Press release from the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties in Athens on 21-23 May 1999

by the Communist Party of Greece

During the three-day meeting held in Athens on the topic "The capitalist crisis, globalisation and the response of the labour movement" which was jointly convened-as decided during the preparatory meeting of the parties held in January 1999- 55 communist and workers' parties from 46 countries took part. A number of parties, while having participated in the preparations for the meeting, could not finally attend for reasons irrespective of their desire to, due to the situation in their countries.

In the sessions held over the three days there was a creative exchange of views on the meeting's topics as well as on issues arising from recent developments such as the unjust and unacceptable intervention made by the US and its allies in NATO against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the continuing criminal bombings. Quite a few speakers mentioned the need to make public an Appeal for an immediate halt to the NATO bombings and for a solution to be sought that would establish the autonomy of Kosovo and the rights of all minorities, the safe return of all refugees to their homes, ensuring at the same time the national sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of Serbia and of the FR of Yugoslavia.

In the speeches the participants pointed out the dangers posed to world peace and security by the new strategic concept and new doctrine for action by NATO which upsets all the rules of international law to date, intensifies the militarization of international relations and uses existing and /or non-existent minority issues as a pretext to justify its interventions.

The participants underlined the responsibility of the European governments, especially those who are supported by Socialdemocrats, who from the very beginning supported the aggressive NATO plans.

A considerable number of speakers referred to the existence of local wars, and to the flare-up in religious fundamentalism, racism and xenophobia.

The speakers noted that the last world crisis in 1997-1998 shows in the most categorical way that not only has the capitalist system failed to rid itself of crises but that in conditions of domination by finance capital and gigantic monopoly unions these crises are becoming yet deeper and more frequent, with destructive effects on the living standards of the working people, who constitute the huge majority of the population. The accumulation of impasses and contradictions in capitalist society, the great growth of economic, political and strategic power of big finance capital and multi-national enterprises, the strong assault on basic social and democratic rights of the working people highlight how exceptionally timely it is to analyse capitalism but also the need and way to overcome it.

The existence and operation of organisations dominated by the large imperialist powers such as the "G-8", the WTO, the IMF and the world Bank, NATO and the EU, the theories and the even more reactionary policies implemented in the name of "globalisation" and the pressure pushing workers' remuneration downwards make the rich richer and the poor poorer, cast millions of people into poverty, ignorance, disease, malnutrition and underdevelopment, intensify the degree of exploitation of the working class, and exacerbate the ecological crisis.

Likewise noted were the constantly broadening gap between the opportunities created by new technologies and the way in which capitalism uses them against the rights and gains of the working people, against the right to work and the peoples' needs.

A number of speakers pointed out that these developments give rise to many new tasks for the Communist Parties but also to a wide spectrum of forces that oppose the neoconservative policy and the basic choices made by international capital.

The need for a broader meeting to be held on these topics and for further efforts for joint action and co-ordination was stressed.

The need for fresh initiatives for joint action by Communist Parties on the regional and global levels and for all progressive and anti-imperialist left forces to rally was highlighted.

Likewise it was stressed that there is a need to develop international co-operation and joint activities that will contribute to the creation of a new counterweight, the counterweight of the PEOPLES, of social and political forces that confront the monopolies and imperialism.

The crucial nature of the situation, the considerable interactions in the working class, which is broadening its scope, along with the need for communists to collectively elaborate the experience of the socialism we have known demand that we multiply initiatives for mutual briefing and broad dissemination of Communist Party positions. During the meeting, the parties gave information on their concerns and activities.

The need to promote ways in which parties and public opinion in their countries can be briefed more fully and rapidly about the activities and concerns of communists was underscored.

Quite a few speakers expressed their concern with regard to the continuous prohibitions, persecutions and discrimination against Communist Parties, Communists and in general against all who resist capitalist barbarity.