Once again this year, dozens of Portuguese organizations have gathered around CPPC’s call to keep alive and to renew the “Yes to Peace! No to NATO!” campaign – born at the time of the important mobilizations in Portugal against the NATO Summit in Lisbon, in 2010.

The campaign actions have involved a multitude of people that distributed thousands of leaflets and other documents all around the country, spreading among the people the need to struggle for peace and disarmament, against militarism and war, consequently the need to fight against NATO and for its dissolution.

With this campaign the Portuguese denounce NATO and the warmongering goals of its Brussels summit, denouncing NATO as an instrument aimed at serving – notwithstanding internal quarrels –, the political, economic and geostrategic interests of the United States and the great powers of the European Union (EU), an instrument that drives the arms race, promotes areas of tension and conflict, intensifies military interventionism, and carries out wars of aggression against States and peoples who defend their sovereignty and do not submit to their domination. The evolution of the international situation shows clearly that NATO is at the service of the plans of world hegemonic domination by the USA.

The campaign organized several street initiatives in various cities, like Coimbra, Évora, Faro, Lisboa or Porto.

The campaign’s call: http://www.wpc-in.org/statements/peace-and-disarmament-no-nato-summit-%E...

Campaign brochure: https://issuu.com/conselho_paz/docs/jornal_paz_sim_nao_a_nato__junho201

Brochure’s texts in English:

Brussel’s summit is a heightened threat to peace

The main subjects of NATO’s summit were presented on May 28 by its General Secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, in the parliamentary assembly of this military organization.

As hard as he tried to dissimulate them with “peaceful” words, the warmongering goals are evident.

In this summit NATO’s leaders will address. Among other issues:

- the increase in military expenses of the European members of NATO to 2% of their GDP, until 2024;

- NATO’s military presence in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, countries destroyed by wars of aggression of the responsibility of NATO and its members;

- the reinforcement of NATO military forces, including from the US, stationed in Eastern Europe, aiming at the Russian Federation;

- the reinforcement of the European Union as NATO’s “European pillar”, keeping in mind that EU’s militarization – that has advanced considerably in recent months – is pointed as being complimentary to NATO, that keeps its role of “tutor” and main military organization.

Stoltenberg points as NATO’s objective the existence of 30 mechanised battalions, 30 air squadrons and 30 combat vessels ready for use within 30 days.

For peace and disarmament!

No to NATO’s summit – no to militarism and war!

Faced with the growing and dangerous warmongering tension in the world today, several Portuguese organizations from varied areas of intervention have united to oppose the goals of NATO’s Summit to take place on July 11 and 12, in Brussels, Belgium, and to reaffirm the demand for the dissolution of this politico-military block, developing a set of actions in Portugal, namely the events that will take place on July 9 at 6 p.m. at Camões Square in Lisbon and on July 12, at 6 pm, at Santa Catarina St in Porto, under the banner “Yes to Peace! No to NATO!”

These organizations do this because they identify in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and in the interests it serves the main threat to world peace and security.

They do it because they recognize NATO as the prime responsible for scandalous rise in military expenditure and for the arms race.

They do it because they are committed to defending the principles inscribed in the Portuguese Constitution and in the United Nations Charter, that consecrate the peaceful resolution of international conflicts, the sovereign equality of states, non interference, disarmament.

They do it because against the force of arms they elect the force of their determination to safeguard peace, and with it the possibility to ensure rights, freedom, happiness, and even the survival of Humanity.

Being so, the organizations demand:

the dissolution of NATO;

The end to NATO’s wars of aggression;

The dismantling of US/NATO THAAD anti-missile system and the closure of foreign military bases;

The abolition of nuclear and other mass destruction weapons;

The end to the arms race and general, simultaneous, controlled disarmament;

The support to displaced and refugees, victims of wars promoted and supported by NATO;

Portugal’s signing and ratification of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons;

The compliance, by the Portuguese authorities, of the principles consecrated in the Portuguese Constitution and in the United Nations Charter, regarding respect for the sovereignty, independence, equality in rights and the peaceful resolution of conflicts among states.

These organizations don’t stand alone. There are millions of men, women and youngsters that in several countries struggle for these just and vital causes.

Military expenses champion

A small amount of the world military expenses would suffice to answer humanity’s main problems regarding food, education, health, housing, social protection and environment.

