ST COUNCIL IN CAPE TOWNThe Council of the Socialist International convened in Cape Town on 70 and 11 luly 1995

- its first ever meeting in South Aftica. The main theme on the agenda was 'DemocraclrDevelopment and Peace in Aftica: Building democracy - Securing economic development -

Advancing social justice. The meeting was attended by President Nelson Mandela.

The SI Council meeting in CapeTown was organised incooperation with the AfricanNational Congress and, inopening the proceedings, thefirst words of the SI president,Pierre Mauroy, were a tribute tothe ANC, to all those, includingmany now dead, who hadstruggled against apartheid, andespecially to Nelson Mandela,leader of the ANC and presidentof South Africa.

'Thanks to you', he toldPresident Mandela, 'a new erahas begun in South Africa. Youhave shown that when thestruggle for human rights andequality is accompanied bypolitical will and personalcourage, it can conquerobstacles which seeminsurmountable. You have

taught the world a great lesson,and given back hope to a wholepeople, dignity to a wholecommunity.' The SI presidentadded: 'In the name of theSocialist International, I assureyou of our admiration for yourpersonal struggle, our supportfor your political action and ourpride in your presence at thismeeting'.

President Mandela gave amoving address to the SICouncil. 'We in South Africa', hesaid, 'have been very fortunatein that our struggle, as difficultas it was, enioyed the support ofdemocrats throughout theworld... In prison, those thickwalls could not prevent thepenetration of ideas whichchallenged the cruel system ofracial oppression under which

we were living. And the SocialistInternational was in theforefront of that struggle... Thisconference gives us theopportunity of thanking theSocialist International for all youhave done... Our victory is yourvictory.

'We hope', he added, 'thatyour respective parties andSovernments will remaincommitted to the fight todeliver visible services to ourpeople, to rebuild our countryand to bring strength and hopeto everyone who has beendenied these privileges'.

Extending his remarks to themain theme of the Council'sdiscussions, Democracy,Development and Peace inAfrica, President Mandela said,'That is a very appropriate

theme for an importantconference of this nature. Africais on the way to democratisationunder extremely difficultconditions, all of which aregenerally speaking the legacy ofa colonial era. Because youcannot have democracy whenpeople are poor, hungryignorant, afflicted by diseasesand all the other evils of povertyand illiteracy. Democracy in anycountry will really be deepenedand expanded when the livingconditions of the masses of thepeople have been addressed'.

Thabo Mbeki, deputypresident of the ANC and SouthAfrica's executive deputypresident, welcoming the SIdelegates to his country, evokedthe great and ancient culturalheritage of Africa, contrastingthis with today's conflicts andwith the misery of manyordinary Africans. All of us, hesaid, knew the facts andstatistics of economic crisis,conflict, disease and poverty.But perhaps the neutrality ofstatistics could blind us to thedaily lives of millions ofordinary people in Africa.Instead of a retreat into iargonand pessimism, he urged theEuropeans present to think ofthe desperate hardship whichhad once been the reality alsofor working people in their owncontinent and which had givenbirth to the labour and socialistmovements, and to connect thathistory with today's reality inAfrica.

He too expressed gratitude forthe international solidaritywhich had sustained themovement against apartheidand thanked the SocialistInternational for its particularrole.

He spoke of the process nowunder way in South Aftica, withthe establishment of democraticinstitutions, the negotiation of anew constitution and the work

to develop an economy whichmust, he said, 'help us end theunemployment, the hunger andhomelessness, the poverty andthe human degradation thatremains the lot of milions of ourpeople.' That process oftransformation, he added, 'alsodemands that we address in avigorous manner the racial andgender imbalances which wehave inherited ftom theapartheid past. Quite clearly,democracy and development areinterconnected parts of onewhole and are themselves alsoboth dependent upoR and are anecessary condition for peaceand stability in the country'.

'I know the difficulties andresistance you have met', PierreMauroy responded, 'theregrettable delays, the remaininginequalities, the security you arestill seeking, the undoubteddisappointments. All this isinevitable. The essential thing isthat the will is firm and thedirection right. And when I seethe guaranteed politicalpluralism, the abolition of thedeath penalty, the renewedgrowth, the programmes set inmotion for the least advantaged,I am sure the will is strong andthe direction is right. I wish theSouth African people good luck'.

He went on to stress that theSocialist International could notaccept the resignation andpessimism often heard these.days from both politicians andfinanciers when discussingAfrica. Ours, he said, was not afalse optimism, we were all toowell aware of the prevailingeconomic crisis, of the diversionof international aid ftom the'south' to the 'east', of the diresocial effects of neo-liberaleconomic policies, of the manycontinuing conflicts - all ofwhich conspired to thwart thegreat movements towards multi-party democracy in Africa. Allthe more reason, however, to

continue our work and toreaffirm our own values andaims for this continent. Hespoke of international efforts forpeace, of the democraticadvances in many Africancountries and of the struggle fordevelopment, which must gohand in hand withdemocratisation and withenlightened policies ofinternational cooperation suchas those advocated at this year'sUN Social Summit. He pledgedthat the International wouldcontinue to strengthen andbroaden its work in the face ofthe many challenges whichcould only be faced throughinternational cooperation.

'Nelson Mandela is a symbolof Africa', Ibrahim BoubacarKeita, prime minister of Maliand leader of ADEMA-PSJ, toldthe SI Council, 'through hiscourage, his determination toend apartheid, to ensurefreedom and human dignity forall. For my generation, NelsonMandela will always be thespokesman of Africa. Let ushope that this and futuregenerations will follow hisexample, so we can face thechallenges of the twenty-firstcentury'. It was very hard, hesaid, for African peoples to findthemselves, after decades ofstruggle for independence andsince independence, still facingeconomic sacrifices for the sakeof structural adjustment. Electedgovernments like his own hadto ensure that economicadjustment did not precludesocial progress, or conflict withthe consolidation of multi-partydemocrary. Such sacrifices couldonly be demanded in thecontext of the widest possibleparticipation in democracy; hisgovernment had thereforedecentralised authority andestablished popular fora fordialogue.

