sai” ‘tient

WORLD

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_Kashtan: Peace and

perestroika go together |

The following speech was delivered by CPC General
Secretary William Kashtan during the Nov. 7th 70th
Anniversary celebrations in Moscow:

Our delegation wishes to thank the CPSU for or-
ganizing this exchange. The large numbers of par-
ticipants attending, including many social democratic
and Socialist parties, labour parties and other move-
ments is a tribute to the openness, to glasnost and
perestroika which typifies the work of the CPSU. It
marks an important point of change from the sharp
relationship which characterized the relations of the
two wings of the working class, the reformist and
revolutionary wings. Their presence at this inter-
national forum creates possibilities for the develop-
ment of a continuing dialogue, not a *‘dialogue of the
deaf,’ but a meaningful one which could lead to a
qualitative change in the world-wide struggle for a
nuclear free world. Our Party welcomes this
development and only hopes that the New Demo-
cratic Party in Canada will also eventually participate
in this dialogue.

In our country, as in most countries, there is great
interest in perestroika, something our Party wel-
comes and supports.

Peace and perestroika go together. They are in-
separable.

It has been correctly said that we are at a turning
point in international developments. The INF agree-
ment, when signed, will mark an important victory for
the USSR and other socialist countries, the cause

of peace as well as the peace movements every-
where.

~""'It could open up a new situation in politics provid-

ing it is followed up by further measures leading to a
nuclear free and violence free world by the year 2000.

However, U.S. imperialism and its NATO allies
refuse to give up nuclear weapons. They refuse to give
up Star Wars and the first strike nuclear strategy
which is its essential characteristic.

There are no guarantees as yet of a fundamental
change in the U.S. administration. There are strong
forces in the world, the most aggressive, militarist and
revanchist elements, who want to upset the agree-
ment and prevent further agreements.

They refuse to give up nuclear weapons saying they
are necessary to maintain peace. This argument of
nuclear deterrence calls for systematic exposure.

One should be alert and vigilant to the efforts of
imperialism to counter agreement on INF with re-
newed measures of armaments. _

We all agree that the issue today is that of survival.

We likewise agree with the aim of winning a nv-
clear-free world by the year 2000. This is a priority
task in today’s world. :

To achieve this aim will require tremendous effort
and much more powerful mass pressures than ever in
our respective countries.

Are there the possibilities of achieving coordination
of effort internationally to achieve the objective of a
nuclear free world by the year 2000 — a coordination
of effort which could embrace all peace forces, politi-
cal parties, governments, the trade union movement
and other democratic forces?

It seems to our Party that this is an objective which
should be at the centre of our attention now, linked, of
course, to other step-by-step measures leading in that
direction.

There is all the more reason for this in light of efforts
by NATO to counter the elimination of INF by
deploying new nuclear forces in Europe. These op-
tions include deploying new fighter aircraft, battlefield
missiles, air-launched cruise missiles and other
weapons with nuclear warheads in Europe.

This re-emphasizes the remarks of comrade
Gorbachev delivered in Murmansk that ‘‘there are
signs of improvement in the international situation but
I repeat, there are also disquieting aspects which are
fraught with a sharp aggravation of the situation in the
world. It would be irresponsible on our part to under-
estimate the forces of resistance to change.”’

This position emanating from Washington and
other capitals is not separate from the desire to put
roadblocks in the way of perestroika, “‘trip’’ the
Soviet Union up, wear it down and prevent it from
showing in practice its superiority over capitalism.

This is all the more reason to expand the fight for
peace.

The fight for peace which has reached a new stage
finds its reflection in Canada also.

The fight for peace in our country centres around
the issue of an independent foreign policy of peace.
This emphasis on an independent foreign policy arises
from Canada’s relationship with the USA eco-
nomically, politically, in foreign policy and in a geo-
graphic sense.

The election of the Mulroney government in 1984
resulted in a marked increase in economic and milit-
ary integration with the USA.

Economic integration found its expression around
the issue of free trade with the USA. If implemented it
would seriously undermine Canada’s sovereignty and
independence.