In 2017 military expenditure represented about $1739 billion – a raise of 1.1% from the previous year. NATO’s 29 member countries account for more than half of the world military expenses (900 billion dollars)

The data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), reveal that the US are the biggest military spenders, responsible for about 600 billion dollars, more than 30% of the world total. The next three countries (China, Saudi Arabia and Russia, in this order) together spend little more than half of the value spent by the US.

If to the US military expenditure we add the remainder NATO countries and some of other US allies, as Saudi Arabia, Israel, South Korea, Colombia and Australia – totaling 34 countries -, we reach 2/3 of the global military expenditure, the remaining 1/3 is the combined military spending of the remainder 159 countries.

For the abolition of nuclear weapons

The US and NATO admit, in their strategic concepts, resorting to nuclear weapons in a first attack against any country, something that no other country with nuclear arms does. Let us recall that the US, the first country to have nuclear weapons and the only to have used them (in 1945, against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki), has undertaken more nuclear tests and spends more with its nuclear arsenal that all the other nuclear weapon countries together.

A nuclear war would have catastrophic consequences, jeopardizing Humanity’s very survival, because these consequences would not be constrained to a single country or region, but would affect the whole planet.

The antimissile system (THAAD) with which the US seek to disrupt “nuclear parity” with the Russian Federation, represents not only a grave threat to stability and peace, as it inevitably leads to new arms race.

Of NATO’s 29 member countries only Holland participated in the conference that, on July 2017, approved the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, having voted against the text which was approved by 122 UN member states. The ratification process is under great pressures for the Treaty not to come into force.

For the abolition of nuclear weapons Portugal must sign and ratify the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons!

NATO – extension os US’ military power

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an extension of the military power of the United States (US), acting according to its interests.

It was so, upon NATO’s creation in 1949, four years after the end of World War II and six prior to the creation of the Warsaw Pact; and it continues to be so nearly 70 years later with Donald Trump at the helm of the world’s biggest military power.

The “defensive” nature purported by NATO revealed it self as a lie in the eyes of the world, when, in the beginning of the last decade of the 20th century, after the end of the Soviet Union and of the socialist camp in Europe and the consequent dissolution of the Warsaw Pact – NATO not only did not disband it strengthened itself.

The 29 countries that compose NATO today, place it in 3 continents (American, European and Asiatic), in 2 oceans (Atlantic and Pacific), in the Mediterranean, Baltic, Black and North seas.

The dozens of “bilateral agreements” and “strategic partnerships” with states and international organizations, the hundreds of military bases of NATO and its member countries extend NATO’s reach to the all world.

Side by side with its geographic enlargement NATO has also altered it “Strategic Concept”, claiming the possibility to intervene anywhere in the world for any pretext.

The peoples of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya now the sinister meaning of the war in “defence of human rights and democracy” and “against terror” promoted by NATO and its members: millions of dead, wounded, displaced, refugees and orphans; the infringement of the most elemental human rights, the rights of the peoples, of sovereignty and democracy; the destruction of states, of social infrastructures, of natural resources and the environment.

NATO is a political-military block with an openly offensive nature with a global reach, its urgent to put an end to NATO!

European Union militarization

At the service of NATO

At the end of last year the EU militarization process gave a significant leap forward, with the launch of the so called “Permanent Structured Cooperation” (PESCO), in areas “defence” and “security”.

This process, in which the Portuguese government has decided to involve our country, is undertaken in “coordination” with and is “complementary” to NATO, has the goal of increasing military spending by the participant countries, the development and articulation of weapons industry and to augment EU military operational capability.

PESCO follows the creation of the so called “European Defence Fund”, that seeks to coordinate, complement and increase military R&D investments, prototype development, military equipment and technology acquisition and to contribute for the financing of the “EU battlegrounds”.

On the table remain proposals as the “European Defence Industrial Policy” and so so called “European Army”.

EU’s collusion with the wars of aggression carried out by NATO or by its member states, demolishes the arguments of those that seek to justify EU’s advancing militarization with an alleged need for “defence” and “security” in Europe. Hiding that the main cause for instability, insecurity and war in Europe and in the world has been NATO.

EU’s militarization, be it complementary NATO or not, is a threat to peace and must be stoped. To stop it it is fundamental to inform and mobilize all those that defend peace.