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first vice-president, Gro HarlemBrundtland, prime minister ofNorway, also began herintervention with a tribute to allwho had struggled for fteedomand democracy in South Africa.In spite of great difficulties, shesaw a future of great promise forthe country. In the townships,she said, 'I met people besetwith community purpose,people of great dignity, peoplewho are the harbingers of hope.Their vision will come true oneday... This South Africa canbecome a great beacon of hopefor Africa, which ironically, asdemocracy is spreading, facesthe threat of marginalisation'.She urged renewed commitmentfrom the internationalcommunity to cooperate withAfrican development, whilst alsourglng African governments toprioritise investment in theeducation and welfare of futuregenerations, and especially to

ensure that the health andeducation of girls were notneglected. She called for thedevelopment of effective publicsectors: 'Market forces are strongtools for development, but leftalone they do not respond tocommunity needs... Needs forsustainable development,education, health and socialsecurity can only be articulatedand met by people themselvesand their elected governments'.

'How can we not be hopefulwhen we are sitting together inSouth Africa?', Ant6nio Guterres,leader of the Socialist Party ofPortugal, PS, and an SI vice-president, asked the Council.'Mandela today is a worldreference for democracy and forthat extremely difficult thing,the capacity to forgive - withoutwhich we will never be able tobuild a new future in manycountries'. There was also causefor hope, he said, in the end to

conflict in Mozambique and inAngola, and in certain reversalsof the economic dedineexperienced in the 1980s. Hespoke too, however, of despair atcivil wars, genocide, poverty,disease, environmental disasters,and dictatorships violatinghuman rights, and comparedintemational indifference to thegenocide in Rwanda with thehuge attention focused on theconflict in the formerYugoslavia, and the smallintemational resources devotedto seeking peace in Angola withthe greater efforts of theintemational community in, forexample, Cambodia.

Above all, the curent terms ofinternational fi nancial relationsgave African countries nochance of economicdevelopment:'Adiustmentprogrammes disregard the realsituations. They do not helpdevelopment. Expenditure needs

not reducing but diverting tothe basic requirements of peopleand of development'. He calledfor nothing less than afundamental change inthinking.

Widely varying experiences inAfrica's struggle for democracy,development and peace werereflected in the ensuingcontributions to the maindebate. Some speakers, IikeFeliciano Gundana, generalsecretary of Mozambique'sFrelimo Party, representedparties now in democraticallyelected government andworking, despite greatdifficulties, to carry outprogressive policies. Whileothers, like Pl6cido Mic6, generalsecretary of the Convergence forSocial Democracy, CPDS, ofEquatorial Guinea, had seentheir countries, as he said, 'leftbehind by the train of recentdemocratisation on the Africancontinent' and were strugglingfor democracy in the face ofcontinuing persecution.

Pedro Pires, president of theAftican Independence Party,PAICV of Cape Verde and aformer prime minister of thatcountry, outlined the extensiveproposals for conflictmanagement and peacemakingwhich had been discussed by theSI Africa Committee at its recentmeeting in Cape Verde.

The SI Council went on toadopt as its own the resolutionsagreed by that committeemeeting. These set out theSocialist International's views onthe conditions fordemocratisation in Afiica, andon social and economicdevelopment, as well as on theprevailing situations in Angola,Burundi, Equatorial Guinea,Rwanda, Western Sahara,Somalia and Zaire. Resolutionswere also adopted on Nigeriaand Algeria. (See page 38 for fulltext of Council resolutions).

The Council's debate reflectedmuch concern on the part ofpolitical leaders from Africa andelsewhere at today's situation inthe African continent, andincluded many concreteproposals for improving futurepolicies, both domestically andintemationally.

The responsibility which theSocialist Intemational couldassume in continuing tostrongly advocate democracyand peace and in building theinstruments for economic andsocial progress in Africa wereemphasised by many. SouthAfrica's minister for foreignaffairs, Alfred Nzo, spoke of hiscountry's wish now toconsolidate its position in theinternational community.'Weseek', he said, 'to be a force forgood on a troubled planet, andwe believe our participation inthe Socialist International is anespecially important way ofexpressing this desire'.

Regionol repottsOn the second day of itsmeeting in Cape Town, theCouncil received reports on thework of a number of SICommittees, as well as a reportfrom Secretary General LuisAyala on all the recent work ofthe International (printed intull, page 35).

The chair of the SI Committeefor Latin America and theCaribbean, Jos6 Francisco PeflaG6mez, SI vice-president andleader of the DominicanRevolutionary Party, PRD,Dominican Republic, gave areport on the committee'smeeting inJanuary 1995, whichwas held in Haiti as anaffirmation of the International'ssupport for President Aristide,who attended the meeting,together with members of hisgovernment. Pefla G6mezwelcomed the holding in June ofthe first round of parliamentary

and municipal elections in Haitiand expressed the hope that theorganisational difficulties notedwould be corrected in theforthcoming second round.

The outcome of significantmeetings in March of the SIMiddle East Committee, SIMEC,in TEI Aviv, Gaza and Ammanwere reported to the Council byIsrael Gat, of the Israel LabourParty, who is one of thecommittee's vice-chairs, and byIlan Halevi of the PalestineLiberation Organisation. Thecommittee also met in Brussels on3 and 4 July (this meeting isreported in full on page 26). TheCouncil adopted a statement(page 42) which welcomed thecontinuing positive developmentsin the Middle East peace process,but stressed that there was still along way to go and that the SIand its Middle East Committeewould continue its work to assistthe process in every way possible.Following a report by the SIMECWorking Group on the KurdishQuestion, presented by the chairof the Group Conny Fredriksson aresolution on this issue was alsoadopted (page 42).

Peter Jankowitsch, SocialDemocratic Party of Austria,SPOe, chair of the SI Committeeon Human Rights, SICOHR,presented a report on thatcommittee's work and inparticular on the Conference onHuman Rights and Democracyheld recently in Ottawa andattended by delegations of ourIntemational and of the LiberalInternational and theInternational Democrat Union.Among the issues deeplyconcerning the committee wasthe death and injury inflicted oncivilians in many countries bylandmines - indiscriminateweapons which respect noceasefire - and a resolution of theCouncil called for aninternational ban on theirmanufacture and use.

