World

Robinson
visits site
of quake;
urges aid
for housing

By SERGEI BURANOV

MOSCOW (APN) — Svend Rob-
inson, NDP MP for Burnaby, and the
first Canadian politician to have tra-
velled to the earthquake stricken area
in Armenia, stated here Feb 24 that he
wants the Canadian government to
increase its relief aid to Armenians.

The needs of these people are very
serious, he said, adding that the over-
riding priority is for the reconstruc-
tion of housing.

“The Canadian engineers and
architects could assist t6 design new

houses. We could also provide finan-_

cial help in rebuilding the housing as
well as the assistance with skilled per-
sonnel. As an immediate response I
will be also urging our government to
provide specially designed beds for
injured children,” he said in an inter-
view in Moscow.

Robinson spent two weeks in the
Soviet Union. Apart from Moscow
and Yerevan, he visited Spitak and
Leninakan, two cities which had been
worst affected by last December’s
earthquake in Armenia. He had also
talks with Grant Voskanian, chair-
man of the Armenian parliament.

He said he could not compare the
Canadian relief effort with other
countries’ assistance, but he wanted
Canada to be one of the leaders in this
area. He said he would be working
with the Armenian communities in
Canada in pursuing his proposal.

“IT was most impressed with the
spirit and the determination of
Armenians. Even after all the trauma
they have been through, every person
I spoke with in Yerevan wants to
return to his or her home in Lenina-
kan. They have a very strong sense of
pride in their homeland. I believe they

The devastation of Spitak, Arme-
nia; Svend Robinson.

will return, but that will be a process
of great difficulty,” Robinson said. —

He said he hoped that physical
reconstruction in Armenia could be
completed over a period of two years.
Within the next three weeks, a special
team from Canada is to visit Armenia
to determine the key needs, both short
and long term.

There are some longer term lessons
that we must learn, he added. ‘First
there must be an international co-
ordinating body to respond imme-
diately to a crisis of this nature. I will
propose to the Canadian government
that it should suggest to the United
Nations to create a new agency
funded by all UN members that could
have contingency plans in case of nat-
ural disasters and could immediately
call upon the best experts and use the
available best equipment to co-
ordinate rescue efforts in situations
such as in Armenia,” he said.

“The other positive thing that has
come out of this tragedy is quite
clearly the openness of the Soviet
Union to the international commun-
ity in this situation,” he added.

“My first visit to the USSR was in
1981. At that time it would not have
been possible even to report this disas-
ter, let alone let people in to assist.
There has been a significant step for-
ward and if the nations of the world
have learned anything from this terri-
ble disaster, that is we must work
together and co-ordinate our efforts.
That is why I am proposing an inter-
national effort under the auspices of

the United Nations.”
Some 25,000 were killed, 130,000°

injured and 500,000 left homeless by
the earthquake in Armenia.

8 e Pacific Tribune, March 6, 1989

The following media release was issued
Feb. 10 by the Embassy of the People’s
Republic of China in Ottawa on settlement of
the Kampuchea issue following the visit of
Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevard-
nadze to Beijing where he met with PRC
Foreign Minister Quan Qichen. They set forth
their respective positions and reached agree-
ment on the following points (abridged):

1. The two sides stand for.a fair and
reasonable political settlement of the Kam-
puchean question at the earliest possible
date and express their readiness to make
efforts to help attain this objective.

2. (They) hold the view that the Vietna-
mese troop withdrawal from Kampuchea is
an important component ofa political settle-
ment. They take note of the decision

~ announced by Vietnam to withdraw all its

troops by the end of September 1989 at the
latest, and hope that the implementation of
the decision will facilitate the process of
negotiations on settling other aspects of the
Kampuchean question. ;

After complete withdrawal of Vietna-
mese troops, there should be no presence of
foreign troops and military bases on Kam-
puchean territory.

3. They hold that with the withdrawal of
Vietnamese troops, all countries concerned
should gradually reduce and eventually stop
totally their military aid to any of the parties
in Kampuchea.

