\AFRO-ASIAN CONFERENCE 1,700 million for peace

CAIRO

The Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Conference, which concluded here on New Year’s Day will go down in history as one of those gatherings that over the centuries have mark- ed the advance of human freedom. ;

Unike the Bandung Conference of 1955, whose 10 principles it reaffirmed, the Cairo Conference was not held at government level. But ‘at no time was there any doubt that the delegates from nearly 50 Afro-Asian countries attending the conference spoke for the overwhelming majority of their peoples in demanding peace and independence.

As Madame Rameshwari Neh-

_ Tu, leader of the Indian dele-

gation and chairman of the Asian Solidarity Committee,

reminded delegates, the “will

of the peoples is the ultimate force which, harnessed to just and good causes, is ever vic- torious. I have no doubt that the United voice of 1,700 mil- lion peoples represented at this Conference will not and can- not be denied.”

The conference, she said, was “a powerful expression of the desire for freedom with which the hearts of the peo-

. Ples of these two continents

s Ng in the cou

j torium g There, p | delegate

_ ber i 4 S of the diplomatic corps

are pulsating.”

Delegates heard A. Rashi- dov, Soviet chief delegate to the conference, assure them that the Soviet Union was “al- ways ready to help the people ot any country in their struggle for liberation and subsequent-

si In the strengthening of meir political and economic Independence,”

Rashidoy added: “We do not attach to such help any strings Political, military or other- aa We do not interfere in a internal affairs of the

ae tes that are getting our

‘We are guided by one feel-

ee One aspiration and one ue uae and that is peace riendshi z ae p between peo aes Noting that the solidarity of VS Peoples of Asia and Africa Be Srowing steadily, Rashi- ae Said, “Not a single import- international problem can a Solved today without the eoeren peoples.” 4h Yo Mo-jo, head of the Chi- Se delegation tolqg the con- ference: bes the world has no im- sane no colonialism, no onies oy Semi-colonies, then

it will reach a ri lastj : ight state of

eee is the goal towards ch our nations in Asia and Tica are jointly

ae striving. ae 1s the goal for which the . man race as a whole is head- rs i Siac e of its devel- rate final session of the con- nce was held in the audi- of Cairo University. efore an audience of S.and observers, mem-

and cheering Arab and Afri-; can students, Anwar el Sadat, conference president, read a declaration reaffirming ad- herence to the 10 principles of the Bandung Conference.

Then Youssef el Sebai, con- ference secretary - general, called on the heads of delega- tions of independent countries — Algeria, Cameroon, Cyp- rus, Chad, Kenya, Oman, Pal- estine, British Somaliland, French Somaliland, Togoland, Uganda and Zanzibar. When they were assembled on’ the platform he solemnly wished them success in their struggle for independence while the auditorium rang with ap- plause.

Among the many documents and resolutions adopted by the conference were a message to the peoples of the world, an

appeal to world scientists and .

another to the United Nations, and resolutions on disarma- ments and banning of nuclear weapons. imperialism, racial discrimination and economic problems.

The appeal to the peoples of the world declared that if the 10 principles of the Bandung Conference were accepted “present world tension would definitely relax and the dead- ly fear of annihilation that now grips the hearts of millions can be lifted.”

Asserting that “the founda- tions of peace cannot be firm- ly established until we dis- sipate this tension,’ the ap- peal called on the peoples of the world “to use every pos- sible means for creation of areas of agreement and un- derstanding which will inev- itably lead to disarmament, to the banning of production of nuclear weapons, their experi- ments and use.”

An appeal addressed to the governments of the United States, Soviet Union and Bri- tain condemned “continujng

tests of nuclear weapons as a

serious menace to humanity,” and called for “immediate and unconditional banning of tests as the first step towards com- plete prohibition of manufac- ture, stockpiling and use of these weapons of mass des- truction, and a step towards universal disarmament.”

A resolution on disarma-

ment affirmed delegates’ be- lief “that Asia and Africa

“should be a peace zone where

no nuclear and rocket wea- pons should exist.”

Another resolution called on the peoples of Asia and Africa to “take common ac- tions on March 1, 1958 in order to prevent the nuclear test at Eniwetok atoll by the United States.”

The appeal to world scient- ists called on “you who are responsible for the invention of these destructive weapons to take every possible step to bring pressure to bear on all governments concerned to pro- hibit the use of nuclear wea- pons and to destroy those in stock.”

The resolution on imperial- ism was a comprehensive document stating the confer- ence’s stand on many issues, from the right of the people of Kenya to self-determina- tion to withdrawal of all armed forces from Korea and unification of that country “by the people of Korea them- selves without any foreign coercion.”

Giving “full support to the rights of peoples to freedom, self-determination, sovereignty and complete independence; to settle their internal prob- lems by themselves; to choose the forms of their govern- ments according to their de- sires,” the document touched one by one on the issues that represent the continuing struggles of the peoples of Asia and Africa against im- perialism — return of West Irian to Indonesia, return of Okinawa to Japan, return of Goa”~ to India, right of the people of Cyprus to self-de- termination.

South Africa was singled out for condemnation by the resolution on racial discrimi- nation for “systematically flouting the decisions of the United Nations.”

Among demands made by the resolution were granting of equal citizenship without reservation and repeal of all

laws legalizing racial dis- crimination, segregation or apartheid.

The conference set March 1 as Algeria Solidarity Day throughout Africa and Asia.

In its resolution on imperialism, the Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Conference at Cairo demandeg an end to British oppression (top) in Kenya and (bottom) in Cyprus.

Three demands were made in the appeal to the United Nations. They were: ~

® Action to correct the under-representation of Afri- can and Asian countries on various bodies of the UN.

© Recognition of China’s “legal and rightful” place in the UN. :

@ Admission of Mongolia to the UN.

The conference set up an Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Council to implement ‘its de- cisions. The council will have a permanent secretariat of a secretary-general and 10 sec- retaries and maintain head- quarters at Cairo.

January 10, 1958 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE 9