World Peace Council European member organizations have held a meeting in Basel, Switzerland on the 21 and 22 September.

The meeting, hosted by Swiss Peace Movement and presided by the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation, as WPC regional coordinator, started on the International Day of Peace, and also at the date of the 70th anniversary of the Swiss Peace Movement.

The WPC European member organizations meeting was an opportunity for the organizations present – from Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey - to address and debate the present international and European situation and coordinate their efforts for common and converging initiatives for the defence of Peace.

Having characterized the present situation in Europe and in the World as marked by increasing insecurity and instability as a result of the aggressive escalation promoted by the Unites States of America (USA) and its allies, as NATO and EU, in a framework in which their contradictions are deepened. A situation where USA and its allies try to reverse the relative loss of their world economic predominance by implementing policies and measures, including military ones, against the peoples and States that affirm their rights, their sovereignty and independence. Having expressed their deep concern at the step up of USA militarism has been particularly visible and worrying in Europe, with the sending of more troops and military equipment and with the warmongering out-actions of NATO and its continuing enlargement – namely aiming at the Russian Federation. The WPC European member organizations also voiced their refusal of the ongoing militarization of the European Union as a supra-national political, economic and military structure – dominated by the great powers, namely Germany.

Having expressed their solidarity with the peoples under imperialism’s aggression, the WPC European member organizations agreed on several resolutions and on continuing to step up their cooperation, namely promoting and participating in common and converging initiatives within the framework of the WPC. To this end, the WPC European member organizations decide to promote initiatives, namely within the following axes:

- To develop solidarity with peoples under aggression and occupation – like the peoples of Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Cyprus, Venezuela, Cuba, Occidental Sahara,...;

- To continue the "Yes to Peace! No to NATO" campaign

Continue this WPC campaign including actions in each country and, in close cooperation with the British Peace Assembly, denouncing the Summit of NATO Heads of State and Government that will take place on 3-4 December 2019, in London.

- To develop initiatives against the European Union militarisation

- To participate in the International Conference Against US/NATO Foreign Military Bases (March 2020, Cyprus)

A conference that will be hosted by the Cyprus Peace Council.

- To develop initiatives to commemorate the 70 Years of the Stockholm Appeal, for the abolition of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and for the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Some key dates:

The Stockholm Appeal marks its 70 Years in March, 2020.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as NPT mark its 50 year next ‎5 March 2020, an opportunity to demand its full compliance, including the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, 7 July 2017.

The 75 year of USA's atomic bomb against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 6 and 9 August 2020.

- To mark the 80 years since the beginning of World War II (1 September 2019) and to commemorate the 75 years of the Victory over Nazi-fascism (9 May 2020)

- To develop actions against imperialist interference and aggressions and mark the importance of the defence of UN Charter’s principles and International Law

The 75th anniversary of the United Nations Charter will be mark on June 26, 2020.

- To commemorate the 70 Years of WPC (November 2020)

Develop several initiatives, like the one that the British Peace Association is planning to held in November 2020 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the WPC’s Sheffield Peace Congress (12 November 1950).

-//-

The WPC European member organizations that were present in the meeting issued the following statements:

September 21 – International Day of Peace

Steadfast commitment to the struggle for Peace

On this International Day of Peace, the WPC European member organizations, gathered in Basel, Switzerland reaffirm their steadfast commitment to the struggle for Peace.

Recognizing that the current international situation is marked by huge risks to world peace and security, we appeal to all the peoples of Europe to give more strength to the struggle for peace!

The peoples in Europe and all over the World are facing the growing global aggressiveness of imperialism, the escalation of militarism, the increase in military expenditures, the race for new, more sophisticated and destructive weapons, including nuclear weapons, the installation of new military forces and equipments in foreign bases, that the USA, NATO, EU and their allies are promoting in Europe and around the world.

Interference and violent operations of destabilization, wars of aggression and occupation against countries and their peoples sow death, suffering and destruction among millions of human beings be it on the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa, Latin America or Europe.

On this International Day of Peace, we demand the end of all wars of aggression, the abolition of all nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, the closure of all foreign military bases, the end of the arms race, the end of political-military blocs, the end of the blackmail, interference, blockades, sanctions and of all forms of national oppression in international relations.

On this International Day of Peace, we denounce NATO’s warmongering objectives and action, we demand NATO’s dissolution and we support the struggle of each people within each NATO member state to withdrawal from this political-military bloc.

