Communists' Experience With Alliances and Cooperation

Athens 23-26 June 2000

Press Release issued by the KKE

In the three day meeting, hosted in Athens by the KKE, on the topic Communists' Experience With Alliances and Cooperation, 60 Communist and Workers' Parties from 47 countries took part.

A number of parties, although having expressed the wish to participate, were not able to attend, for reasons independent of their will, concerning the situation in their countries.

During the three day proceedings, there was a rich debate and an exchange of views on the topics of the meeting.

There was also a general consensus as far as the usefulness and the necessity of such meetings among Communist and Workers' Parties.

Many speakers referred to the need for continuing and intensifying such meetings, showing that, in spite of the existing difficult international and local conditions, the Communist and Workers' Parties continue to struggle, to meet and exchange their experiences and to constitute a real active force in all continents.

It was also stressed that the alliance policies of each party are inseparably linked with the day to day struggles on national level but also link the national and international aspects of the struggle.

Many of the participants also referred to the need for initiatives for convening international meetings with specific topics as well as regional meetings (America, Africa, Asia, Europe), while developing the ones that took place.

It was also noted that, in spite of the varying views that naturally exist among the parties, in these meetings, including the present one, do emerge common views among the parties in the struggle against imperialism, its aggressiveness and its methods of international exploitation of the working people.

It was noticed that the gap between the so-called North and South continually broadens at the expense of the peoples of the South, that constitute the majority of the world population, a fact that has turned the South into an important field of confrontation with imperialism.

It was also stressed that the manifestations in Seattle, Davos, Washington, Bangkok as well as the manifestations organized during every EU Summit Meeting (as the recent ones in Portugal) constitute a new element of communists' experience.

They are manifestations against the policies of international trade and financial institutions influenced by imperialism like WTO, IMF and WB that have led many countries and peoples to dependence and subjugation through huge indebtedness.

The new possibilities offered by these manifestations and the need for a more active and coordinated participation of the communists were also mentioned.

A number of speakers referred to the new order that imperialism is trying to impose with the new NATO strategy, the bombings in Yugoslavia and the creation of a new international law based on the dominance of the strongest.

The importance of mass reactions directed against imperialist hegemonic policies of the USA, NATO and the EU leading quarters, against the Rapid Deployment Forces in the making and the forces of crises management, Europe's militarization and the new US anti-ballistic missile system, against nuclear weapons, imperialist interventions and military occupation, against the change of borders, and the economic blockage was also stressed.

In their speeches the participants pointed out the particular importance of coordination of the struggle of trade union movements and organizations focusing on capitalist restructuring and the attack against labour rights and gains.

The struggle against TNCs and their attack against labour, as well as the coordination of this struggle in all their subsidiaries and branches located in various countries were also noted.

Many speakers stressed the need for international coordination of such struggles and of the particular contribution of communists.

The participants underlined serious concern for the growing bans, persecutions and discriminations against communist parties, communists and, generally, against those resisting capitalist barbarity and imperialist interventions.

In the meeting, the first issue of the "Information Bulletin", in which each Communist and Workers' Party can publish its documents, was made available.

At the same time, the first positive results from the operation of the Rapid Information Centre through Internet, under the name of SOLIDNET.ORG were presented.

We believe that the ideas developed by the representatives of the Communist and Workers' Parties in this meeting will contribute to the efforts of the Parties to respond to the increasing requirements of the existing situation, to coordinate and to confront the mounting imperialist aggressiveness and to respond to the need of humanity for a socialist solution.

In the sessions held over the three days, the participants had the opportunity to develop their bilateral relations, to contact other parties, to exchange views.

We believe that the international meeting, in spite of difficulties and different approaches on a number of issues, will contribute to the coordination and common action of the Communist and Workers' Parties.

Athens 25th June 2000