CANADA—— —

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The‘developing mass movements and the present stage of the fight for peace, jobs and Canadian independence:

The Tribune publishes here excerpts from the main report to the Central Committee meeting of the Communist Party of Canada, in Toronto, Nov. 30- Dec. 2. The report was delivered by party general secretary William Kashtan.

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The Fight For Peace — An Ever More Urgent Task

This is a particularly important meet- ing of the Central Committee coming as it does after a number of significant developments. The Summit meeting between General Secretary Gorbachev and President Reagan is over, the Canadian Peace Alliance has been founded, the Pentagon is pushing Canada into Star Wars through NORAD, provincial and municipal elections have taken place in some places, the fightback by labor and other démocratic forces against the crisis policies of monopoly and government has grown.

Bearing in mind that the fight for peace and against the threat of nuclear war must be at the centre of our atten- tion, how do we estimate the Summit and its results?

The Reagan administration did not ‘want a summit.and did everything to provoke the Soviet Union to call it off. It accelerated its nuclear test program, tested anti-satellite weapons against a target in space, continued deployment of Pershing If and Cruise missiles in Europe. When the Soviet Union re-

Communist Central Committee meets

Rejecting Star Wars the key task ahead

fused to be provoked the U.S. admin- istration played down what could be achieved there and tried to divert the summit from the central question of arms control and no SDI (Strategic De- fence Initiative). Indeed, it did not want any statement to be adopted which would in part, commit it to implement measures that could advance the cause of peace.

Despite these efforts the summit did succeed in reducing the sharp tensions that have characterized U.S. relations toward the Soviet Union for a number of years.

The U.S. administration was compel- led to come to some concrete agree- ments directed to improve USA-USSR relations. These include the adoption of acultural agreement; the establishment by the U.S. of a consulate in Kiev and by the USSR in New York; the renewal of Aeroflot flights to the USA, and Pan Am to the USSR; the decision to hold two more summits, one in the USA in 1986, the other in the USSR in 1987.

Of major significance was that the U.S. administration was compelled to declare in the joint U.S.-USSR state- ment adopted at the conclusion of the

summit, that ‘‘a nuclear war cannot be

won and must never be fought’’ and that ‘‘neither side will seek to achieve military superiority’. It reiterated the intention to prevent an arms race in space and end it on earth. The state- ment also called on the USA-USSR negotiators in Geneva to ‘accelerate arms negotiations” including a 50 per cent reduction in nuclear arms. It also came out for banning chemical weapons.

But the basic questions for which the

Several 40-year veterans of the Communist Party of Canada were awarded the Jubilee Medal Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Victory Over German Fascism and Japanese Militarism (in World War Il) on Nov. 30 in Toronto. The medal is awarded by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in recognition of their role — in the armed forces, on the civilian front, and in political struggle —which contributed to victory. Above (I ro r, back row) M. Doig, V. Bjarnason, W.C. Ross, M. Rush, A. Roberts, W. Gilbey, W. Kashtan. Front row: B. Magnuson, J. Vautour, W. Sydney, S. Walsh. Other recipients,

summit was called were not solved. The refusal by the Reagan administra- tion to forego Star Wars reflects the views of powerful forces in the USA including in the administration itself, as seen in the “‘leaked’’ letter of Wein- berger published in New York Times on the eve of the summit. These forces do not want arms control. They want U.S. military superiority and a first strike capability over the Soviet Union. The reactionary forces of U.S. im- perialism and some of its NATO allies believe they have superiority in tech- nology and, having failed to achieve military superiority on earth they can now achieve it in outer space. These forces consider too, that in an arms race in space they can wear the Soviet Union and the socialist countries down and exact concessions from them. Not least they see militarization of the economies of the capitalist countries as a way of putting a new lease of life in the capitalist system.

Before, during and after the summit, the position of the Soviet Union was constant. The Soviet Union took as a starting point that the main issue today is not one of confrontation of the two social systems but the choice of sur- vival or mutual destruction. —

What the summit accomplished was to break the ice in terms of relations between the USA and USSR. The Joint Statement can have a positive effect in changing the political and psycholog- ical climate. Better conditions have been established to pursue the struggle for peace, for disarmament based on parity and equality of security. The fact of two more summits means that the dialogue will continue. These summits can act as targets for advancing the struggle for preventing the arms race in outer space and ending it on earth.

While noting these better conditions we must also note that the U.S. con- tinues to oppose reaching agreements on preventing the arms race in space.

To conclude: While disagreements on fundamental issues still continue the Soviet Union has stated that its pro- posals stand regarding major cuts in nu- clear weapons, a ban on strike space weapons, and proposals for a separate agreement on medium range missiles in Europe.

Mulroney and Star Wars

The Mulroney government must be compelled to make its contribution to improving the international situation. It must come out against Star Wars and

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The results of the summit call for an intensification of the struggle for peace and for an independent foreign policy for Canada.

While. public pressure and our par- ty’s initiatives against Star Wars played a role in compelling the Mulroney government to oppose government to government support for SDI, the fed- eral government made clear at the same time that it supports the U.S. SDI pro- gram. In line with this, it called upon companies and research institutes in Canada to participate in the SDI pro- gram financed, as Mr. Clark stated, by the government.

It has since gone further and through the Strategic Defence Architecture 2000 (SDA) Canada is to be directly integrated into SDI (Star Wars) through NORAD.

The Government has been compelled to admit there is indeed discussion tak- ing place on changes in the structure of NORAD. SDA 2000 (Strategic Defence Architecture Plan — 2000) comes- in two phases.

The first phase is already being implemented — improvements in satel- lite surveillance and control of nuclear forces. This is centred on the moder- nization of the Distant Early Warning System in the far north. This North Warning System will be fully integrated into the U.S. Command and Control Network of its nuclear forces.

The second phase will be the instal- lation of weapons to shoot down mis- siles and planes that the North Warning System detects.

Through SDA 2000 Canada will play a key role in SDI. U.S. space-based weapons will not be capable of detect- ing and destroying cruise missiles and manned bombers flying across the Arc- tic and over Canada’s north. That will be the task of SDA 2000.

Thus, while saying the government will not participate in SDI per se, it will in fact do so through SDA 2000.

Before next March the formal deci- sion to stay in or get out of NORAD will be made by the government and parliament. The Canadian people can- not afford to leave it to these bodies to make the decision.

The speed and secrecy with which “*hearings’” are being held on the ques- tion of NORAD suggests that the government wants to renew NORAD without really consulting the people of Canada. This is all the more reason why the Canadian people must act before it is too late to influence the decision. It is to be hoped that the peace movements, the trade union movement, the farm movements, the women’s and youth movements, veterans and other forces, Liberals and New Democrats, in and out of parliament will make their voices heard loud and clear and call for Cana- da’s withdrawal from NORAD.

There is a direct link between the battle against Star Wars and withdrawal of Canada from NORAD. To oppose Canada’s involvement in Star Wars is to a certain extent, to stand in fact for the non-renewal of Canada’s member- ship in NORAD. Similarly, opposing Canada’s renewal of membership in NORAD is to oppose Canada’s involvement in Star Wars through so- called research contracts and SDA

not in photo were: W. Tickson, W. Stewart, W. Kardash, O. Kogan, B. McClure, R. Stevenson, N. Hrynchyshyn and M. Prokop. :

Canada’s involvement in Star Wars through NORAD.

2000. We need to strengthen that lin- kage in the few months remaining.

| PACIFIC TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 18, 1985 e 13