Examples of internationalism, _ mutual respect and trust At the 25th CPSU Congress in Moscow (L to R): Gustav Husak, Czechoslovakia; Alvaro Cunhal, Portugal; Fidel Castro, Cuba; Willi Stoph and Erich Honecher, German Democratic Republic and Le Duan, Democratic Republic of Vietnam. MOSCOW — Guests to the 25th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in- cluded many leading revolutio- nary and government figures who spoke of the role of the USSR in international affairs, its policy of peaceful co-existence and its sup- port of independence and national liberation movements the world over. Le Duan, first secretary of the Vietnam Workers’ Party em- phasized that ‘‘both earlier and now, each of its steps forward and each victory of the Vietnamese revolution is closely linked with major historical events taking place in the Soviet Union. Special mention,’’ said Le Duan, ‘‘must be made of the victory won in the war of resistance against U.S. impenalism, for the salvation of the motherland, a victory that is inseparable from the massive support, the enormous and effec- tive help of the Soviet Union... “The Vietnamese people are today experiencing the happiest moment of their 4,000-year his- tory. As a result of the general offensive and the uprisings in the spring of 1975 ... the armed forces and the people of our entire country won a full victory in the struggle against the cruellest ag- gression of U.S. imperialism and completely liberated South Viet- namin." Le Duan pointed out that more than 50 years earlier Ho Chi Minh had seen in the October Revolu- tion the only way forward for the people. He had visited the USSR and thereby laid the basis for the great Soviet-Vietnamese friend- ship and solidarity which grow stronger day by day. “The full victory in the war of resistance against U.S. aggres- sion by our people,’ said Le Duan, “‘is part and parcel of the powerful support, the tremend- ous and effective assistance re- ndered by the USSR. The Soviet people and government are doing their best,”’ he said, ‘‘to help the Vietnamese to restore and de- velop our economy and to build socialism in the entire country. We will always remember this support which is permeated with the lofty spirit of proletarian in- ternationalism.”’ Decisive Assistance Cuban premier Fidel Castro brought greetings ‘‘on behalf of a people who, living on the other side of the Atlantic, in a country that experienced in the past the unlimited, the absolute rule of the strongest imperialist country are building successfully a socialist society 90 miles away from that country. ‘‘Our people made their own contributions to the cause of socialism,”’’ said Premier Castro, “the unbending striving for jus- tice and freedom, sweat and blood, loyalty to revolutionary ideals. But all of this would have been unthinkable without the Oc- tober Revolution, without your fraternal support and solidarity. “I do not speak on behalf of other peoples,’’ he said, ‘“‘but I know that from the outset of the Soviet state, every embattled people, be it in Europe, Asia, Af- rica or Latin America, could count on the support and solidar- ity of Soviet Communists, just as our people do. We are proud of our relations with your great country. “They set the example of the practice of internationalism, of mutual understanding, respect and trust. The Soviet Union which gave the decisive assis- tance to our people, never made any demands on us, never set any conditions, never told us what we must do. In the entire history of international relations which were dictated over millenia by egoism and force there were no such fraternal relations between a powerful country and a_ small country. It is only socialism which makes such relationships between people possible ...” Living Proof Speaking on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party of Guyana, its general secretary, Cheddi Jagan pointed to the tre- mendous advances of the USSR “‘materially and spiritually’’. Be- cause the Soviet people have built PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MARCH 19, 1976—Page 8 an advanced socialist society and are contidently advancing to communism, he said, ‘‘the pre- stige of Marxism-Leninism has grown. Consequently, more and more people the world over are looking to it as a solution to their own problems and for the fulfil- ment of their own aspirations. ‘‘By its resolute commitment to the lofty principles of proletarian internationalism,’’ said Jagan, ‘“*the Soviet Union is rightly re- garded as a true friend and ally of ‘third world’ countries, living proof of which is expressed, within more recent times, in the victory of Vietnam, the emergence of Bangladesh, and the successes presently scored by the MPLA of Angola...” Solidarity with Portuguese In reply to questions by the Soviet press during his visit to Moscow, Portuguese Communist Party general secretary. Alvaro Cunhal spoke of the international significance of the CPSU 25th Congress: ‘‘The accomplishments and victories of the Soviet Union exert a deep influence on the en- tire international