A report on the work of the SICommittee for Central andEastem Europe, SICEE, waspresented by the committee'sco-chair, Piero Fassino,Democratic Party of the Left,PDS, Italy. The recent meeting ofthe committee in Prague, whichfocused on the continuingconflict in the former Yugoslaviaand on the situation in Russia,the conflict in Chechnya andthe forthcoming Russianelections, is reported elsewherein this issue. Fassino introduceda draft resolution on the formerYugoslavia, which was adoptedby the Council (page 43).

The chair of the SIMediterranean Committee,Raimon Obiols, Spanish SocialistWorkers' Party, PSOE, stressed inhis remarks to the Council thatthe Mediterranean region is at ahistoric crossroads - the nearfuture will see it become either abridge for inter-regionalcooperation or a dividing linebetween northern prosperityand southern poverty. Thecommittee held a recentmeeting in Naples (reportedelsewhere in full) where itfocused on the serious situationin Algeria, amongst other issues.The resolution on Algeria agreedby the committee was adoptedby the Council (page 40).

In his report on theInternational's activities over thelast months, the SI secretarygeneral made special mention,in the absence of thecommittee's chair, of the workof the SI Asia-Pacific Committee.At its meeting in February inManila, the committee elected SIvice-president Makoto Tanabe,former leader of the SocialDemocratic Party of Japan, SDPJ,as its chair. Maryan Street,president of the New ZealarrdLabour Party, and Senator KamalAzfar of. the Pakistan People'sParty, PPP, were elected vice-chairs.

During its meeting in CapeTown, good news from Asiareached the SI CounciL therelease from house arrest ofBurma's democracy leader andNobel Peace Laureate, Aung SanSuu Kyr. The day after herrelease, she spoke of the greatchanges which had happened inSouth Africa during herdetention and called for similarprogress towards democracythrough dialogue in her owncounuy - words of specialresonance for the SI Councildelegates gathered for the firsttime in a democratic SouthAfrica. The Council warmlywelcomed her release in aresolution which also deploredthe recent refusal of visas for anSI delegation to visit Burma andreiterated its concem at thecontinuing abuses in thatcountry (see page 41).

A further resolution adoptedin Cape Town expressed deepdisquiet at the decision of theFrench government to resumenuclear testing in the SouthPacific. Pierre Mauroy, in hisspeech, condemned thisdecision and associated theIntemational with the concernexpressed in many countries ofthe region. This concem wasreiterated at the Councilmeeting by delegates fromAustralia and New Zealand.

Decislons of the CouncilAfter a report from PhilippeBusquin, SI vice-president andleader of the Socialist Party, PS,Belgium, on the first SocialistIntemational conference ofmayors - a large and successfulgathering held in Bologna inJanuary - the Council endorseda proposal to establish a newcommittee to continue theInternational's work in theimportant field of municipalpolitics which will be presentedto the next Congress.

The Council elected Ant6nioGuterres, leader of thePortuguese Socialist Party andan SI vice-president, as chair ofthe SI Committee on EconomicPolicy, Environment andDevelopment, SICEDE.

There were also a number ofdecisions on membership of theIntemaflonal. The chair of theSI Finance and AdministrationCommittee, SIFAC, GunnarStenarv of the Swedish SocialDemocratic Party, SAP, reportedthat SIFAC had agreed to ask theCouncil to recommend to thenext SI Congress that it grantconsultative status in theSocialist Intemational to theAfrican Party for Solidarity andJustice, ADEMA-PSJ, of Mali, andobserver status to the BotswanaNational Front, BNF; theNational Congress forDemocratic Initiative, CNID, ofMali; and the Frelimo Party ofMozambique, as well asupgrading ftom consultative tofull membership the AfricanIndependence Party of CapeVerde, PAICV and the IvoryCoast Popular Front, FPI. TheCouncil so decided.

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,It is of cou$e a particular pleasue forme to make this report to the SI Councilat its fust ever meeting in South Africa.I must be$n by thanking all our friendsand comrades in the African NationalCongress for their whole-hearted assis-tance in organising this meeting inCape Town, and by once again payingtribute to all they have achieved inpeacefully defeating apartheid andembarking on the road of democratic,non-racial govemment.

In March 1994, we held a meeting ofour Intemational in South Afica for thefirst time, when our SI AfricaCommittee convened in Johannesburg.A few months later, I retumed with alarge delegation of the Intemational toobserve the general elections, whichtumed out, in the wake of so much suf-fering and violence, to be exhaordinari-ly peaceful, orderly and successfirl. AndI have been fortunate, in the pastmonths, to observe the birth of democ-ratic South Africa at first hand during anumber of visits to this country.

Now we are holdtng our fint Councilmeeting in South Africa - an event wecould only imagine throughout all thelong years when we worked in everyway we could to support those stnrg-gling against apartheid. We are all, Iknow, proud and happy to be here andto show our solidarity with PresidentMandela's govemment, with the ANCand with all South Africans working fora democratic and prosperous future.

,,This Council meeting seryes also tounderline our commitment to the stru8-gle of political forces all over Africa forthe shared aims and values representedby our Intemational. Today the SocialistInternational has a substantial andgrowing presence in Africa. We havecontacts and exchanges with numerousparties all over the continent. Delegatesof many of those parties are with us atour Council in Cape Town. Otherscannot be with us in person on thisoccasion, but continue to be in closecontact. The consolidation of such con-tacts and of our policy platform for thiscontinent has continued apace since themeeting of the SI Africa Committee inJohannesburg in March 1994, withfurther meetings in Abidian, IvoryCoast, last November, where our hostswere the Ivory Coast Popular Front, FPI,and most recently in May in haia, Cape

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL TO THECOUNCIL IN CAPE TOWN

Verde, where the host was our memberparty, the African Independence ParVof Cape Verde, PAICV.

Parties embracing ideas and values ofdemocratic socialism are playing animportant role all over this continent,both in govemment and in opposition:some in cLcumstances of political andsocial progress, others in sifuations ofoppression and hardship or conflict,They are leading govemments, as inSenegal or Tunisia, Mali orMozambique; they are minority part-ners in coalition govemments, as inMalawi and Benin; tley are leadingparties of the opposition, as in lvoryCoast, where the leader of our memberparty, Laurent Gbagbo, is candidate forthe presidency later this year, and in theCenftd African Republic, Burkina Faso,Mauritius and Botswana; they are strug-gling to maintain political activity inthe face of continuing tyranny, as inEquatorial Guinea; they are courageous-ly surviving bloodshed and disaster, asin Rwanda. In fact, from theMediterranean to the Cape of GoodHope, from Morocco to Togo, Zaire andGabon, people today are organisedbehind the idea of democratic socialismin 40 of 51 counffies of Africa. Withinthis ftamework, relations are also beingstrengthened with many of our friendsof long standing, such as those inNamibia or Angola, Kenya or Zambia.