Portugal's commitments?

Portugal is a member of NATO since its creation in 1949, and regularly participates in its missions. Presently Portuguese military are part of NATO contingents in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Mali, in the Mediterranean and the Baltic. In our country NATO installations like the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO or the Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre.

Portugal’s successive governments have always engaged themselves with the geographic enlargement and with the reinforcement of the warmongering nature of the “Atlantic alliance”.

They justify this stance with the countries “international commitments”, to which these same governments have committed through the years – even though they had no obligation to.

These “commitments” represent the subjugation of Portugal to a logic and strategies that have nothing to do with the real interests of the country and the Portuguese people – being an example the participation of Portuguese forces in NATO actions and wars of aggression against other countries and people’s.

If commitments exist its with the Portuguese people and its wish for peace, its with the Portuguese Constitution that in its Article 7 advocates the dissolution of political-military blocks, general simultaneous and controlled disarmament, the respect for the sovereignty of states and the peaceful resolution of conflicts – complying with the Constitution is an obligation and commitment of the state to the Portuguese people.

Campaign leaflet: https://issuu.com/conselho_paz/docs/folheto

The leaflet’s text in English:

For Peace and disarmament!

No to the NATO summit — no to militarism and war!

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit held in Brussels, Belgium, on July 11th and 12th aims to reinforce its militaristic action.

Among the announced objectives are: its presence in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya; the militarization of the European Union, as its “European pillar” and in “complement” to NATO; the reinforcement of its commands in the North Atlantic and Germany, anticipating the further movement of its forces towards Eastern Europe; the increase of military spending and the financing of NATO’s militaristic mission and interventions, including by Portugal, to a minimum of 2% of GDP by each country until 2024.

To give voice to the rejection of militarism and war. To reject a world that falls victim to the adventurism and aggression of the US administration, now presided by Donald Trump. Towards a Portugal that sovereignly affirms its commitment to the cause of peace and cooperation among all peoples.

Participate in the public events of July 9th and 12th, in Lisbon and Porto respectively, to give more strength to the demands for:

The dissolution of NATO;

The end to NATO’s wars of aggression;

The dismantling of the US/NATO’s THAAD anti-missile system and closing of military bases upon foreign territory;

The abolition of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction;

The end to the arms race and towards general, simultaneous and controlled disarmament;

The support towards the dislocated and refugees, victims of wars promoted and supported by NATO;

Portugal’s signature and ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons;

The fulfillment, by the Portuguese authorities, of the principles enshrined in the Portuguese Constitution and the United Nations Charter, in respect for sovereignty, independence, equality of rights, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts between States.

Yes to Peace! No to NATO!

Join Us!

-//-

INTAL and WPC initiatives in Brussels

The Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation also participated in INTAL and WPC initiatives in Brussels, held in the framework of WPC’s “Yes to Peace! No to NATO!” campaign.

July 6 INTAL held a public meeting, where CPPC’s Rita Magalhães had the opportunity to address the audience.

July 7 CPPC participated in the WPC “Yes to Peace! No to NATO!” conference. The conference was followed by the participation of WPC and other friendly organizations, alongside INTAL, in the mass demonstration held in the centre of Brussels, where a CPPC delegation participated with a banner.

Bellow the CPPC's speech in Lisbon demonstration and the CPPC's contribution to the WPC conference in Brussels

“Yes to Peace! No to NATO!” - Lisbon July 9 CPPC's speech

On behalf of the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation (CPPC) I salute all those present in this public act promoted by the «Yes to Peace! No to NATO!» campaign, which integrates organizations that decided to reaffirm their determination in the defense of peace and for disarmament, against NATO, militarism and war.

There will be a NATO summit on July 11th and 12th, in Brussels.

The struggle against NATO and its militarist objectives takes place not only in Portugal.

Last Saturday [July 7th], through the streets of Brussels, the Belgian peace movement demonstrated its repudiation for this organization and summit. In solidarity, CPPC was present in the Brussels demonstration and other initiatives promoted by the Belgian peace movement, INTAL, and the World Peace Council.

With the «Yes to Peace! No to NATO!» campaign, present in several locations throughout the country, we also demonstrate in Portugal our repudiation for NATO and its militaristic escalation, an aggressive political-military block at the service, albeit not without internal divisions, of the interests of the USA and the big powers of the European Union.

