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Letter from fraternal parties

Letter to the Central Committee of

the Communist Party of Czechoslo-
vakia from the Central Committee of
five fraternal parties in Socialist
countries:

Dear Comrades! .

On behalf of the Central Commit-
tees of the Communist and Worker’s
parties of Bulgaria, Hungary, the Ger-
man Democratic Republic, Poland and
the Soviet Union we are applying to
you with this letter prompted by 4
feeling of sincere friendship based on
the principles of Marxism-Leninism
and proletarian internationalism and
by the concern for our common affairs,
for strengthening the positions of so-
cialism and the security of the social-
ist community of nations.

The development of events in your
country evokes deep anxiety in us. It
is our deep conviction that the offen-
sive to the reactionary forces, backed
by imperialism, against your party and
the foundations of the social system in
the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
threatens to push your country off the
road of socialism and that consequent-
ly it jeopardizes the interests of the
entire socialist system.

We expressed these apprehensions
at the meeting in Dresden, during re-
peated bilateral meetings, as well as
in letters which our parties sent in the
recent period to the Presidium of the
Central Committee of the Communist
Party of Czechoslovakia.

Recently we offered the Presidium
of the Central Committee of the Com-
munist Party of Czechoslovakia to
hold a new joint meeting on July 14,
this year so as to exchange informa-
tion and opinions on the state of af-
fairs in our countries, including the

development of events in Czecho-
slovakia.
Unfortunately, the CPC Central

Committee Presidium did not take
part in this meeting and did not use
the opportunity for a collective com-
radely discussion of the situation that
has developed. That is why we
thought it necessary to state to you
in this letter, with complete sincerity
and frankness, our common opinion.
We want you to understand us well
and assess correctly our intentions.

We neither had nor have an inten-
tion to interfere in such affairs which
are strictly the internal business Of
your party and your state, to violate
the principles of-respect, independence
and equality in the relations among
the Communist parties and Socialist
countries.

We are not. applying to you as re-
presentatives of the past who would
like to interfere in the correction Of
mistakes and shortcomings, including
the violations of socialist law which
had taken place. S

We are not interfering in the mée-
thods of planning and management of

the -socialist national economy of

Czechoslovakia and in your actions
aimed at improving the structure of

socialist
democracy. .

We shall hail the settlement of rela-
tions between Czechs and Slovaks on
healthy foundations of friendly c0-
operation within the framework of the
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.

At the same time, we cannot agree
to have hostile forces push your coun-
try from the road of socialism and
create a threat of severing Czecho-
slovakia from the socialist community-
This is something more than your
cause, It is the common cause of all
the Communist and Worker’s Parties

- and states united by alliance, cooper-

ation and friendship. This is the com-
mon cause of our countries, which
have joined in the Warsaw Treaty to
ensure the independence, the peace
and security in Europe, and to set up an
insurmountable barrier for the intri-
gues of the imperialist forces, aggres-

the people of our countries gained vic-
tory over Hitlerite fascism, won free-
dom and independence and an oppor-
tunity to follow the road of progress
and socialism. The frontiers of the
socialist world have moved to the

-centre of Europe, to the Elbe and

Sumava mountains. And we_ shall
never agree to have these historical
gains of socialism, independence and
security of our peoples being put to
threat. We shall never agree to have
imperialism, using ways peaceful and
non-peaceful, making a gap from the
inside or from the outside in the so-
cialist system and changing in impe-
rialism’s favor ‘the correlation of
forces in Europe.

The might and firmness of our alli-
ances depend on the inner strength of
the socialist system in each of our
brother countries, on the Marxist-
Leninist policy of our parties which
dicharged the leading role in the poli-
tical and social life of their respective
nations and states. Ham-stringing of
the leading role of the Communist
Party leads to liquidation of socialist
democracy and the socialist system.
There are thus imperilled foundations
of our alliance and the safety of the
community of our countries.