When our Africa Committee met inCape Verde in May, we continued towork on shared policy approacheswhich are now well developed. We hadbefore us detailed background pape6 oncrucial areas of debate: the conditionsfor democracy, economic development,conflict and peace-making, These dis-cussions of the last two years have laidthe basis for the debates of our Councilin Cape Town and ensure our ability tobring to the whole of the Socialistlntemational at this Council meetingthe voice and the priorities of Africanparties. I am certain that our presence inAfrica will continue to grow and thatour Africa Committee will continue tomeet ftequently for fruitful work andexchanges.

,t,This year the United Nations is celebrat-ing its Sfth anniversary. The SocialistInternational's commitment to astrengthened UN and to supporting theOrganisation in all its work for peace,development and intemational cooper-

ation is a central plafform of our activi-ties and this working relatlonship hasdeveloped very positively in the last fewyea$. In line with this, as I reported tothe last Council meeting in Budapest, Isubmitted to the United Nations lastyear an application for the upgrading ofthe SI's consultative status at the UN,supported by a comprehensive dossieron our activities in furtherance of theUN's aims. Our application was consid-ered by the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations at itsmeeting in New York from 12 to 23June. I addressed the Cornmittee on ourapplication and I am pleased to reportthat it was subsequently approvedunanimously. Since 1973, the SocialistIntemational has had Category II status.This is now to be upgraded to CategoryI, the highest status available to a Non-Governmental Organisation. TheCommittee's decision will be reportedto the UN F,conomic and Social Council(ECOSOC) during its curent session inGeneva. With this new status, we lookforward to making an even more activecontribution to the work of the UnitedNations.

One very important United Nationsevent in which our International tookan active role was the World Conferenceon Human Rights in Vienna. A policydocument prepared by the SICommittee on Human Rights was pre-sented to Conference participants, andwe also held a Round Table during theWorld Conference together with theother political Internationals and pre-sented a co[rmon statement. fu inter-nadonal organisations of democraticpolitical parties, albeit of differing ideo-logical orientation, we stressed ourcommon commitrDent to human rightsand fundamental freedoms and to thedemocratic process as the guarantor ofsuch rights and freedoms. This coopera-tion with the other Intemationals wasfurther pursued when the SocialistIntemational, the Liberal Intemationaland the International Democrat Uniontook part together in a Conference onHuman Rights and Democracy held inOttawa this past April under the aus-pices of the International Centre forHuman Rights and DemocraticDevelopment. The SI delegation was ledby the Chair of the Committee onHuman Rights, Peter Jankowitsch of theSocial Democratic Party of Austria, SPO,and included men and women withspecial expertise in human rights issues,

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drawn from all continents.We follow with equal interest and

concern all the maior gatherings of theUnited Nations, such as the recentReview and Extension Conference ofthe Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Ourpresident, Pierre Mauroy, spoke for usall when he called for renewal of theTreaty, and the Conference's approval ofindefinite renewal was welcomed. Thatthis positive decision was so soon fol-lowed by the announcement of the newpresident of France of the resumption ofnuclear testing in the Pacific was a gravedisappointment, condemned by ourpresident and many of our memberparties, particularly those in the Asia-Pacific region. This grave concern willno doubt be reflected in our discussionsat the Council meeting in Cape Town.

tvThese same priorities of democracy,development, peace, human rights andsocial iustice are at the heart of all theactivities of our International. Thechairs of our various Committees willgive detailed reports to the Council inCape Town on their activities since welast met in Budapest. All the SociahstIntemational's Committees that focuson specific regions have held large andsuccessful meetings. Overall, in theperiod since our last Council inDecember, the Socialist Internationalhas organised activities on every conti-nent.At the meeting of our Asia-Pacific

Committee in Manila in February,hosted by the Philippines DemocraticSocialist Party, PDSP, our Vice-hesident,Makoto Tanabe, former leader of theSocial Democratic Party ofJapan, SDPJ,was elected Chair of the Committee. Wealso elected two vice-chairs, MaryanStreet, president of the New ZealandLabour Party, and Senator Ihmal Azfarof the Pakistan People's Party, PPP. Thedeclaration adopted by that meetingacknowledged the steady advancementof democracy in Asia and the Pacific,but noted with grave concem that,while in many countries of the regionthere were longstanding and deeplyrooted democratic instifutions and prac-tices, in others democracy, humanrights and fundamental fteedoms werestill absent and women, in particular,remained marginalised and subordinat-ed. Our declaration also condemned thecontinuing violation of human andpolitical rights in Bhutan, Burma, EastTimor and Tibet.

Leading representatives of theNational League for Democracy ofBurma, who have been regular gueits atour recent meetings, attended the SI

committee meeting in Manila. We havefollowed political developments inBurma with deep concern and the com-mittee agreed on the sending of a high-level Socialist Intemational mission toRangoon. Regrettably, the members ofour delegation were subsequentlydenied visas to enter Burma. The SI del-egation was scheduled to be in Rangoonfrom 20 to 22lune.Its members were tobe Committee Chair Makoto Tanabe;Pauline Green, SI vice-president andleader of the Group of the Party ofEuropean Socialists in the EuropeanParliament; Thorbjorn Jagland, leader ofthe Norwegian Labour Party, DNA;Michael Beahan, Australian labor Party,ALP, president of the Senate of Australia,and myself. On 16 June the authoritiesin Rangoon communicated their refusalto issue entry visas for our visit. Wehave strongly protested against thisdecision of the ruling State Law andOrder Restoration Council, SLORC, andreiterated our Srave concern about thesifuation in Burma, where, five yearsafter the elections of 27 May 1990, theSLORC refuses still to hand power to theNational League for Democracy, NLD,which won more than 82 per cent ofparliamentary seats. The NLD leaderand Nobel Peace Laureate, Aung SanSuu Kyi, recently spent her 50th birth-day in detention, where she has beenfor almost six years. We maintain ourresolve to send our delegation to Burma.

