E"amine the (ossibilit! of > taking ad)antage of international e)ents where a large number of Parties are (resent > organising a working meeting to debate the ideologi#al offensi)e and the mass media's role, as well as to e"#hange e"(erien#es on mass #ommuni#ation work @ To #elebrate the /nternational Woman1s Ga! &Mar#h C, F31E' highlighting the effe#t of the #risis and of the im(erialist multifa#eted offensi)e on working women and national o((ressed women, e"(ressing solidarit! with their struggle and their anti9im(erialist mo)ement D Honour Ma! 1 &Ma! Ga!' with (arti#i(ation in the struggles in ea#h #ountr! for the defen#e of workers and (eo(les e#onomi# and so#ial rights, for the right to work and for labour rights, highlighting the im(ortan#e of the #lass struggle, for the abolition of e"(loitation of man b! man Consider the (ossibilit! of announ#ing on this date a da! of a#tion, with initiati)es in ea#h #ountr!, against unem(lo!ment and its real roots, gi)ing (arti#ular im(ortan#e to the mass unem(lo!ment among !outh Gefend the trade union rights, denoun#e the (oliti#al (erse#ution and demand the liberation of the detained trade unionists C E"amine the (ossibilit! of #on)ergent a#tions on the #ombat against ra#ism, "eno(hobia, against fas#ism, stressing the im(ortan#e of the ideologi#al struggle against anti9#ommunism and the rewriting of Histor!, denoun#ing the E6 in what #on#erns its institutional #am(aigns and measures aiming to e-uate #ommunism with fas#ism 7 To determine a da! of a#tion, with e"(ressions in ea#h #ountr!, against the (erse#ution of the #ommunist (arties and the ban of #ommunist s!mbols, affirming solidarit! with the #ommunist (arties banned in their #ountries 13 Commemorate the 75th 0nni)ersar! of the Creation of the Communist /nternational &Mar#h 1717' underlining, on the o##asion of 73 !ears of Lenin's death, his #entral #ontribution to the international #ommunist mo)ement 11 To stimulate, in #oordination with the Parties from the 0rab #ountries and Middle East, the organisation of an international seminar about the so#ial and national eman#i(ation struggles of the (eo(les of 0rab #ountries and the Middle East, e"(ressing the solidarit! with all the (eo(les of the region that are )i#tims of the im(erialist and Kionist #rimes and aggressions, among others the Palestinian and %!rian (eo(le, and also with the (eo(le's that rise u( against re(ressi)e, di#tatorial and rea#tionar! regimes, in defen#e of their so#ial, (oliti#al and demo#rati# rights 1F To #ontinue to denoun#e the im(erialist inter)ention against %!ria and /ran, and to #ontinue the struggle for the re#ognition of an inde(endent Palestinian %tate 1= To (romote the international front against im(erialism and the su((ort for the international anti9im(erialist mass organisations, the World Bederation of Trade 6nions &WBT6', the World Pea#e Coun#il &WPC', the World Bederation of Gemo#rati# Houth &WBGH', and the Women1s /nternational Gemo#rati# Bederation &W/GB', in the s(e#ifi# framework of e)er! #ountr!