You are aware of the understanding
with which the fraternal parties treat-
ed the decisions of the January Plen-

ary Meeting of the Central Committee ~

of the Communist Party of Czecho-
slovakia, as they believed that your
party, firmly controlling the levers of
power, would direct the entire process
in the interests of socialism and not

- let anti-communist reaction exploit it

-oyblenary ,Meeting of the Central Com-
<n ce of the Cothmnunise "Palty of

to grind its own axe. We shared the

conviction that you would protect the
Leninist principle of democratic cent-
ralism as the apple of your eye. For
the flouting of any aspect of this prin-
ciple, democracy or centralism, inevit-
ably serves to weaken the party and

its guiding role by transforming the

party into either a bureaucratic organ-
ization or debating club. We discussed
all these matters time and again at the
meetings we had and received from
you assurances that you are aware of
all the dangers and are fully resolved
to repulse them.

Unfortunately events have taken
another course.

Capitalizing on the weakening of
party leadership of the country and
demagogically abusing the slogan of.
“democratization,” the forces of reac-
tion triggered off a campaign against
the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
and its honest and devoted cadres,
Clearly seeking to abolish the party’s
leading role, subvert the socialist sys-
tem, and place Czechoslovakia in op-
position to the other socialist coun-
tries.

The political organizations and clubs
that have emerged of late outside the
framework of the national front have
become in effect, headquarters of the
forces of reaction. The social demo-
crats are doggedly striving to establish
their own party, are organizing under-
ground committees, and are seeking to
cleave the working class movement in
Czechoslovakia and to take over the
leadership of the country in order to
effect a bourgeois restoration. Anti-
socialist and revisionist forces have
laid hand on the press, radio and tele-
vision, making of them a rostrum for
attacking the Communist Party, dis-
orienting the working class and all
working folk, sweeping forth uncurbed
anti-socialist demagogy and undermin-
ing the friendly relations between the
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and
the other socialist countries. Some
Mass communication media are car-
rying on a systematic campaign of
real moral terror against people oppos-
ing the forces of reaction or voicing
anxiety over the trend of develop-
ments. 4 ‘

Despite the decisions of the May

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20 gn PAGIRIC TRIBUNE SERTEMBER IH W968 Pose 4

—

Czechoslovakia which indicated the
threat emanating from Right-wing and
anti-communist forces as the main
danger, the increasing attacks that
reaction has mounted have not met
with any rebuff. This is precisely why

reaction has been able to publicly ad-

dress the entire country and to: print
its political platform under the title
of “The 2,000 Words,” which contain
an_ ou right call for struggle against
the Communist Party and constitutio-
nal authority, for strikes and disord-
ers. This: call represents a_ serious
danger to the party, the national front
and the socialist state and is an at-
tempt to introduce anarchy. In essence
this statement is the organization‘and
political platform of counter-revolu-
tion. The claims made by its writers
that they do not seek to overthrow the
socialist system, operate without the
communists or rupture alliances with
the socialist countries, should kid
nobody. This is empty talk, the pur-
pose of which is to legalize the plat-
form of counter-revolution and hood-
wink the vigilance of the party, the
working class and all the working folk.

Far from being repudiated, this plat-
form being so extensively circulated

‘at a responsible moment on the eve of

dno

aalte

that the'p 2
sonthi CSF j9sq29

a

the extraordinary congress of the
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia,
has, on the_contrary, found obvious
advocates in the party rank and file
and leadership, who second the anti-
socialist calls.

Anti-socialist and revisionist forces
smear all the activities of the Com-
munist Party, wage a slander cam-
paign against its cadres, discredit its
honesty and loyalty to the party com-
munists.

A situation has thus arisen which is
absolutely unacceptable for a socialist
country.

It is in this atmosphere that attacks
are also being made on the C.S.S.R.
socialist foreign policy, on the alliance
and friendship with socialist countries.
Voices are heard demanding a revision
of our common coordinated policy as
regards the F.R.G., despite the fact
that the West German government in-
variably pursues a policy hostile to
the interests of the security of our
countries. The flirt of the F.R.G. auth-
orities and revenge-seekers meets with
response among leading quarters of
your country.

