Dear Comrades,

On behalf of the Palestinian Communist Party, I congratulate our comrades in the Communist Party of Greece on the 80^th anniversary of its foundation. Its struggle and the sacrifices of its comrades constituted milestones in the history of struggle of the Greek people, which will continue to be held in high esteem by us and by all the communists of the world. The modern history of Greece cites, among other cities, your historic struggle against the abhorrent Hitler occupation and your proactive role in toppling the fascist military junta which tried to impose a dictatorship alien to the established democratic traditions of your people. The history of the communist movement records your pioneering role in it, as manifested by your gallant steadfastness in the face of the big collapse which destroyed the Soviet Union and the socialist camp. Moreover, it is manifested in your imaginative initiatives for closing the ranks of communist parties everywhere, for uniting their struggle to confront the new world conditions and for reinstating comradely solidarity between them.

Like the rest of world communists, we are proud of your role as you, once again, set a good example for the internationalist spirit which should be upheld by all communist parties. Our Party highly appreciates the efforts being made by our comrades in the Communist Party of Greece in various fields to achieve the unification of the communist movement and strengthen its capabilities to embark upon joint struggle to confront the current situation.

Dear Comrades,

Our celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the publication of the Communist Manifesto proves that this historic document still retains its special role in spite of all that has happened. This occasion is celebrated across the whole world where the Manifesto is relayed from hand to hand by workers who eagerly learn the principles which were formulated by Marx and Engels, and guide them to the path of deliverance from the slavery of capitalism and of achieving justice and equality under socialism. Despite the passage of time since the publication of the Communist Manifesto, its basic principles still retain their validity in spite of the tremendous advances witnessed by the world during the past 150 years. When 25 years elapsed after the publication of the Manifesto, Marx and Engels realized that a part of it had aged, requiring revision and reformulation, as a consequence of the advancement of industry. The gigantic advances in industry, information technology and communications which we have witnessed in our era reaffirm the constant need for developing our concepts about the world and contradictions. Even today, the Communist Manifesto shows us that today’s world is not the same world which Marx and Engels studied and formulated the Manifesto on the basis of its contradictions. What they wrote in the Manifesto was not considered by them to apply for any place and time, but a guide for action and a tool for scientific analysis of the actual reality in accordance with a critical methodology; a fact which renders their works truly revolutionary.

Real life is not a static state of affairs, even if it looks like that; but is dynamic, changing and developing. Thus, the texts acquire their validity only by relating them to time and place, not by their words and expressions. Today’s world still exhibits the main dichotomies referred to in the Communist Manifesto. Capitalism, despite its tremendous development and the changes in many of its features since Marx and Engels drafted the Communist Manifesto, is still based on the exploitation of wage labor and surplus value by the capitalists. Contradictions and struggle still rage between the working class and the capitalists. Capitalism still continues to destroy the forces of production. Socialism remains the path of inevitable deliverance from tyranny, oppression and exploitation. Marx and Engels's call: "Workers of the world unite!», still echoes in all corners of the globe. Capitalists still tremble at the advancing struggle of the working class which will certainly show that capitalism is not the inevitable fate of humanity, nor the end of history. It is merely one of the stages of development of mankind. The fact that capitalism has managed to surmount and develop so far does not mean that it is everlasting and indestructible. Rather, its demise and the progress of humanity towards a better life under socialism and communism are inevitable; as an inevitability dictated by the logic of development and which are achieved by humans through their efforts and struggle.

Dear Comrades,

The current era of capitalist globalization is characterized economically by the immense concentration of wealth in the North, monopolization of science and technology and denying the countries of the South the opportunity to make use of them in the development of their national economies. Another feature of the current era in the tendency towards economic super structures, whereby multinational companies, through various means, merge into an economic power with assets exceeding the GNP of several countries. The fields of activities of these super companies vary with a substantial part of their capital concentrated in banking and financing, transforming into a mixed industrial capital and finance capital which are regarded as the main foundation of imperialism. The overwhelming majority of multinational companies are concentrated within the group of seven highly industrialized countries, as they account for 428 out of the 500 super companies across the whole world.

Moreover, the current era is characterized by the widening gap between the rich and the poor, not only at the international level but also within the states of the North themselves. Capitalism exploited the achievements of science, production technology, communications and information technology in its systematic destruction of the forces of production. It wages attacks on the working class of its own country, in an effort to take away the rights which they had gained through struggle and sacrifice. Instead of utilizing these achievements in the service of human welfare, they are utilized in replacing the workers in their organizations, thereby increasing the size of the army of unemployed people to unprecedented figures in the G7 group of rich countries. Unemployment afflicts new groups of professional technicians and university graduates of various disciplines. The number of homeless people increases, as does the proportion of citizens living under the poverty line. Organized and petty crime spread, as does addiction to drugs. Capitalism does not give a damn to the conditions of life on the planet earth as its activities pose a real threat to the environment, thereby increasing the dangers facing life on our planet. Modern capitalism is facing crisis of its own making. As much as it needs to expand the markets where it can dispose of its products, so much does it cause these markets to shrink as a result of the reduction in the purchasing power caused by unemployment and the spread of poverty. Thus, it draws larger groups of people to the struggle against its control.

