40 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, OCTOBER 2, 1985 GENEVA SUMMIT 1985 rors 61) CO AO | CANADA’S ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY To speak out for peace, ae intemational cooperation In this exclusive interview, William Kashtan, leader of the Communist Party of Canada, responds to the Tribune’s questions about the forthcoming Gor- bachev-Reagan summit meeting. * * * Tribune: You may wish to’ make an introductory comment as well as respond- ing to our first question: Is there a role for Canada in connection with the summit meeting, and what could the Canadian Government do, not being one of the major participants? Kashtan: The eyes of the world will be looking at the summit this November, and understandably so, because its out- come will decide whether the world is on a course to disarmament and peace or to increased international tensions, in- creased armaments programs and shar- pening of the dangers involved in the militarization of space by the United States. The Canadian people cannot ignore or sidestep their responsibility to ensure which direction the summit will take. There are efforts afoot stemming from the United States to either scuttle or pre- vent a positive outcome of the summit meeting. We see it in the recent anti- satellite operation (ASAT), the use of a laser weapon to destroy a ‘‘simulated Soviet rocket booster,’’ and we see it in President Reagan’s latest comment re- fusing to negotiate on the SDI program, which he now shows to be more than a research program. He has indicated it includes development and testing. This shows how correct the criticism of SDI is — that, in fact, the next step is deploy- ment. It points up also the danger to Canada in being drawn into the Star Wars i Reagan’s remarks come at a moment when to militarize space is tantamount to _ ignoring world opinion and, irrespective of the firm declaration of the Soviet Union that there can be no movement toward disarmament which leaves out the question of the militarization of space. It suggests that the U.S. govern- ment is not seeking agreement with the USSR on this vital question. It is exactly opposite to the position of the Soviet Union which; two years ago undertook unilaterally, not to put anti- satellite systems into outer space. \ All of this suggests there are forces in the U.S. who want to prevent agreement leading to arms control based on equality and equal security. buffed by the United States. If Canada is to speak for peace, as it must, it is im- portant to point to the source of the danger of war. The source is the United + States administration and its nuclear Tribune: What are the factors in Cana- dian Government policy which have, or could have, either a positive or negative effect on the summit, and on our under- standing of the summit? Kashtan: At this crucial moment, Canada, the Canadian people and the Canadian Government have a great re- sponsibility to help ensure that the sum- mit leads to some positive conclusions, opens the door to prevention of an arms race in space and stops it on earth... Unfortunately, the Canadian Government seems to have lent itself to U.S. manoeuvres by leaving a way open to its participation in Star Wars. While the government has said it will not take part directly in SDI, it has also agreed to indirect participation through research institutes and companies. Ex- ternal Affairs Minister Clark says that the government will underwrite financially such programs. This means that against the will of the Canadian people Canada is becoming an accomplice in the U.S. administration’s attempts to break the parity that pre- sently exists between the USA and the Soviet Union. It means that Canada is helping the United States to achieve mili- tary superiority over the Soviet Union, even though it could cause, in the end, great harm to Canada. We should bear in mind that Star Wars is an integral part of the USA’s strategy of a thinkable and winnable nuclear war. Canada could play a positive role in influencing the results of the summit meeting if it spoke up against the mili- tarization of space and declared, categor- ically, that outer space should be used only for peace; if it declared full support to the Soviet Union’s call for inter- national co-operation in the participation in an outer space program, if it supported ' the proposal advanced by the Soviet Union in the United Nations for an inter- national conference on space research, and supported likewise the proposition for the establishment of an international space organization. But who prevents its success? Every move by the Soviet Union has been re- Your Future is on the line . The Summit's outcome is vitally important. Materials in this special Tribune supplement aim to help in the weeks before » Geneva to intensify the struggle for peace _. and urge Ottawa to work for its success. | | Extra copies: Pacific Tribune 2681 East Van., B.C. V5K 1Z5 sie . 