In Manila we also agreed to send an SImission to Fiii, the details of which arenow being finalised. This visit will be inline with the International's longstand-ing concem about the continuing con-stitutional and political abuses in Fiii,where the Fiii Labour Party wasremoved ftom govemmentbya militarycoup in 1987, and will underline oursolidarity with the Labour Party in itswork for democratic reforms.

The Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince,was the venue for the meeting inJanuary of the SI Committee for LatinAmerica and the Caribbean, SICLAC,chaired by SI Vice-President Jos€Francisco Peia G6mez, leader of theDominican Revolutionary Party, PRD,Dominican Republic. We met in Haiti asan affirmation of support for PresidentJean-Bertrand Aristide, following hisrestoration to office last October, andfor all democratic forces in Haiti,including our own two parties there,PANPRA and KONAKOM, who iointlyhosted the SI committee meeting. Onthis momentous occasion we met informal session at the presidentialpalace, where President Aristideaddressed us. The pdme minister,Smarck Michel, and other members ofthe govemment also took part in our

meeting. SI President Pierre Mauroy,who attended the meeting in Haiti,summed up the feelings of all the SI del-egates when he told President Aristide:'We are with you, we are at your side...the whole world must help HaiU today'.

Now Haiti is holding parliamentaryelections, not without difficulties afterso much violence and upheaval. Wewish them a successful, democratic andpeaceful outcome. We have been inclose contact with President Aristideand with our parties in Haiti, and a del-egation of the Socialist Intemationalwill be in Haiti to obsewe the votingprocess when the second round of theelections are held.

Another meeting of particular signifi-cance w.ls held in March by the SIMiddle East Committee, SIMEC, underthe chairmanship of Hans-JtirgenWischnewski, Social Democratic Partyof Germany, SPD. We met on consecu-tive days in Tel Aviv, where our hostswere the Israel Labour Party andMAPAM; in Gaza City, at the invitationof the PLO; and in Amman, where ourmeeting was hosted by HRH the CrownPrince of Jordan. The meeting atEactedthe participation of the region's leadingpolitical figures, including PrimeMinister Yitzhak Rabin and ForeignMinister Shimon Peres of Israel, theChairman of the Palestinian Authority,Yasser Arafat, and Crown Prince EI-Hassan, who all took part in theexchange of latest information on thepeace process in the region. Themeeting confirmed the condnuing needfor a forum such as that offered by ourcommittee and our three days of discus-sion underlined strongly the impor-tance of continuing political and practi-cal support from the whole internation-al community for the peace process. Itwas with this in mind that our commit-tee met again in Brussels iust a few daysago and focused, with the participationof guests ftom the World Bank and theEuropean Commission, on the questionof international economic and politicalsupport for the peace process.

The Working Group on the KurdishQuestion established last year by SIMECand chaired by Conny Fredriksson ofthe Swedish Social Democratic Party,SAR has also continued its workthroughout the past months and, after aprogramme of discussions and visits,will make proposals for action by theSocialist Intemational in support of theconcems of the Kurdish people, includ-ing peace, democracy and humanriShts.

The expanding presence of socialdemocratic parties in Central andEastern Europe was clear when ourCouncil met last December in Budapest,

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and this impression was reinforcedwhen the SI Committee for Central andEastem Europe, SICEE, met last monthin Prague. The committee is iointlychaired byliri Hor6k of the Czech SocialDemocratic Party, CSSD, which was ourhost in Prague, and by Piero Fassino,Democratic Parg of the Left, PDS, Italy.Significantly, more than 50 parties,induding SI members in the region andelsewhere and many other partiesinvited as guests, were represented inPrague. Our committee noted theincreasing influence of parties of socialdemocratic orientation on the pace andcontent of the ongoing transformationin former communist countries, andaddressed the question of linlG betweenCentral and Eastem Europe and theEuropean Union.

The committee was also much preoc-cupied with the continuing conflict inthe former Yugoslavia, and severalparties from Bosnia, Croatia andMontenegro took part in our meeting inPrague. Another area of particularconcem was the situation in Russia,with the conflict in Chechnya and theparliamentary and presidential electionsscheduled for later this Yeat.Representatives ftom five Russianparties and organisations of socialdemocratic orientation attended the SIcommittee meeting, and invited thecommittee to hold its next meeting inMoscow - an initiative which we muchwelcome.

Also in June, the SI Committee for theMediterranean, which is chaired bYRaimon Obiols of the Spanish SocialistWorkers'Party, PSOE, held an importantmeeting in Naples, hosted by the ItalianDemocratc Party of the lrft, PDS. Thecommittee discussed the upcomingEuro-Mediterranean Conference,exchanged information on the situationin various countries of the region, andaddressed the continuing violence andlack of democracy in Algeria. Extensivedisorssions took place in Naples, withthe participation of the leaders of ourAlgerian member party, the SocialistForces Front, and the committee reiter-ated the International's position,expressing deep concem for the suffer-ing of the Algerian people and extend-ing every support for initiatives to seek apolitical, not a military solution, basedon genuine dialogue and the restorationof peace and democracy.

vThe Council meeting in Cape Town willhear from some of those who took partin another important recent initiative,the holding in January of our firstSocialist Intemational Conference ofMayors in Bologna. This was a proiect

close to the heart of our president, whois mayor of one of France's largest cities,Lille - a position to which he has iustbeen re-elected.

The participation in Bologna of morethan 250 mayors and other members ofmunicipal governments from aroundthe world indicates a great interest inthe pooling, within our International,of social democratic approaches to localdemocracy, and the Council will beasked to approve a number of proposalsfor continuing this work on a structuredbasis.

v,It is pleasing to report that in the flrstsix months of 1995 a number of SImember parties registered election suc-cesses. In Finland, the Social DemocraticParty is now leading a coalition govem-ment, with SDP Leader Paavo Lipponenas prime minister, following the party'selection success in March. The Socialistsare reaffirmed as partners in coalitiongovemment in Belgium, where elec-tions were held in May. Meanwhile, theleader of our member party in Uruguay,the ParV for People's Govemment, PGP,Hugo Batalla, took office on 1 March asVice-President of his country, havingbeen elected last November. And in theEastern Caribbean, the St. Kitts-NevisLabour Party won a majority of seats inthe 3 July elections.