On the political level, however, the current era is characterized by the growth in the spirit of aggression by imperialist states which resort to direct military intervention to protect their interests. They do not hesitate to interfere in the internal affairs of any other country, one time under the cover of defending human rights and another time under the pretext of accusing that country with harboring terrorism. It resorts to starting ethnic and civil wars hare and there. The military interference in the Gulf under the cover of liberating Kuwait was the precursor to its aggressive political stance. What is new is that the popular movement opposing the imperialist aggressive policy proved its ability to confront this policy. This was clearly demonstrated during the latest crisis between the United States and the Iraqi government in which various social groups participated in the struggle to thwart the Anglo-American imperialist aggression. The communist parties played an important role in the organization and leadership of the opposition to that aggressive policy.

The struggle against the aggressive war is an important part of the tasks of struggle of the communist parties in the current era. Every success in restraining the forces of aggression is a contribution to weakening the capabilities of imperialist powers to control the fortunes of the world. It will inevitably lead to strengthening the capabilities of peoples to stand up to the savage onslaught by those powers.

The destructive effects of capitalist globalization are manifested in their worst form in the countries of the South which have become vulnerable to losing their independence or to disintegration. In the near absence of any opportunities for development, the majority of them have no option but to obtain loans under exorbitant conditions imposed by the monetary lending organizations. These include the need for the privatization of all their production and service industries and restructuring their economies so as to suit the interests of the imperialist powers controlling the monetary lending institutions. The majority of the borrowers cannot afford repayments of the interest on those loans. Some of them lose their economic independence, while their political independence transforms into a mere form devoid of any social significance to their populations. Under such conditions, the influence of the compradors increases, with their main concern being the extraction of maximum interest from the loans to the states and the accumulation of huge personal wealth. The peoples of the South are facing a new phenomenon which we may term political compradorship. The compradors take over direct rule, make use of their political power to strengthen their capabilities to collect wealth by all means, including commissions, bribery, embezzlement and even drug trafficking. The case of Mobutu Sesesiko is not the only one of its kind in the modern world. It is probably uncomfortable for us to admit that some of these countries, in which political compradorship wielded power, were until recently among the national liberation states, and that some of their leaders were symbols of the national liberation struggle of their countries.

The current situation in the world reaffirms the inevitability of strengthening the role of the communist parties among the masses in all the countries of the North and South. The evidence of current phase indicates that some of the communist parties did actually manage to consolidate their positions and broaden their bases. It is not surprising to observe the progress being made by the Communist Party of the USA and its growing role in the political and social life of the US. This fraternal party has acquired the ability to lead the struggle against the aggression planned on the Iraqi people. This proves that as much as a communist party demonstrates the validity of its analyses and policies, and its practice agrees with its slogans, and stands by the masses in earnest defending their rights, and displays the appropriate slogan at the appropriate time; so much does its position strengthen, its authority grows and its ability to act and influence events increases. The current situation also demonstrates that the communist parties have become capable of forging broad popular alliances embracing social forces which have an interest in standing up to the aggressive nature of imperialism and liberation from the yoke of monopolies and multinational super companies. Such an alliance can play a decisive role in the struggle against the injustice and repression suffered by their peoples and others.

If the task of the communist parties in the advanced countries is deemed to be confronting the aggressive nature of imperialist policies, social injustice, the miseries caused by modern imperialism, multinational companies and monopolies in their countries, then the task of the communist parties in the countries of the South has become more complex. Under these conditions, it has become incumbent on the communist and workers parties in many of the countries of the South to embark upon struggle for national liberation which cannot be separated at all from economic liberation and deliverance from the control of the multi-national super companies, to stand up to economic and political compradorship which stands in the way of any attempt at real development in their countries, playing the role of guard dogs in the interest of those companies. It is no longer feasible to consider separating the phase of national liberation from the phase of social liberation in these countries. Rather, continuing these two phases has become the only way available to it for achieving freedom and justice at the same time. But the problem of our situation in the countries of the South is that the majority of our countries do not have the necessary means of struggle to establish socialism, following the destruction of the modest economic wherewithal which they had established previously. The struggle for building socialism, therefore, seems like a mere shot in the dark call. But experience shows us that we can, indeed we ought to, struggle for national liberation of our country and achieving a popular democracy with a social content which acts to bypass capitalism, embark upon the path of independent planned progress and development, prepares the conditions for improving the standard of living for the population of our country, achieves a reasonable level of social justice and paves the way forward to building socialism. Under the present conditions, a wide spectrum of social forces can participate in the struggle for achieving those goals, as the programs of the communist parties can turn into centers of attraction for those social forces which have an interest in liberation, democracy and social progress. But that can only be achieved though hard work among the masses and mobilizing them in the defense of their interests and rights.

