Message of the Central Committee of AKEL to the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 30th March 2017, Nicosia
The Central Committee of AKEL today sent the following message addressed to the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece:
“On the occasion of the 20th Congress of your Party, the Central Committee of AKEL conveys comradely greetings to you and through you to the delegates, members and cadres of KKE. We wish every success to the deliberations of your Congress and to the struggles of the Greek Communists to defend the interests of the working people and people of Greece.
Over the last decade the peoples in most countries, including the peoples of Greece and Cyprus, have come under merciless attacks as a result of the systemic crisis of capitalism and the policies that characterize the ruling economic forces. The deepening of the European Monetary Union, the Banking Union and all the neoliberal policies imposed by the European Union are constantly take away more and more rights from national governments and parliaments in the taking of sovereign decisions that could be of benefit to the development of their national economy and working people. These policies have led to irreconcilable contradictions within the EU and to existential dead-ends. The “multi-speed” EU, the institutionalization of which is being set in motion through the “White Paper on the future of the EU” and the recent Declaration of Rome simply confirm the harsh reality the peoples are experiencing.
At the same time, the further militarization of the EU is being promoted. The development of the war and arms industry, the deepening of military cooperation is intertwined with the complete coupling of the EU with NATO, particularly through the Lisbon Treaty, converting it into a military union with implications and consequences which the peoples have been already suffered from, both in the region, as well the EU member states. The transformation of the EU into a “fortress” has led to the deaths of thousands of refugees and migrants at its maritime boundaries, while at the same time the xenophobic and extreme right-wing forces have grown stronger.
Your Congress is taking place in a complex international context, marked by the escalation of imperialist aggression. Eighteen years after the NATO aggression and the breakup of Yugoslavia, NATO is continuing its expansion, encircling the Russian Federation and China, deploying nuclear arsenals. The greedy wars, the so-called “peacekeeping missions” are following one after the other, seeking to impose control over energy sources and natural resources. The flagrant violations of International Law and the militarization of international relations have led to insecurity and chaos. The peoples in our own region, the south-eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, have paid a heavy price as a result of these designs.
In these difficult conditions AKEL is waging its own struggle too. Before us we also face the socio-economic problems that have been accumulated due to the economic crisis, the imposition of the Memorandum, the attacks on labour rights and the attempt underway to complete the dismantling of the public sector and welfare state.
At the same time we are struggling for the liberation and reunification of our people and homeland. We are fighting for the liberation of Cyprus from the almost forty three years of Turkish occupation, to end the colonization of the occupied territories, to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty, for the abolition of the rights of intervention and anachronistic system of guarantees and for the complete demilitarization of the Republic of Cyprus. At the same time, AKEL was and remains the only force in Cyprus that is struggling with consistency against any NATO involvement in the solution of the Cyprus problem and against the scenarios for Cyprus’ accession or partnership with NATO.
For AKEL there is no other way to solve the internal aspect of the Cyprus problem other than through the intercommunal talks within the framework and under the auspices of the United Nations and on the basis of the UN resolutions and decisions and the High-Level Agreements of 1977 and 1979. The solution of the internal aspect of the Cyprus problem, for which we have been working on over many years, is the solution that will transform the Republic of Cyprus into a bizonal, bicommunal federation with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship, a single international personality and with political equality of the two communities as this has been set out in the relevant UN Resolutions. At the same time, we are struggling to safeguard the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots, including the right of return and property of all the refugees and lawful owners. On this basis, during the Presidency of comrade Demetris Christofias we managed to agree for the very first time on significant convergences with the Turkish Cypriot side which also constituted the basis for the talks that were to follow. In this struggle, AKEL is waging a daily struggle inside Cyprus against both cosmopolitan submissiveness and nationalist rejectionism which counteract and undermine the cause of a solution to the Cyprus problem based on principles.
We value and respect the history and heroic struggles of the Communist Party of Greece against fascism and dictatorships, for the liberation of your country from foreign occupation, your daily struggle for the just cause and rights of the working people and the Greek people, your anti-imperialist activity and international solidarity.
Our Parties have a long history of comradely relations, based on mutual respect and the common conviction for the need of joint action of the Communist Parties. Despite the different approaches and positions between our Parties on certain issues, we believe that we have very important tasks to promote together within the framework of the international communist and anti-imperialist movement given that due to the adverse international environment they are becoming more urgent.
Within this framework, we wish every success to the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of Greece so that KKE will emerge stronger, for a powerful workers movement and people’s alliance for popular power and socialism.”
