WORLD

1985 — USSR readies
for three major events

MOSCOW — Next year will be very special for the
Soviet Union. It will be highlighted by the widespread
and mass commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the
victory over fascism in the Great Patriotic War. Pre-
parations will also be made for the 27th Congress of the
Communist Party, a new and updated party program will
be submitted to the Congress, an event that will arouse
much interest here and throughout the world.

In July and August, Moscow will be the scene of the
12th World Festival of Youth and Students. According
to all reports, this will be the greatest and most likely the
largest festival of its kind ever held. Every Canadian
youth who will have the opportunity to join the delega-
tion should do so. From what I have learned, the pro-
gram will be exciting, interesting and with something for
every taste, addressing itself to current problems of
young people and featuring a wide range of cultural and
sports events.

Next year will also be significant because the Soviet -
people can be expected to go all-out for the effective
completion of the current Five Year Plan. In a recent
speech to the Political Bureau of the CPSU, Konstantine
Chernenko, First Secretary, pointed out that while na-
tional economic development in the first two years fell
somewhat short of expectations, the steps taken to re-
medy that situation have been effective. The last two
years have seen big successes in all sectors of the econ-
omy. This, in turn, has had a favorable effect on the
standard of living.

Behind this statement there is a story of hard, down- ~
to-earth work to upgrade economic management. There
has been a more exacting attitude to executives at all
levels and the enhancement of their responsibility for the
state of affairs. Also, there has been a decided improve-
ment in labor and workplace discipline. All relevant
public organizations have been involved and there has
been very wide public support.

However, Chernenko pointed out that there is no
room for complacency or smug satisfaction. In particu-
lar, he singled out the product-range for criticism. The
social section of the plan for the next year provides for a

From Moscow
Jack Phillips

real increase of incomes by 3.3 per cent. Special em-
phasis will be placed on the improvement of cultural
standards, housing construction and service facilities.
The centralized increase in the pay of teachers and farm
workers will continue. Privileges and benefits for vete-
rans of the Great Patriotic War will be expanded.

One short sentence in Chernenko’s speech tells a big
story: ‘‘The requirements relating to building up the
country’s defence potential have been duly taken into
account.”’ This is a reminder to aggressive leaders in the
West that the USSR is prepared to effectively defend
itself, if necessary. It also underscores the fact that living
standards could be improved much faster if the threat of
war could be laid to rest. !

I have talked to many Soviet people about this matter
and everyone understands this fact of life and supports:
the positive peace policy of the government. The Cher-
nenko speech again repeated a phrase which you find in
many documents here: rationalizing work and raising its
productivity. This does not mean, as many hostile critics
in the West would have us believe, that Soviet pro-
duction is a failure. It means that despite the many
notable successes which have been scored, higher goals
must be set to ensure that the people will get the full
benefit of the scientific and technological revolution, in
terms of higher living standards and better service
facilities.

The fact of the matter is that the incomes of working
people are growing every year and consumers are de-
manding more high quality products. Volume is not

PHOTO — TASS

* gaged in the production of goods and services, and to

At the recent World Youth Festival meeting in Moscow.
Photo: Canadian Young Communist League leader, Syl-
vie Baillargeon (centre) with several participants.

sufficient. The emphasis is now on quality. As Cher-
nenko said, people want more fashionable clothes and
footwear, modern and reliable TV sets and refrigerators
and other technically advanced household appliances.
‘‘Such quality goods are in short supply’’, he told the
Political Bureau meeting. Industry proved to be un- —
prepared for this change in demand. It continues to —
produce in abundance low quality consumer goods, |
while quality goods for which demand is highare scarce. |

-As a result, against the background of general growth |
in commodity stocks there is overstocking in some |
commodities, while others are in short supply. How- —
ever, the Party leader made it quite clear that the Party —
will leave no stone unturned to mobilize industry, public
organizations and the workers themselves to ensure a
boost in all branches and sectors of the economy en-

assure the necessary raw products and materials.
Everything for the sake of man, for the benefit of man.
It is in that spirit that the working people of this country —
will accept the plan for next year as a program of action |
and fulfill it. For the Communists of this country, the —
successful completion of the Five-Year-Plan is the main —
target up to the 27th Congress of the CPSU.