251-1186 strategy. In order to speak for peace, Canada must put its own house in order and stop being a doormat for the United States. Tribune: How important is the peace movement in Canada in influencing the government toward alternative policies in foreign relations and on peace? Kashtan: The peace movements throughout the world and in our country play an exceptionally important role, be- cause they rally public opinion to in- fluence government policy. Unfortunate- ly, in our country the peace forces are not yet strong enough to force the govern- ment to retreat from its present course, but they are moving in that direction. They have influenced municipal coun- cils, they have influenced provinces to come out in support of making Canada a nuclear weapons-free zone. They are making people conscious of their strength, if they use that strength proper- ly. The peace’ movements are absolutely decisive and, in this connection, October 26 ought to be the centre of a major demonstration, in locations where that is the rallying date, not only against Star Wars, but for the successful outcome of the summit. Action is necessary on two fronts, to compel the government to change course and refuse or stop the financing of com- panies and research institutes whose purpose is to support and to help carry through the Star Wars program. And, secondly, as in the United States, so in Canada, to urge scientists and others in- volved to publicly declare themselves opposed to Star Wars research and to refuse to participate in it. Tribune: Trade unions are taking a broader view of their own concerns now. What responsibility do you see for them in relation to peace and Canada’s foreign policy? Kashtan: The role of the trade union movement is very important because if they act for peace they can influence the course of events — and when I speak of acting for peace, I don’t refer only to resolutions, but to action. For example, if the longshoremen and the trade union movement be it in Van- couver, Montreal, Halifax, St. John’s or anywhere else where there are port cities were to say that they will not permit the shipment of goods to or the entry of goods from South Africa, it’s clear that would have a salutory effect on the out- come of the struggle against apartheid. Similarly with respect to the pro- duction of arms for the war program of the United States administration. If the trade union movement were to battle through on the issue and call for the con- version of such plants for peacetime pro- duction, obviously it would have an enormous impact on the struggle for peace. Tribune: How do the activities and the published materials of the Communist Party of Canada contribute to the KASHTAN: The Canadian people and government should ensure the Summit leads to poSitive conclusions... that it opens the door to preventing an arms race in space and stops it on earth... requirements you have outlined above? What key points is the party striving to get across? Kashtan: We all recognize, of course, that peace won’t come by itself. It has to be fought for.. And insofar as the Com- munist Party of Canada is concerned, we see the summit as the beginning of a new process. It could lead to the easing of international tension. It could lead to the agreement on serious measures for dis- armament, which could lead to the pre- vention of war in space and on earth. It could result in compelling the United States Government to accept the prin- ciple of security and equality of security, which is the bottom line with respect to the achievement of agreement between the Soviet Union and the United States. But it must also include agreement by the United States against interfering in the internal affairs of other countries; it must agree to go beyond the detente of yesterday, and to give it a more solid footing that would open the door to a stable peace in the world. We see this as an essential ingredient of a successful summit. Our party has done and is continuing to do everything possible to help people realize the source of the war danger — United States imperialism; to help people overcome the erroneous view of so-called dual responsibility, that social- ism and imperialism are equally respon- sible. Working people can readily see how workers and employers cannot be on an equal footing — one exploiting, the other fighting exploitation, one firing workers, the workers fighting for jobs. Their attitudes, positions and programs are diametrically opposed. This applies even more so in compar- ing socialism and imperialism. Imperial- ism, by its very nature is aggressive. Socialism, by its very nature upholds peace, fights for peace, because only in conditions of peace can it build its econ- omy and show the world that socialism is superior in every way to imperialism — to capitalism. Those who take the position of dual responsibility, in effect help to weaken the fight for peace by failing to focus on the enemy of peace, imperialism itself. Our party sees it as its dual task to broaden the peace movement in every possible way, and while doing so, to help the peace forces understand that the source of the war danger is imperialism. In today’s conditions there will be no losers and no victors in war — everyone will lose. All of this emphasizes that there is no sane alternative to peaceful co- existence, and this is what the Com- munist Party strives for, and tries to in- fluence public support for, in order to help the process that could lead to the summit, this time, opening up new pros- pects for peace.