Others of our parties have notablystrengthened their posidon, whilst notyet acceding to national govemment. InBritain, the Labour Party moves evercloser to power as the Consewative gov-emment stumbles ftom crisis to crisis.In the recent local elections, labourmade Iarge gains, while the ruIing partyregistered its lowest ever vote. In France,the Socialist Party candidate LionelJospin confounded all predictions whenhe won the first round of presidentialelections and lost the second round inMay only nanowly. ln fugentin4 thekft coalition, including our memberparty the Popular Socialist Party, PSBcame second in presidential and parlia-mentary elections in May.Of course, the influence of our

member parties is also evident in otherwayn. For example, in ltaly, after tfiecrisis and forced resignation of theright-wing goverment led by SilvioBerlusconi, a new administration, sup-ported by the parties of the Left, is nowin office and preparing for elections, inwhich the L€ft witl unite behind a newcandidate.In the Republic of Ireland and in

Northern Ireland, we note with pridethat our parties continue to play a deci-sive role in the process towards a per-manent end to conflict in that island.

vilAs always, I have had the opportunityto represent the Intemational at anumber of meetings and conferences. Iwas recently invited to attend theLeaders' Conference of the Parg ofEuropean Socialists, in Valbonne,France, where, under the chairmanshipof the new PES Leader, RudolfScharping, the discussion focused onpolicy proposals for the EuropeanUnion and preparation for the 1996Intergovemmental Conference. I alsohad the pleasure of attending theCongress of the Philippines DemocraticSocialist Party in February and thespecial conference of the British labourParty in Apdl, where the party adopteda new statement of aims and values.

vrfiAll the many activities and statementsof the Socialist International are fuIIyreflected in our quarterly iournalSocialist Affain, a new issue of which isavailable at the Council meeting inCape Town, and in our monthly SINewsletter. As always, these are circu-lated to all our member parties and tomany other contacts throughout theworld. We hope thus to continuallyspread awarehess of the scope, thework and the concerns of ourInternational.

As members know, the SI's budget isffnanced solely by membership fees.The number and size of our activities isconstantly increasing and I can reportwith some satisfaction that this iscarried out within a constant budget.However, the prompt payment ofmembership fees and the clearing ofarrears is a matter of extrcme urgency ifwe are to firlfil our plans and commit-ments for the coming months.

txDuring the first half of 1995, severalthousand individuals ftom all aroundthe world have taken part in the meet-ings and activities of the SocialistInternational. I have touched brieflyon all of these and others will givefuIIer reports to the Council on specificareas of our work. The picture is anactive and positive one. The interestand enthusiasm for our activities isconsiderable. In the second half of thisyear, olu proSramme is set to be just asproductive.

Meetings such as that of our Councilin South Africa are among the mostmemorable events of our programme.To meet in a democratic South Africa isa great honour and gives us inspirationand encouragement in all our work.

AFR'CAAngoloThe Socialist Intemational welcomesthe recent positive development in theimplementation of the peace accordssigned in Lusaka on 20 November 1994.

This positive furn of events raises thehope that peace in Angola is about tobe consolidated. The SI congratulatesthe signatodes of the Lusaka peaceaccords for their effective commitmentto the implementation of these accords.

A new phase of consolidation of thepeace process and of national reconcili-ation is now starting. The SI appealsurgently to the intemational communi-ty to inqease its financial and humani-tarian aid to the process of minesweep-ing, to the re-settlement of displacedpe6ons, and to the rebuilding of theeconomic infrastrucfure of the country,a fundamental condition for the suc-cessfuI integration of all Angolans intothe civil life of the country and fornational reconciliation in Angola.

The SI also appeals to the intemation-al community, especially to the UnitedNations, to observers and to other statesin the region for a real commitment tothe follow-up to the peace process inorder to allow lasting peace in Angola.

BurundiThe Socialist Intemational is very con-cerned by the deterioration of the situ-ation in Burundi where hope and trustbetween the communities are danger-ously lacking.

The SI invites all the political partiesto respect the commitments made inSeptember 1994 at the signing of theConvention of Government and tolaunch a broad national debate in orderto find the basis for a lasting stability inthe country.

The SI supports all initiatives towardsthe organisation of an InternationalPeace Conference in Burundi.

Equotoriol GulneoThe Council of the SocialistIntemational:

Recalling the resolution adopted atthe SI Council meeting in Budapestregarding the situation in EquatorialGuinea,- condemns the methods used fot thecensus for the next municipal electionswhich show the will of Obiang's r6gimeto eliminate the influence of oppositionparties, particularly those of the JointOpposition Platform, POC, and

- appeals to the sponsors of funds to bevigilant that the conditions for theorganisation of free and transparentelections are respected.

KenyoThe Council of the SocialistInternational, noting with concem thegrave political situation in Kenya result-ing ftom the govemment's intransi-gence by blocking the democratisationprocess which has Ied to serious andrapid deterioration of the politicalclimate:1. Condemns the continued arrests,harassment and intimidation of opposi-tion leaders and supporters.2. Abhors the govemmentt constantviolation of the fteedom of the pressand arbitrary arrest, torture and deten-tion of ioumalists.3. Condemns the government for itsobstinacy in refusing to facilitate con-stitutional reform and its systematicviolations of citizen's fundamentalrights and fteedoms.4. Offers its encouragement andsupport to the democratic politicalforces fighting for change.

NigerloThe Socialist Intemational condemnsthe continued suppression of democra-cy and human dghts in Nigeria.

We deplore the persecution of theOgoni people and salute their efforts toprotect their traditions and the envi-ronment of Nigeria.

We call for the immediate release ofChief Abiola and all other political pris-one$, the restoration of democracy andan end to all political trials.

RwondoThe Socialist International rememberswith emotion that 16 months ago agenocide was perpetrated in Rwandawhich cost the lives of hundreds ofthousands of people.It again asks the international com-

munity to do all in its power to help theKigali government to rebuild thecountry to reconcile the populationand to establish a real rule of lawrespecting democratic freedoms andhuman rights.

It recalls that the continuing impuni-ty of those responsible for the genocidenot only constitutes an insult to humandignity but also incites the recurrenceof such crimes, in Rwanda or in neigh-bouring countries.