situation. The development of Soviet economy, ‘culture, science and technology, the strengthening of the great country building communism, and its foreign policy are an im- portant contribution to the strug- gle of the working people and na- tions for freedom, social prog- ress, peace, national indepen- dence and socialism.” Cunhal described Soviet sol- idarity with the Portuguese people as ‘“‘of prime importance”’ and the CPSU’s analysis of inter- national events as ‘‘tremendously significant for all progressive and revolutionary forces.” He spoke of the Portuguese Communists’ basic view concern- ing the right of peoples enslaved by colonialism to struggle for self-determination and indepen- dence and the PCP’s ‘“‘vigorous solidarity with the struggle of the peoples of Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde Islands and Angola.”’ : WORLD NEWS CUBA-CANADA AIR SERVICE INAUGURATED HAVANA — Direct air service between Canada and Cuba was | inaugurated March 7 when Cubana Airlines landed its first DC-8 at Montreal’s Mirabel International Airport. Air Canada plans a Toronto to Havana service beginning about the end of April. The Cubans are reportedly négotiating with the USA through the Swiss Embassy in Havana to cut 1,000 miles off the trip by crossing U.S. territory. USA WON’T BACK ‘DECADE TO ELIMINATE RACISM’ GENEVA — The USA said March 6 that it will ignore the Decade to | Eliminate Racism, launched by the United Nations. Leonard Garment, U.S. chief delegate to the UN Human Rights Commission, here, made | the statement. / Garment attacked the Human Rights Commission itself, saying: ‘It is a misnomer for this body to be called a Commission on Human Rights. What the Commission is doing now is a travesty on human rights and a disservice to its history.’’ Garment said all the Commission | did was talk about enslavement of Blacks by whites, while it ignored | enslavement of whites by whites ‘‘in developed countries of the north- | ern part of the world.” This remark came shortly after the Commission had voted to con- demn fascism in Chile and racism and apartheid in South Africa. FRENCH GOVERNMENT SLAPS NATO BRASS PARIS — French Foreign Minister Jean Sauvagnargues sharply | rapped the NATO supreme commander, U.S. General Alexander Haig, March 5, for interference in France’s internal affairs. Haig said recently that the participation of Communists in west European governments was undesirable. Jean-Pierre Cot, French Socialist Party member of the National Assembly, submitted a written question to the French cabinet, asking for its position on Haig’s state ment. Replying for the government, Sauvagnargues said: *‘The French Government holds that military leaders are not to speak on political | questions which bear relation to the internal situation in foreign coun | tries. We reject in principle any interference into our internal affairs.”” « Gen. Haig, a close friend of Richard Nixon, gained some notoriety earlier for his attempts to fly large quantities of liquor as well as his pet | poodle to his NATO headquarters from Washington at U.S. taxpayers’ | expense. MUNICIPAL DEFEAT FOR NAZIS MILWAUKEE — Anti-nazi groups united to defeat a well-financed | attempt to make the so-called National Socialist White People’s Party a | legitimate electoral vehicle, in a vote Feb. 17. i In preparation for a runoff, April 6, against 16-year incombent Mayor Henry Maier, the nazis aimed to put their man, Arthur Jones, who campaigned on anti-Semitism .and racism, in second place. Sev-) ; eral groups united to bring out a 9,509 vote for Jan Olson, an American Motors Co. plant guard. Mayor Maier polled 60,000 and the nazi, | 7 4,765. t UNITED STATES TROOPS TO STAY IN THAILAND BANGKOK — Up to 3,000 U.S. troops will stay in Thailand beyond March 20, said Thomas F. Conlon, U.S. Embassy political counsellor, | h March 4. March 20 is the Thai Government’s deadline for getting all h U.S. troops out. The troops represent a threat to neighboring Laos, b whose spokesman, Phoumi Vongvichit, warned last December of the danger of intervention in the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos. gia aed ug gk? Mate ie, eee eee Mae 7a, BRITISH STUDENTS PICKET SHIPMENTS TO CHILE PORTSMOUTH — Demonstrations of solidarity with Chile’s| democrats include picketing here to protest arms sales to the fascist] I military junta ruling Chile. This city is a major British port and naval | t base. Besides picketing the Portsmouth docks, the National Union of! Students announced in London it would hold campus rallies, mass) meetings, exhibitions, and present plays and films about Chile. The} ‘ program grew out of plans to mark Chile Solidarity Week — March! C 6-12 7 ir TOKYO — Women legislators of the Communist Party of Japan held |; their first national meeting Feb. 29. Participants included members of 3 the Upper and Lower Houses and of local assemblies from all parts of be Japan, totalling 250. It was announced that there were 298 Communist Cc Party women members in national and local assemblies, or 37% of all) Xa women legislators.