This meeting took place only days after the 80th United Nations General Assembly, which showcased the inter-imperialist rivalries, conflicts and regional wars around the world .
Once again, the hypocrisy of bourgeois governments—whose interests are tied to war,—became apparent.
In recent days, new countries have joined those recognizing Palestine. Although this is the direct result of Israel’s failure to crush the Palestinian resistance, and allows the Palestinian people to fight from a better position utilizing the solidarity movement of the peoples across the world, it is also an expression of increased competition between the US and EU capital, fueled by a desire to promote their interests in the region. Besides, the point remains that these European countries still promote a Palestine that is not a real state in all respects, despite now recognizing it. In this sense, recognition functions as the appearance of progress without its substance.
It must also be remembered that all the governments voicing so-called anti-war rhetoric pledged at the latest NATO summit to increase war expenditures. Throughout the year, they continued to expand military budgets—funds which, in practice, amount to preparations for new wars.
This is the logic of the system itself. Within the imperialist system, every capitalist state—at one level or another—is drawn into these commitments. They are compelled to compete for markets, raw materials, energy corridors, and transport routes, and, when necessary, to resort to war.
Breaking this chain requires us to raise anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist struggles in each of our countries.
At this teleconference, our parties assessed the latest developments within the Euro-Atlantic structures—above all NATO and the EU—and the associated tensions and conflicts. Guided by our long-standing struggle, we declare our determination to continue the fight in each of our countries and across Europe as a whole.
We must expose the lies told by NATO, the EU, and bourgeois governments in implementing their warmongering plans.
We must show that military spending affects the workers and people's livelihoods, that it means cuts in social and healthcare spending, in education, pensions, and other attacks on workers and peoples rights and standard of living. Only through international working-class solidarity can we resist these attacks and confront the system that trades our livelihoods for war and profit.
We must resist governments’ attempts to justify repressive and freedom-restricting policies under the pretext of threat of wars and imperialist tensions.
We must intensify the struggle for the disengagement of our countries from war and the imperialist plans of NATO and the EU. We must raise our voices against conflicts which, within this irrational exploitative system, can at any moment spiral out of control, escalate into nuclear war, and threaten humanity’s very existence.
Imperialism can only be defeated by the revolutionary labor movement.
Down with imperialist war and exploitation — long live the socialist future of our countries and of the world.
Contributions by the Parties:
Opening Speech of the Communist Party of TurkeyContribution of the Communist Workers Party for Peace and Socialism Finland
Contribution of Communist Revolutionary Party of France
Contribution of the Communist Party of Greece
Contribution of Swiss Communist Party
Contribution of Workers Party of Ireland
Contribution of Communist Front (Italy)
Contribution of New Communist Party of the Netherlands
Contribution of the Communist Party of Sweden