The modern world is in fact two worlds as London is two cities, as stated by Marx. But the peoples of the two worlds, North and South, suffer, admittedly to differing extents, from the injustice of modern capitalism and the destructive effects of capitalist globalization. If capitalist globalization is the expression of alliance of giants among multinational companies for plundering the peoples of the world, then we communists should seek to establish a globalization for toilers, workers and exploited peoples, thereby enabling us stand up to the dangers posed by capitalist globalization. It is no longer acceptable to have the internationalization of capital, whereas the internationalist forces remain incapable of achieving their own slogans. We, in the South and North, together face the dangers of capitalist globalization, the common enemy, which we must confront with joint struggle. It is essential that we move as soon as possible from the straightjacket of discussions to the arena of action. Only this way can we strengthen one another’s struggle, together go to battle against the capitalist globalization system, and be able to ward off the onslaught on the working class and all other toilers. In this respect, the Palestinian Communist Party calls upon the communist parties congregated here to discuss the following proposals:

Firstly, uniting the stances of the communist parties which are participating in this conference on various issues facing their countries, and ensuring prompt response to the challenges generated by those issues. Our comrades in the Communist Party of Greece set an example for such a response during the latest crisis between Iraq and the United States. The CPG played the role of coordinator of the initiative of the Iraqi Communist Party and the Tudeh Party of Iran. It succeeded in mobilizing the support of the communist parties for the stance adopted by the two fraternal parties in Iraq and Iran. This test case give us the incentive to call for strengthening the role of the Communist Party of Greece, offering every support and backing to it in its capacity as the center of communications between the communist and workers parties in the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East region.

Secondly, connecting all the communist and workers parties in our region to an electronic network which facilitates speedy communication and exchange of information, and offering assistance to the parties whose circumstances do not allow them to participate in such a network.

Thirdly, considering the possibility of setting up mass organizations for solidarity between the peoples. It is actually possible to establish a solidarity organization among the peoples of the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East, along the lines of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Organization, on condition that it should be completely independent of governments and relies upon working among the masses and activating their role in the just struggle of the peoples of the region.

Fourthly, laying the foundations for mutual help and assistance among our parties, and rapid response to any emergencies faced by any of them.

Fifthly, starting a world-wide campaign to expose Zionism as a racist movement and ideology, in solidarity with the Palestinian people in confronting the dangers which they are facing as a result of the policy of the racist government of Netanyahu which is pushing the region towards the resumption of cycle of violence and threatening the peace and security of peoples of the region, as well as world peace. Prior to this, it succeeded, with American help, in blowing up the peace process which had taken place in the region since the Madrid Conference. It completely revoked all the national rights of the Palestinian people, and tries to impose a new reality on the ground based on achieving the maximum of Zionist designs, on our country and destroying any hope of the Palestinian people for liberation, independence and establishing their independent state. The Israeli government recently celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the state of Israel following the seizure of our homeland. Our people, however, commemorated the 50^th anniversary of the calamity they had suffered. Refusing to relent, the racist Zionist government of Netanyahu reaffirmed its racist aggressive nature. Hundreds of unarmed civilian protesters were martyred and wounded by the bullets fired by the occupation forces. The bulldozers of the occupation authorities continued preparations for building great many settlements at the expense of Palestinian territory, reaffirming their expansionist racist policy which is anti-peace and dismissive of international legitimacy.

Our Palestinian people live under cruel conditions, as a result of both the destructive effects of Israeli policy and bad Palestinian administration, resulting in further unemployment and poverty. According to official statistics, unemployment in our country has reached 43%, whilst 67% of the population live below the poverty line. In reality, however, the actual levels of unemployment and poverty are much higher than that. Whilst the Netanyahu government continues to reaffirm its policy which is hostile to Palestinian rights, and whilst the US government continues to reaffirm its unlimited support for all Israeli policies, we still find those who believe in the possibility of continuing the political process and negotiations with Netanyahu’s government. These hopes have no basis in reality; but are rather based on illusions of those who pin hopes on an impossible change in American policy in the direction of supporting the national rights of the Palestinian people.

Our people and Party need your support. Our Party proposes that the comrades participating in this conference issue a statement condemning Israeli policy, emphasizing the danger posed by this policy to world peace. It should also stress solidarity with our Palestinian people in their just struggle for freedom, independence and the establishment of their Palestinian state on the soil of their homeland, with Jerusalem as its capital.

And finally, dear Comrades, I thank you for listening attentively.