Military integration finds expression in military al-
liances between Canada and the USA. The North
American Aerospace agreement opens the door to

Communist and Workers parties adjoining the North

and the Arctic zones to coordinate their efforts “4
against militarization of the North and Arctic zones.
Our Party has called for making the North and Arctic

nuclear weapons free zones — a demand we are sure ~
expresses the views of other parties in that part of the aq
world. a

We welcome comrade Gorbachev’s statement ~
made in Murmansk, to make the North and Arctic
zones of peace.

This statement combined with positions advanced
for other regions of the world demonstrates again the ~
determination of the Soviet Union to strengthen the
forces of peace in all parts of the world and push back
the forces of war.

Our party is mindful of the fact that Canada cannot
be’ secure unless the world is secure. It therefore
strives constantly to combine peace demands speci-
fically related to Canada with peace demands of a
universal character.

Our Party likewise strives to link up the fight for
peace with the demand for social progress. A oneé-
sided approach in either direction could fail to involve
the working class as an active force for peace in the
present complicated situation.

“Concern about the
present situation has
stimulated peace actions
and the coming together
of all peace movements
in Canada.”

Canada’s involvement in Star Wars, renewal of U.S.
Cruise missile testing on Canadian soil, despite
agreement to end it with the elimination of INF, the
White paper on defence which would integrate Cana-
da’s naval strategy to the polar strategy of the Penta-
gon, these and other measures would open the door to
tying Canada hand and foot to U.S. imperialist policy.

These military alliances with U.S. imperialism
place Canada in the front line were the reactionary
forces of U.S. imperialism to understake its Star Wars
first strike nuclear strategy.

These and other developments have aroused grow-
ing Opposition amongst Canadians and given new im-
petus to the demand for an independent foreign pol-
icy. The demand for a change of policy and for a
change of government is gaining in strength. It could
find reflection in the coming federal election either in
1988 or 1989.

Concern about the present international situation
has stimulated peace actions and the coming together
of all peace movements in Canada around the Cana-
dian Peace Assembly.

It has compelled the Liberal Party to restate its
tecently held convention policy, that of ending U.S.
Cruise missile testing on Canadian soil.

It has compelled the New Democratic Party in its
defence statement to come out against NATO and
NORAD, against U.S. Cruise missile testing in Cana-
dian soil, for making Canada a nuclear weapons free
zone, make the North and Arctic nuclear weapons
free zones including the demand for cancellation of
the decision to build 10 nuclear powered submarines.

It has compelled the Canadian Labour Congress to
declare its intention to campaign for making Canada a
nuclear weapons free zone.

Itis on this basis and with an eye to a coming federal
election that the Canadian Peace Assembly has
undertaken a peace pledge campaign directed to com-
pel every candidate in the coming election to declare
themselves on the concrete aspects of an independent
foreign policy. —

In this connection it would be useful for all the

Not least, we strive to combine the struggle for-
peace and against U.S. imperialism with an active and
energetic struggle against the neo-global policies of
U.S. imperialism.

Our delegation was very interested in the presenta-
tion by comrade Gorbachev yesterday in which he -
called for new thinking. New thinking calls for deep
thinking. As comrade Gorbachev said ‘‘we are en-
gaged in a search.”’ ;

What areas should be looked for?

Is it the question of survival or does it also include’
fundamental questions of Marxism-Leninism as is
suggested in some quarters? If so, one should be
specific so that the questions involved can be debated.

It would be useful in our common effort to pin some
of these questions down. Perhaps one way could be to
hold a series of seminars over a period of time on
such-like questions.

One such question is the place of Communist and
Workers parties in a rapidly changing world. We fully
agree with comrade Gorbachev’s statement that ‘‘in
the modern world the Communist movement needs
renewal and qualitative changes.’’ Yes, there is need
for renewal and qualitative changes. This is why we
also welcome the proposal ‘“‘that Communist and
Workers parties, Socialists, Social Democrats and
others join in the search.”

We all need more thought on these questions.

I hope it will be possible to develop maximum
cooperation here. The new situation demands it.

Again allow me to express the appreciation of our
delegation on the organization of this international
forum. It is being held at a good time, when the 70th
anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution
is being celebrated here and in all parts of the world. It
is also being held at a time when perestroika and
glasnost is changing the image of socialism and mak-
ing it an ever more attractive force in the world. The
changes opening up is making the Soviet Union a
magnet both in the fight for peace and in the fight for
social progress. We wish the CPSU, the peoples of the
Soviet Union further successes in their great effort.

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8 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 2, 1987