Outraged by the massacre at Kibeho

Camp and alerted by reprisals which aretending to become systematic in otherregions of the country the SI, havingtaken note of the report of theIntemational Commission of Enquirywhich calls into question the action ofAPR soldiers, expects the Kigali govem-ment to react firmly in order to re-estab-lish a climate of confidence indispens-able for the retum of Hutu refugees tothe country under good conditions.

Westem SahoroThe Socialist International expresses itsdeep concem about the delay in imple-menting the peace process in WesternSahara.

The SI reaffirms its support for theright of the people of Western Sahara toself-determination and to indepen-dence in accordance with resolutions ofall the intemational bodies.

The SI declares its agreement with theUnited Nations and the OAU on theorganisation of a ftee, fair and transpar-ent referendum on self-determinationin accordance with the terms of thepeace plan as accepted by the twoparties, and appeals to the authorities ofMINURSO to ensure the participation ofobservers and of the international pressduring the different stages of identifica-tion of voters and during the referen-dum.

The SI resolves to send a delegation togather information on the situation inWestern Sahara and to observe thecuilent process.

The SI appeals to the two parties to theconflict to start direct negotiations inorder to resolve all outstanding prob-Iems with a view to creating the neces-sary conditions for the organisation of areferendum on self-determination.

SomolloDespite the dramatic crisis created inSomalia after Siad Barre's departure, theintemational community has not beenable to contribute to the creation of theright conditions for peace in thecountry.

Unfortunately, the UNOSOM opera-tion has failed. More than ever, war andchaos continue to rage in Somalia.

The SI is convinced that the intema-tional community can and must makerenewed efforts to find a solution to thisdramatic crisis.

A solution should be found throughthe re-launch of initiatives such as theUN's, originally led by Mr. Sahnoun(Representative of the UN General

Secretariat for Somalia). This initiativewas based on the participation of theSomali civilian population - such aswomen's organisations, doctors, teach-ers - who would rebuild the countrywithout being part of any particularfaction.

Underlining the positive developmentof peace, stability and reconstructiontaking place in countries close to theregion of the Horn of Aftica, such asEthiopia and Eritrea, the SI considersthat the promotion of peace could alsobe achieved at regional level.

ZoireFollowing the considerable advancesrecorded in southem Africa, the mainpotential destabilising factor in Africa iscertainly Zaire.

The constant deterioration of thesocio-economic situation and the polit-ical freeze could lead the countrytowards explosion and chaos whichwould have catasbophic repercussionsfor the region as a whole.

The Socialist International appealsurgently to the intemational communi-ty to give the greatest attention to thatcountry.

The Conditions forDemocrotlsotlonPolitical and trade-union pluralism, afree and independent pressfthe promo-tion of women, young people and chil-dren, the defence of human rights, par-ticularly the rights of association,expression and demonstrations, are theaims and obiectives with which Africandemocratic forces have identified them-selves.

Since 1990, there have been more andmore pluralistic elections, but in manycases, this pluralism was of a ratherformal character. However, these lastfew years have been marked by signifi-cant democratic advances in certaincountries.But the resistance of the .former

powers (in C6te d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso,Cameroon, Togo, Zaite, Kenya andEquatorial Guinea in particular), thelack of democratic culture in certainnew leaders, the extent of the financialand economic crisis, the temptation forthe financial sponsors to abandonAfrica in favour of other parts of theworld, have ieopardised the democraticmomentum.

This situation means that SocialistIntemational member parties andforces close to them should be commit-ted to resolute action so that a democ-ratic political opening with an accep-tance of altemation of power, becomesthe ruIe on the African continent.The Council of the Socialist

International recalls its commitment to: Africa, including Public Aid forl. As regards elections: Development, which is well below the1.1 The establishment of independent 0.7 per cent of GNP target,national electoral commissions, to noted that the economic policiessupervise the census and organising the carried out in Africa did not yield theelectoral process. These commissions expectedresultsandconsideredthatthemust guarantee the equal treatment of following points represent key elementsparties and, in particulaq access to the which must be bome in mind in ordermedia. to achieve economic and social devel-1..2 The presence of international opmentinAfrica:observers, from the beginning of the 1. Economic growth: the road to eco-electoral process, working in liaison nomic independencewith national observers and the inde- 1.1 Thenecessaryconditionsforeco-pendent national electoral commission. nomic development are as follows:2. As regards respect for pluralism: a) sound economic policies; b) human2.1 That the role of parliaments be resource development; c) an appropriateeffectively recognised in accordance infrastructure; d) sufficient financialwith the constitutions adopted. resources; e) a high standard of govern-2.3 That the opposition have access ment on the part of African countriesto public media in non-electoral and in and donors; f) regional integration; g)electoral periods, and that a structure of favourable world economic conditions.independent communication be estab- 2. Trade: participating in an open worldlished, guaranteeing the fair treatment economyof parties in power and in opposition. 2.1 Commercial contexts must

The Socialist International will do all change in order to promote a profitableit can to strengthen the socialist and participation of the region in worldsocial-democratic parties on the African trade. It is vital for markets to be opencontinent through a systematic pro- to Aftican products.gramme of training to entrench a demo- 2.2 A new commercial context couldqatic culture, the promotion of also allow African countries to exportexchanges of experience and actions of more sophisticated products with moresolidarity, particularly in a perspective added value. Existing provisions con-of regional integration. tained in the Lom6 Convention, for

example, must be re-cxamined in thisSociol ond Economic light.Development in Afrlco 2.3 Africa must invest increasingly inThe iouncil of the Socialist economic diversification.International, having examined the ?,a - The implementation of moreeconomic and social iituation in Africa liberal farm policies will contribute to