4.They take the view that the internal
problems of Kampuchea should be settled
through negotiations by the parties in
Kampuchea on the basis of national recon-
ciliation and free from any outside interfer-
ence. They welcome the dialogue among the
four parties in Kampuchea and hope this
dialogue will develop in a fruitful way. _.

The Chinese side stands for the estab-
lishment of a provisional coalition govern-
ment in Kampuchea headed by Prince
Sihanouk and with quadripartite represen-
tation.

The Soviet side will support an agree-
ment among the four parties in Kampuchea

on the establishment of a provisional organ
under the charge of Sihanouk and with
quadripartite representation. This organ
should not be subordinate to any party in
Kampuchea, and its task is to implement
agreements reached by the parties in Kam-
puchea and to conduct free elections,

China and the Soviet Union will respect
the results of future free elections in Kam-
puchea.

5. It is the view and concern of both sides
that after withdrawal of foreign troops, no
dangerous situation should emerge and no
civil war should break out. The two sides
will welcome an agreement among the four
parties in Kampuchea on effective measures
to prevent such developments, including
measures on cessation of all hostile military
actions and a freeze on the armed forces to
be followed by their possible reduction.

The two sides stand for non-return to the
policies and practices of a recent past in
Kampuchea. They consider it necessary and
important for an effective international con-
trol mechanism to be established and exer-
cise strict international supervision over
Vietnamese troop withdrawal, cessation of
foreign military aid, maintenance of peace
in Kampuchea and conduct of free elec-
tions.

6. They are of the view that the UN
mechanism may play its appropriate role in
the process of political settlement as condi-
tions gradually present themselves. The
sides favour convening an international
conference on Kampuchea when conditions
are ripe.

7. They hold that following withdrawal
of foreign troops, an international guaran-

tee should be instituted for the status of ©

Kampuchea as an independent, peaceful,
neutral and non-aligned state. China and
the USSR express their willingness to join in
this international guarantee.

8. The two sides agree to continue to
discuss their remaining difference of views

on settling certain aspects of the Kampu- .

chean question.

Peru’s United Left
leads despite terror

By MARC FRANK

Following the murder last week of Saul
Cantoral, the 42-year-old leader of the Mine
and Metal Workers Union, the press in Peru
is warning that the country may be headed
toward civil war.

Cantoral, also a leader of Peru’s
Communist-led General Confederation of
Workers, was kidnapped Feb. 13 along
with Consuelo Garcia, the 26-year-old head
of the women’s auxiliary. Cantoral was tor-
tured before being shot six times in the back.
Garcia was run over by a car. Right-wing
death squads are believed to be responsible.

The assassination of Cantoral and Gar-
cia follows the massacre two weeks ago of
eight leaders of the Agricultural Workers
Union and the disappearance of the head of
the Customs Workers Union. The Lima
press reports that workers are forming self-
defence corps and taking other protective
measures.

Some 90,000 miners staged a one-day
general strike Feb. 16 to protest the
murders. Workers throughout the country
are demanding a general strike for this
week. On Friday thousands of workers
marched through the Peruvian capital
charging the big mining corporations and
“servants of imperialism” with the rise of

the death squads and demanding that those
responsible be brought to justice.

Despite its promises of a better life and
peace, the social democratic government
headed by President Alan Garcia has
proved impotent in the face of the foreign
debt crisis and the ongoing war between the
Peruvian military and the Maoist Sendiro
Luminoso (Shining Path) organization.
Rock-bottom living standards have con-
tinued to decline and the war has spread.
Much of the country remains under a state
of seige and military control.

Peru’s main political opposition party,
the United Left, has condemned Garcia’s
refusal to call a debt moratorium and takea
position opposing the country’s ruling class
and military. The coalition, which includes
the Communist Party, has also condemned
Sendiro Luminoso as little more than mur-
derers and provocateurs. The group often
attacks United Left leaders.

Local elections are slated for November
and general elections for next year. The
United left is given an excellent chance of
winning both. Many observers warn that
increasing right-wing violence is aimed at
creating a climate of terror, destabilizing the
country and preventing the left’s expected
victory.

-] Agreement reached
; | onKampuchea talks ©