The September 11 events and the
imperialist aggression in Afghanistan have been the main developments in the
region that took place since the previous regional meeting of our parties and
organisations, causing significant changes in the lives of our peoples. It is an
undeniable fact that these developments mean the intensification and increase of
the imperialist threats and tyranny and of military intervention and attacks on
the part of the peoples of the world. Another equally important fact is that the
period following the September 11 is characterised by an expansion of
reactionary forces, restriction on democratic rights and freedoms,
militarisation of economies, and an increase and intensification of imperialist
terror, aggression and arrogance. This has unmasked the real relations of the
imperialist capitalist world and accelerated the process of revelation of its
real face.
I.
Just
like all the peoples of the world, the peoples of the Balkans, Middle East,
Caucasus and Central Asia are faced with the unbridled attacks and persistence
of the world reactionary forces led by US imperialism. As is known, one of the
characteristics that differentiate this region that our countries are a part is
the fact that about three quarters of the world’s total reserve of raw
materials and especially the oil and natural gas routes to the West are situated
in this strategic region. Having these characteristics and the fact that it is
situated in a passageway between three continents give our region a particular
strategic importance in the military sense as well. Subsequently, it is not a
coincidence that all imperialist forces, mainly the US which holds 3 per cent of
the total world population while using 26 per cent of existing natural
resources, intensify at present their provocations and blackmail, their military
might and aggression in this region.
The
formation of a collaborationist government in Afghanistan and the so-called
restoration of social life, which is in fact an attempt to establish a
centralised state apparatus, are being presented by the bourgeois propaganda
centres as a justification of the imperialist interventions. However, the fact
that cannot be ignored is this: since the disintegration of the USSR and the
Eastern Bloc all imperialist interventions that have taken place in this
strategically important region, which is also known as “Eurasia”, had
different excuses such as “the eradication of the weapons of mass
destruction” in Iraq, “prevention of a humanitarian tragedy” in
Yugoslavia, or “obliteration of terrorist cells” in Afghanistan, but they
all have caused profound destruction in their economic-social lives, increased
their misery, and reduced those regional countries which had been subjected to
the “aid of international community” to being needy of the de facto
administration and presence of the imperialist countries in every area. What is
important for imperialism, mainly the US, is the continuation of the instability
in the region, incitement of tensions between the peoples and the countries, and
consequently the amplification of the “need” for their military and
political presence and intervention as an “order restorer”. In other words,
the fact that needs to be seen in the present period is that imperialism imposes
on dependent countries and the oppressed nations a no-way-out situation in every
field, but the necessity of its economic, political and military presence in the
region.
For
our region this strategy has this evident meaning that we will see the menacing
activities of imperialist countries, mainly the US, expanding in the region; the
number of their military bases and deployments increasing; new “crisis
regions” being added to the existing ones; new civil wars being provoked; and
the peoples of the region fighting each other.
II.
Despite
this general common strategy of the imperialist states against the peoples of
the region, there continues to exist a sharpening inter-imperialist rivalry and
friction over the well-known reserves of natural resources, strategic transport
routes and the spheres of influence in the region. The so-called
“international coalition against terrorism” formed with the pretext of
“fight against the terrorist cells”, a significant proportion of which is
the creation of the intelligence services of imperialist countries, is nothing
more than a despicable demagogy on which the imperialist states join their
forces to keep the oppressed peoples under their yoke.
Contrary
to the announcements made to the public, US activities such as starting a new
armament process using the events of September 11 to strengthen its military
domination; speeding up the initiatives for the expansion of NATO towards the
East in order to, among other things, sabotage the formation of a European Army;
setting up new military bases in Central Asia (Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and
Kazakhstan); initiating a self-regulated “terrorist
hunt” in Georgia and the Southeast Asia; persisting on its plans to topple the
existing regime and establishing a US collaborating government in Iraq, it being
a component of the “axis of evil”, etc. these all disturb deeply the rival
imperialist states, mainly Russia, Germany and France. These powers have the
same objectives in terms of the world hegemony and try to create political
obstacles to hold back the US in its ambition to gain new positions one after
another, and to gain time to prepare themselves for more extensive frictions for
which they are not ready yet. (1)
All “regional problems” that have created enmity among the peoples and distracted their common struggle against imperialism have the finger of this or that imperialist power in its emergence or becoming a chronic problem. Despite the fact that each has its historical background, all “regional problems” including the Kashmir, Cyprus, Palestine and the Kurdish questions had and continue to have the fingers of the imperialist states and their collaborating forces and regimes in the region in their emergence in the first place and then turning into a chronic and unsolvable problem. Different imperialist powers and their collaborators have used these problems against their rivals. For instance, for the USA the “Palestinian question” is not a question of an oppressed people driven out of their land getting their freedom back, but, on the contrary, a problem that needs to be “rid off” without jeopardising its long term plans for the Middle East (having a direct control of extracting and marketing the oil reserves in the region) and in a way that would not weaken its most important ally, Israel. For the EU, on the other hand, it is a problem that they can use to gain positions and prestige in the region and sabotage the US plans.