On this International Day of Peace, and when we mark the 80th years of the beginning of the Second World War, we denounce the attempts – such as the one recently held by most of the European Parliament members – to launder Nazi-fascism’s responsibilities and crimes in triggering the greatest conflict imposed on Humanity, as well as the infamous falsification of History, trying to hold the Soviet Union responsible for the outbreak of the War, when it was the USSR and the Soviet people who did everything to safeguard peace and which, at the cost of over 20 million dead, gave the decisive contribution to Victory, freeing Humanity from the barbarism of Nazi-fascism.

We voice our call to all those who sincerely defend peace, and commit ourselves, to a broad convergence of wills in defence of peace and in solidarity with all of those that are victims of imperialism aggression, occupation and threats.

Let us unite around the defence of the détente in international relations, of peoples’ right to self-determination, of national sovereignty and independence, of the peaceful settlement of international conflicts, of general and controlled disarmament, as advocated in the principles of the United Nations Charter and International Law.

Let us promote the cooperation among the peoples and countries and struggle for a new world order of peace, sovereignty, social justice and for all humanity’s progress and emancipation.

21 September 2019

Basel

-//-

Resolution for Cyprus Issue

The World Peace Council regional Meeting that took place in Basel at 21th to 22th of September 2019 discussed among other crucial issues that effects and undermine peace in Europe and in the Word, the developments regarding Cyprus as well.

The WPC European Peace Movements acknowledge the region of Eastern Mediterranean, as one of the most desired areas for the imperialists because here, gas, petrol, their transport routes and transitional stations, coexist. Turkey considers Cyprus important for its interests. NATO wants to use Cyprus in its plans. Hence, we should especially now keep this in mind.

We the peace loving forces in Europe condemn the ongoing for 44 years illegal Turkish Occupation of the 37% of Cyprus. We denounce the division of Cyprus and clearly state that for us permanent division of the Island is a catastrophe. We denounce Turkey's recent illegal activities in the Cypriot EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) and Famagusta, which create new fait accompli and threaten with permanent partition. We will not stop expressing in all possible ways our solidarity to the Cyprus Peace Council and the anti-imperialist struggle of the people of Cyprus, both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, against occupation for a really just and viable solution, that will reunite the Country and the People of Cyprus and will set the People of Cyprus total masters of their land and their wealth.

We do underline that the only way for solving the Cyprus issue is through a peaceful process. The bi- communal negotiations between Cypriots must be fully respected by everybody and be let proceed without any interference and interventions with complete respect to the International Law and the UN Resolutions for Cyprus.

WPC European Peace Movements stand in solidarity with the people of Cyprus who struggle for a reunited Country and People in a Bi-zonal, Bi-communal Federation with a single Sovereignty, single citizenship, and single international representation and with political equality. We support a solution that can be reached outside suffocating deadlines and free from custodians and Guarantors, a solution that will set free Cyprus from all armies and military bases.

We support the struggle of the Cyprus Peace Council for the dismantling of the British Bases in Cyprus and against their use in military operations against the peoples of the region.

Lasting Peace with justice for Cyprus

-//-

Resolution on the Greek-American Defense Agreement and on American Bases in Greece

The WPC’s European Regional Meeting that took place in Basil, Switzerland, on September 21 and 22, 2019, expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation of the Greek-American “Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement”.

The attempted multiannual renewal and upgrading of the Agreement by the New Democracy government, continuing in the same direction of the previous government and speeding up its steps, will allow the legal and political coverage of the enlarged - beyond Souda base - US military presence and infrastructure deployment all over the Greek territory, as in Alexandroupolis, Larissa and Stefanovikio near Volos. It seeks to strengthen Greece's position as a base for imperialist plans, and to secure the use of the country's Armed Forces in US, NATO, and EU missions abroad as already happened in 12 such occasions.

This is a very dangerous development not only for the Greek people, but for all peoples in the region.

We continue and strengthen our fight against nuclear weapons and American and NATO bases, and demand:

Denouncement of the Greek-American “Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement”.

Shut down of Souda Base and of all Euro-Atlantic bases and headquarters in Greece.

No transport of nuclear weapons to Araxos, or to any other location in Greece.

No participation and return of all Greek military forces from imperialist missions abroad.

Disengagement from NATO – EU.