The entire course of events in your

country in recent months shows that .

the forces of counter-revolutions, sup-
ported by imperialist centres, have de-
veloped a broad offensive on the so-
cialist system without meeting due
resistance on the part of the Party
and the people’s power. There is no
doubt that the centres of international
imperialist reaction are also involved
in these events in Czechoslovakia, and
are doing everything to inflame and
aggravate the situation, inspiring anti-
socialist forces to act in this direction.
The bourgeois press under the pretext
of praising “democratization” and
“liberalization” in the C.S.S.R._ is
waging an_ instigative campaign
against the fraternal socialist coun-
tries. F.R.G. ruling quarters are espe-
cially active, attempting to use the
events in Czechoslovakia to sow dis-
cord between the socialist countries,
isolate the G.D.R. and carry out their
revenge-seeking designs.

Don’t you, comrades, see these

dangers? Is it possible under such .

conditions to remain passive, to limit
oneself to mere declarations and as-.
surances Of loyalty to the cause of so-
cialism and allied obligations? Don’t
you see that counter-revolution is
wrestling from you one position after
another, that the party is losing con-
trol over the course of events and is
further retreating under the pressure
of anti-communist forces?

Is it not for the purpose of sowing
distrust and enmity towards the Soviet
Union. and eat socialist countries

That
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high booth idscads.

io and ‘televisibh of

your country unleashed a campaig
connection with the staff eXerCigg
the armed forces of the Wa
Treaty organization? Matters

far as the joint staff exercises o¥
troops with the participation of Se
units of the Soviet army, custo,
for military cooperation,
used for groundless accusatio
violating the sovereignty of
C.S.S.R. And this is taking pla,
Czechoslovakia, the people of
sacredly honor the memory of
servicemen who gave their liv,
the freedom and sovereignty of
country. At the same time, n@ay
Western borders of your Coy
exercises of military forces
NATO aggressive block are being

-ducted with the participation of

army of _revenge-seeking We
Germany. But not a single Wo,
mentioned about this. 3

The inspirers of this unfry
campaign aparently wish to
the minds of the Czechoslovak
disorient them and undermine |
truth that Czechoslovakia can
her independence and Sovereignty
as a socialist country, as a mem}
the socialist community. And on),
enemies of socialism can today -
ate on the slogan of “defendi :
sovereignty” of the C.S.S.R. fr9,
socialist countries, from those
tries with whom alliance and fray
cooperation create a most |
foundation of the independen
free development of each Of
peoples.

It is our conviction that a si
has arisen, in which the threat
foundations of socialism in ;
slovakia jeopardizes the comm
interest of other socialist coy.
The people of our states woulq
forgive us for being indifferey
lighthearted in the face of. Sy
danger. 2

We are living in such a time
peace, security and freedom of ».
more than ever demand the Yj
the forces of socialism. The in,
tional tension is not relaxing.
can imperialism has not reject,
policy of strength and open
vention against the peoples, Ay
for freedom. It continues its
war in Vietnam, supports Is
gressors in the Middle act, beng
peaceful settlement of the coe
The arms race has not been
down. The Federal Republic ar
many, in which the neo-fascist .
are growing, is attacking the |
quo, demanding revision of the.
ers, does not want to give up ity _
ations either for seizing the GY
for getting access to nuclear We.
and opposes the disarmament pra
In Europe, where tremendous m 8
mass destructions have been ang
ated, peace and security of peo,
maintained first of all thanks
power, unity and peaceful Pay
the socialist states. All of us
ponsible for this power and ae
the socialist countries, for the y
of peace. ‘

Our countries are linked wiy,
another by treaties and agrent
These important mutual obligaty,.
states and peoples are based 4
general aspiration to defend s .
and ensure collective security
socialist countries. Historic a
dla rests on our parties an’
ples for the revolutiona :
be lost. Rs t

Each of our parties is resp
not only to its working class
people, but also to the interne
working class, the world COM,
movement and cannot evade the
ations following from this. The

we must be solid and uni
defending the gains of socialist’

security and the internati
tions of the whole of ona)
community.

is why wei believe that
rebuff td7 thé! an se ;
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