However,
on the part of our parties and organisations, the solution to the “Palestinian
question” does not lie in a “solution” designed by the imperialist states,
such as a “Plan for the Palestinians” by Bush or a “Fischer Plan”
discussed in the EU. A true solution requires the Israeli people to raise their
struggle to put an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories and to
be the most resolute defenders of the right of the Palestinian people to
establish their own state by repulsing the Zionist reactionary forces who do not
recognise this right. It also demands the Palestinian people to follow a path
that would get the support of the Israeli people for their just struggle and
resistance rather than that of the imperialist forces and that would show their
acceptance of the co-existence of the two peoples and two independent states.
In
the present conditions, our parties and organisations consider it as one of
their fundamental tasks to warn our peoples against the anti-working people
practices and plans of the world reactionary forces and the imperialist states
in our region; to expose the collaborating regimes and the exploiting classes
who see different imperialist powers as the only way for the development of our
countries; to propagate anti-imperialist and popular solutions to “regional
problems” incited and deepened by imperialism; and to raise the level of
organisation and consciousness of the workers and working masses who will fulfil
all these.
There is no doubt that these all are urgent tasks not only because of the dangerous trend of imperialist frictions and impositions in our region, but also because of the anti-popular policies of the ruling classes in our countries. Even though they talk of “peace in the region” or “good neighbouring relations”, the actual course of events is at opposite direction. For instance, Turkey’s relations with its neighbours are completely different from the picture drawn by the news items on this subject. Undoubtedly, the reactionary forces in Turkey want to use its geo-strategic position as a tramp card in the frictions between the USA, EU and Russia in the region. However, the absolute limits of this desire being put into practice have been determined by its dependence on the US and its mission of being an outpost of the US in the region –a mission whose characteristics have become more evident following the latest developments. Its space of manoeuvre is very narrow in this field and it would be naïve to expect serious and lasting outcomes for peace and stability in the region. (2)
It
is obvious that Turkey’s ruling classes, who have consolidated Turkey’s
position as a station of the US after having signed a strategic cooperation
agreement with Israel and who, by having taken over the commandment of the ISAF
forces in Afghanistan, have proven once again that they are more than ready to
play the role given to them, are far from implementing independent policies in
favour of the country and of its people in spite of imperialism. Same thing
applies in terms of the US plans to attack Iraq. At present, what is being
discussed is not a question of if but when this attack would take place. (3)
Yet, just like all the peoples of the region, the peoples of our countries are
opposed to such an aggression, and rightly do not see any benefit of helping and
hosting the massacre of the neighbouring Iraqi people.
There
is no doubt that our parties and organisations are for the development of the
neighbouring relations between our countries and for the establishment of close
and friendly relations between the peoples of the region. We believe that the
development of the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, between Turkey and
Armenia, between Iran and Azerbaijan, and between Turkey and Greece would be for
the benefit of the peoples of the region. However, we also know that the
“Kurdish question” is not a question of the US but of Turkey; that the
“Armenian question” can be solved not by the parliaments of the imperialist
countries but by the peoples of Turkey and Armenia; that the “Cyprus
question” is one that can be resolved not by the US, Britain or EU but only by
the free will of the people of the island.
III.
At
present, as the oppressive, aggressive and plundering position of imperialism
and individual imperialist states against the peoples of the world, including
the working people in their own countries, is becoming more and more evident,
the process of realisation of this truth by the peoples of the world is
accelerating. Among the peoples of our region, the reaction against and anger
towards the US and British imperialism is on the rise. (4)
Nevertheless,
this reaction, which Russia and some European imperialist states try to use in
their favour, is not yet at a stage to condemn all imperialist powers without
differentiation or to see the real face of the dishonouring policies of the
collaborating states in the region based on dependence on different imperialist
powers.