International Focus

Tom Morris

PHOTO — PRENSA LATINA

World Court
will speak

Last week the International
Court of Justice at The Hague,
the judicial arm of the United
Nations, agreed to consider
Nicaragua’s charges of aggres-
sion against the United States.

In so doing, the Court re-
jected a desperate U.S. at-
tempt to have the case thrown
out and/or have its actions
exempt from the Court’s juris-
diction.

On May 10, 1984 the Interna-
tional Court brought down its
preliminary ruling. It came
after concerted efforts by the
U.S. to stop the proceedings,
including a unilateral threat by
Washington that it would re-

- fuse to be bound by that body’s
~ opinion.

The Court said then: ‘‘The
United States should immediately
cease and refrain from any action
restricting, blocking or endanger-
ing access to or from Nicaraguan
ports, and in particular, the lay-

Sin: ens: el ict + B®

DREcE

Nicaragua mourns victims of U.S.-backed attacks. More than 8,000

8 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 5, 1984

have been murdered since contras started operations in 1981.

ing of mines.
It also ruled the United

_ States should recognize: “‘The

right to sovereignty and to poli-
tical independence possessed by
Nicaragua . . . should be fully re-
spected and should not in any way
be jeopardized by any military
and paramilitary activities pro-
hibited by the paneinnes of inter-
national law .

The Court sted agreed to
keep the situation under re-
view pending a decision on
whether to proceed on Nica-
ragua’s charges.

Now it is settled. The Court
will proceed.

Reagan is faced with a di-
lemma: either abide by a ruling
of the Court or be declared an
international outcast, a lawless
nation.

While a final ruling may take
time, the preliminary decision
last May, added to subsequent
facts (continued and escalated
U.S. aggression and threats),
would indicate Washington
certainly has cause for concern
the charges will be proven.

The boys in the White House
with their new mandate, who
today are condemned morally
for their actions against Nica-
ragua, now face the prospect of
also being condemned of-
ficially by international law.

Canada’s new
Caribbean role

One of the bi-products of the
U.S. invasion of Grenada last
year is a newly-found interest
by Washington and its western
allies in measures to prevent
liberation movements from
prevailing in the region.

This concern does not apply
to the task of helping overcome
poverty and serious economic
problems which plague vir-
tually every island in the area.
It isn’t aimed at illiteracy, in-
fant mortality or the like.

What Reagan and _ his
‘*friendly’’ governments in the
Caribbean have concluded is
that a beefed-up, well-trained
and modernized police and
military force is the answer.

These two recent items in
the Barbados Advocate show
what’s happening: Oct. 13,
1984; ‘‘Five Barbados De-
fence Force (BDF) members
are undergoing training with
the Canadian —_ Armed
Forces ... under a ‘‘Military
Training Assistance Pro-
gram ... Courses include the
learning of skills in such areas
as telecommunications, but
the source said soldiers may
also take what he described as
‘*Combat Leaders Course”’.

Nov. 20, 1984: ‘‘Grenada
has taken delivery of a radio

Keeping the Caribbean safe for
Reagan: U.S. trooper training
mercenaries in Florida.

communications system pro-
vided by Canada for the police
force here. The equipment in-
cludes mobile units, repeater
stations and base stations. The
present unit is to be replaced
by a more modern one by next
August.”

These items, plus news re-

ports of RCMP personnel

training Grenadians clearly

show Canada is neck deep in
Reagan’s ‘‘assistance’’ plans
designed to quell public dis-
sent, keep track of it by new
technological methods and
keep the status quo firmly in
place.

It isn’t a big jump from this
sort of ‘‘aid’’ to an active pol-
icy, as the U.S. has, to train,
finance. and equip killers for
more overt action.

TT TEE PORE ETE TTI TR