NATO is the main and most serious threat to world peace.

NATO launched, under several pretexts, wars of aggression against Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Libya, with an immense legacy of death, suffering and destruction.

NATO is complicit with aggression to peoples in the Middle East, such as the wars against Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

NATO collaborates with the Zionist regime of Israel, and is complicity with the brutal oppression against the Palestinian people.

NATO is complicit with the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyrus.

NATO and its main powers disrespect and seek to destroy international law attained after World War Two.

To impose its dominion, NATO and the US in particular reinforce their threats against countries and peoples, including the Russian Federation and China.

While we’re told that there is no money to ensure the rights of workers and peoples, there is no lack of money for NATO and the arms race.

The European Union is militarized as the European pillar of NATO.

Creates PESCO, the Permanent Structured Cooperation.

Reinforces the arms industry.

Fosters the arms race.

Promotes war.

Faced with this increased threats, the lovers of peace do not lay down.

We distribute thousands of documents

We’re holding several public acts, such as in Evora, Coimbra, Faro and Porto.

We demand the end to blackmail, destabilization and wars of aggression promoted by NATO and its powers.

We say NO to NATO’s and the European Union’s increase in military spending, already responsible for half the global military spending.

We demand the closing of foreign military bases, including the installations for the US/NATO’s anti-missile system, namely in Europe.

We demand the abolition of nuclear weapons, as reaffirmed a year ago in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

In fact, last Thursday, the Campaign for Portugal to sign the treaty turned in a petition, with more than 13 thousand signatures, to the National Parliament.

Together with the campaign «Yes to Peace! No to NATO!», we demand the end to the arms race and demand universal, simultaneous and controlled disarmament.

We demand the dissolution of NATO!

Portugal should not contribute towards an increase in military spending, towards NATO and the UE’s war machines.

Portugal should not participate in missions of aggression against other peoples.

Portugal should not commit to the militarization of international relations, should not subordinate its foreign policy and national defense to strategies that have nothing to do with the interests of the Portuguese people or peoples of the world.

Portugal must determine its own foreign policy and national defense according to the principles of the Portuguese Constitution: a policy of effective cooperation, favoring peace and social progress.

The true commitment of Portugal must be towards

Peace

Sovereignty and national independence

Equality of rights and the peaceful resolution of conflicts between States

The principles of the United Nations Charter

The campaign «Yes to Peace! No to NATO!» and your presence here is a further step towards building the Portugal and world of peace and progress we wish for.

Yes to Peace! No to NATO!

Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation contribution

Brussels, July 7 – 2018 – WPC conference

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation (CPPC), I would like to salute warmly all the peace activists and organizations here represented. I do this also in particular in on behalf of CPPC’s leadership – namely Ilda Figueiredo and Filipe Ferreira –, that are unable to be here due to the anti-NATO initiatives CPPC is promoting these days, side by side, with other Portuguese organizations, throughout Portugal.

It gives us strength to know that at the same time that we are here struggling against NATO and for Peace, at our side are those that in each of our countries are also in activities like this one and in the streets struggling for these same goals.

The initiatives that CPPC has been promoting and participating in Portugal result from once again this year dozens of Portuguese organizations having gathered around CPPC’s call to keep alive and renew in our country the “Yes to Peace! No to NATO!” campaign – as you know, born when the important mobilizations in Portugal against the NATO Summit in Lisbon, in 2010.

Again, this year, the campaign has distributed thousands of leaflets and other documents all around the country, spreading amongst the people the need to struggle for peace and disarmament, against militarism and war, and consequently against NATO.

With this campaign we denounce NATO and the warmongers goals of its Brussels summit, denouncing NATO as an instrument aimed at serving – notwithstanding internal quarrels –, the political, economic and geostrategic interests of the United States and the great powers of the European Union (EU), which drives the arms race, promotes areas of tension and conflict, intensifies military interventionism, and carries out wars of aggression against States and peoples who defend their sovereignty and do not submit to their domination. The evolution of the international situation shows clearly that NATO is at the service of the plans of world hegemonic domination by the USA.