It
must be emphasised that especially the EU has a very sly and hypocritical
position. As the US imperialism adopts a more arrogant stance in the region, the
EU imperialists give a particular importance to present themselves to the
peoples of the region as defenders and representatives of peace and democracy,
and of economic growth and social prosperity. It is observed that they have a
certain success in this. Not only the ruling classes of Turkey who desperately
want to join the EU, but also the reactionary regime in Iran try to make use of
this demagogic propaganda in the areas of domestic and foreign policy. However,
the economic and social conditions of the workers and working people of Greece,
which is in our region, and their general strikes and mass protests against the
impositions of the EU are concrete proofs of the fact that this propaganda of
the EU imperialists are nothing more than a dirty lie.
Human rights, democracy, economic and
social prosperity are the demagogies used by the EU imperialists to give false
hope to those peoples who are deprived of these rights in order to get them onto
their side, and to expand their influence in the countries of the region. They
use these demagogies especially in the Turkey-Greece relations and in the
process of Turkey’s full membership into the EU. The questions of Cyprus, the
Aegean islands, corporate punishment in Turkey, the Kurdish question, etc. are
the ones often being used by the EU. Therefore, our parties and organisations
give particular importance to exposing the cunning initiatives of the EU, as
well as the US, in our region, supporting and propagating popular and
anti-imperialist solutions to these problems as well as others, solutions which
rule out the intervention of the EU and which are based on the free will of the
concerned peoples.
Finally, we would like to emphasise the
fact that as imperialism tightens the chains of its yoke, it leads to the
emergence of new weak links and increases the possibility of the existing ones
breaking. We are aware that the key question depends on whether our parties and
organisations develop the capacity, energy and effort to fulfil the tasks
required by this particular period.
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[1])
Bush’s offer of “partnership” to Russia in his latest visit to Europe and
the formation of the Nato-Russia Council are part of the US effort to use Russia
against the Europeans. However, these are also the outcome of the Russian
strategy to get on well with its greatest rival who has reached as far as its
“backyard” for a certain period of time, until at least it completes the
process of restoring its power.
2) Recent trend of Turkey-Iran relations is maybe one of
the most striking examples of the fact that our countries relations with each
other and with the neighbouring countries are not determined by the interests of
our countries and the peoples of the region. Turkey-Iran relations have been
characterised, especially since mid-80s, by instability and crisis, an example
of which can be seen in the trade between the two countries. Yet, both the
Iranian bourgeoisie and the collaborating bourgeoisie of Turkey desperately want
to utilise the “Iranian market”. However, it does not mainly depend on the
Turkish bourgeoisie to improve bilateral relations in every field of trade. For
this reason, efforts like setting up of the “Turkish-Iranian Business
Council” last year to make bilateral relations more “stable”, or the
President Sezer’s latest visit to Iran to the same end will not produce any
efficient outcome in terms of the transformation and stability of the relation
between the two countries.
3) As the military preparations of US imperialism are
taking place full speed, the main problem is focused on overcoming various
“political obstacles”. Among the “political scenarios” deliberately
spread in the meantime we see both the so-called “promise of Kerkuk oil” to
the Kurds (obviously, with this empty promise the US imperialism manipulates
Kurdish people’s right to self determination and the Kurdish reactionary
forces become a tool of it) and plans for giving a “guarantee” to the
collaborating ruling classes in Turkey in an attempt to cease their paranoia of
“the establishment of a Kurdish state”. The ruling classes of Turkey have
serious concerns about this possibility on the one hand, but on the other, they
expect to benefit from the crumbs of the oil reserves in Musul and Kerkuk.
4) This anger and reaction has been manifested in the
demonstrations participated by hundreds of thousands of people in many countries
in our region, especially in Greece and Iran, protesting the imperialist
aggression in Afghanistan and the tyranny and brutality against the people of
Palestine. In Turkey, trade union platforms organised protest demonstrations as
well as campaigns in solidarity with Palestine. It needs to be emphasised that
the so-called “clash of civilisations” suggested by the ideologues of
imperialism has been invalidated not only by the protests of the people of
Greece but also by hundreds of thousands of strong demonstrations organised in
almost all Western countries.
The religious reactionary forces in our region have been trying to make
use of this demagogic propaganda. However, these attempts have not diverted the
process of weakening that they are suffering in general. Undoubtedly, among
other things, the protests of the workers and working masses in Western
countries against the imperialist propaganda and aggression have played a
positive role in this.
June
2002
ML
Organisation of Greece
Labour Party of Iran (Toufan)
Revolutionary Communist Party of Turkey