NATO represents the main and most serious threat to peace in the world. As we all know – but in the face of militarist propaganda we must continue to denounce – NATO launched, under the most different pretexts, wars of aggression, such as those against Yugoslavia, Afghanistan or Libya, with their huge legacy of death, suffering and destruction. NATO collaborates with Israel's aggressive Zionist regime, being an accomplice of its brutal oppression on the Palestinian people, and also accomplice of the aggressions against other peoples of the Middle East – as Iraq, Syria or Yemen. NATO is supporting the fascistic regime of Ukraine and its criminal oppressive and war policy. NATO and its big powers are disrespect try to destroy the international law that where conquered with the change in the correlation of forces after the Second World War. NATO member countries are aiming at reinforcing their direct threat against countries imperialism wishes to subdue – namely China and Russia Federation.

At the European Union level the so-called military “Permanent Structured Cooperation” is part of the process of militarization and reinforcement of the arms industry and arms race, in coordination and complementarity with NATO, deepening the EU as the European pillar of this political-military bloc. This guideline will be further strengthened if the various diversified plans go through, such as the creation of corridors of free movement for NATO armies in the EU, including, among others, the US armed forces.

While in most NATO countries the rights and incomes of workers and peoples are being putt into question and undermined, there seems to never be a lack of funding for arms race and wars.

Dear Friends,

We stand demanding an end to the blackmail, destabilization and imperialist wars of aggression against sovereign States and peoples promotes by NATO and its members, wars responsible for dead, suffering, destruction and the largest refugee wave since Second World War.

We stand to say no to NATO and EU military expenditure growth, whose member countries are already responsible for most of the world's military spending.

We stand demanding the closure of military bases in foreign territory, including the US/NATO THAAD anti-missile system that seeks to disrupt the international power balance.

We stand for the abolition of nuclear weapons, as proposed by the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons approved in the United Nations, precisely one year ago, on July 7th.

We stand for the end of the arms race and for a general, simultaneous and controlled disarmament.

We stand demanding NATO’s disbanding.

We stand refusing the Portugal's contribution to the NATO and EU related expenditure rise and war machines and demanding that Portuguese armed forces don’t participate in NATO and EU aggressive military missions.

We stand so that Portugal does not commit to the militarization of international relations and does not subordinate the country's foreign policy and national defence to logics alien to the interests and aspirations of the Portuguese people, of the peoples of the world.

We stand so that Portugal determines its foreign policy, its national defence and the role of the Portuguese armed forces in accordance with Portuguese constitutional principles.

We stand so that the Portuguese authorities side with Peace, in respect for national sovereignty and independence, of the equality of rights and the peaceful resolution of conflicts among States, in respect of the principles of the United Nations Charter .

We stand so that Portugal as a policy based on effective cooperation, favouring peace and social progress, in accordance with April’s Revolution values that are stipulated in the Portuguese Constitution.

Dear Friends,

Because we consider of the greatest importance the struggle for Peace and against NATO, we value WPC European member organizations’ meeting appeal – for the third consecutive year – to all organizations and activists in Europe that defend the cause of Peace, to promote actions against NATO and its summit in Brussels.

We consider highly important to continue and reinforce the WPC’s campaign “Yes to Peace! No to NATO!”, to mobilize for the dissolution of this political-military block and in favour of the struggle of each people within each NATO member state for withdrawal from this military organization.

In Europe we recently held a fruitful and participated regional meeting in London, fraternally hosted by the British Peace Assembly, where were pointed several actions that concern our region in particular, like the continuation of the WPC "Yes to Peace! No to NATO!" campaign mobilizing for the INTAL and WPC initiatives that have joined us in Brussels these two days.

The struggle for Peace is at the core of the Peace movement namely in the objectives and actions of the World Peace Council. A pressing struggle that not only through denouncing the imperialist wars of aggression and for the demand for their end after their conflagration, but that is also urgent in making efforts and forces converge to avoid these aggressions whenever possible. A struggle that naturally stands in solidarity with the right of peoples to resist aggression and oppression.

War is not inevitable! The forces of Peace, the workers and the peoples have a say in the matter!

The Portuguese people has in important moments expressed its clear option for peace, against the participation in NATO’s military actions of aggression against other peoples.

We believe that it is possible to build a world of solidarity, fairness, of peace and cooperation, with respect for the people’s rights and sovereignty.

You can be sure that the CPPC will continue its struggle for peace and cooperation among all the peoples. Count on us!

Yes to Peace! No to NATO!