not take sufficient account of the social priority

40 human resources, with particular atten-tion to adult literacy classes, to primaryand vocational leaming; (ii) improvedaccess of poor people to basic services;(iii) increased efforts to liberate andmobilise the energies of poor people; (iv)fair distribution of growth.5. Agriculture: the main pillar of Africa'seconomy5.1 Africa's development depends onthe strengthening of the agriculturalsector. The conditions necessary for sub-sistence must improve. Food importsmust be replaced by local production.The export sector must be developed.This expansion will benefit from morerealistic exchange rates.5.2 As far as foodstuffs are concemed,independence and safety must be theobiectives. Africa must commit itself toimproving farm policies, productivityand distribution mechanisms and to cre-ating reliable marketing and creditsystems together with appropriatestorage facilities. Subsidies must serve topromote, among other things, betterland use through more participativeresearch.6. The environment: a more sustainabledevelopment6.1 Environmental protection mustform an integral part of developmentprogrammes. Adiustment plans musttake greater account of environmentalissues. There is a direct link betweenpoverty and environmental damage.6.2 Industrialised and developingcountdes share the responsibility ofimplementing the recommendations ofLJNCED. In this respect, donor coun-tries must be aware of the debt that theyowe poor countries.7. Compatibility of structural develop-ment programmes with developmentpolicies7.7 Adiustment programmes willhave to be tailored specifically to benefi-ciary countries and take full account ofthe social dimension. Althoughshort-term stability is not in itselfenough to promote development, it isnevertheless a pre-<ondition. Africangovernments are therefore advised totake the necessary measures to improvetheir country's economy. In addition,there must be fundamental changes inthe conditions and restrictions whichaccompany adiustment proSrammesunder the aegis of the IMF and theWorld Bank.7.2 Future programmes must bebased mainly on the fundamental needsof the people in the region and on theneed for long-term development.Efforts must be made to safeguard exist-ing social systems and to improve theincome of the population as a whole.Structural adiustments must be compat-

ible with development.7.3 In the medium or short term, it isessential to increase investments in keyareas such as rural development, educa-tion, vocational training, infrastructureand public services and thus to helpbring about economic and social stabili-ty in African countdes, so that they maygradually develop their humanresources.8. Human resources: the real fightagainst poverty8.1 Investment in human resourcesconstitutes a pdority. The fight againstilliteracy must be given new impetus.Education must become top of theagenda. More efforts must be made inthe fields of the education of girls andvocational training.8.2 Speedy progress must be madetowards achieving the objectives whichfocus on human resources from now tothe year 2000 in areas such as lifeexpectancy, the involvement of womenin development, infant and maternalmortality rates, health, nutdtion, waterand sanitation systems, basic educationand housing.8.3 The development of humanpotential and the reduction of povertyrequire a policy regarding population.Plans and development programmesmust take population changes intoaccount. In this respect African coun-tries are advised to take heed of the con-clusions and the recommendations ofthe Cairo Conference on population.8.4 The international communitymust set a financial obiective regardinghuman development programmes: 20per cent of development aid must seweto meet this objective. Donor countriesmust reconsider their teluctance tofinance the operating costs associatedwith human development and educa-tion in particular.9. Promoting the private sector9.1 The private sector should havegreater priority because of its inherentflexibility and dynamism.9.2 Governments must strive tocreate the conditions in which econom-ic activity can flourish together withfacilitating pdvate investment. Not onlyshould they encourage productiveprivate African initiatives, but they

more thanimportance

ll"i',T'ot10.1 Using existing regional organisa-tions as a starting point, African coun-tries should be able to improve com-merce, transport, communications andagriculture. Given the minimalexchanges which exist between Africancountries, it is clear that, without con-

clete results in these three areas, integra-tion and cooperation will not become areality in Africa.10.2 The establishment of an Africanagricultural market with lower trade bar-riers and uniform prices would be amajor success. It could spread to othereconomic sectors thus creating genuineeconomlc areas.10.3 Improvement of regional integra-tion in Africa requires this integratibn tobe specific and centred on clear obiec-tives; it should be praSmatic and pro-gressive, and form part of genuine policydiscussions, while being as ftee as possi-ble from national interference.11. Intemationalcooperation11.1 As far as European developmentpolicy is concerned, it is important toensure that political and economic mea-sures are also compatible with the obiec-tives of development policies atEuropean level. This compatibility canonly be achieved through a coherentEuropean Union policy, particularly inrelation to economic, commercial,financial and farm policies, aiming toeliminate customs barriers and toencouage fafu prices for raw materialsand farm produce.ll.2 In addition, European coopera-tion with African countries regardingdevelopment policy issues should coverareas such as the eradication of poverty,ptogress in education and vocationaltraining, the environment, rural devel-opment and democratisation.11.3 The sheer scale of the challengeswhich Africa is faced with must lead thecountries of the European Union tohonour their commitments rvithin theftamework of the renegotiated Lom6 IV,in particular as far as fixing the amountof the 8th EDF is concemed.11.4 Apart from increasing the volumeof aid, it is vital to make changes to themethods of aid distribution to ensurethat African countries can really meetthe needs of long-term development.

ALGER'AThe Council of the SocialistInternational:

notes that Algeria is going tfuough adramatic crisis and shares the concernsof the international community as tothe suffering of the Algerian people,hostages to violence wishing for peaceto be restored;

expresses solidaritY with all thewomen and the men who fight againstviolence;

strongly denounces massive humanrights violations and expresses concernabout the risk of civil war;

stresses that the Algedan cdsis cannot,under any circumstances, be settled bymilitary means. The solution is a politi-

cal one. Within this framework, the sig-nafure of the platform for a 'nationalcontract' and the announcement of thepresidential election are the facts whichurgently highlight the need for an agree-ment between the authorities in powerand all democratic forces, together withthose moderate Islamist sectors whichcondemn all forms of terrorism andwhich recognise the principle of plural-ism and the democratic changeover ofpolitical power;

calls on all Algerian parties to reiectviolence as a means of political struggleor as a way of staying in power, and toact unequivocally towards the immedi-ate cessation of all acts of violence andtefiorism;

calls on all authorities in power to takeactions of real political initiatve capableof setting in motion a genuine dialogueto encourage the retum of Algeria topeace and democracy;

also stresses that for elections to takeplace there is a need for a social andpoliflcal consensus which to date is notin place;

stresses that an open electoral processraises vital questions: agreement of atimetable for all elections, monitorinSby intemational observers, and at thesame time guarantees for a democratictransition, a safe environment, a freeand pluralist system and guaranteed freeaccess to information;

calls on the European Cornmunity tospeak with one voice and give everyfinancial and economic assistance tohelp create a genuinely open politicaland economic climate.

The Socialist Intemational will provideall the assistance and support needed tocontribute to a successful process of dia-logue, peace and democracy in Algeria.

BURMARecalling the resolution on Burma of theCouncil of the Socialist Intemationaladopted in Tokyo on 11 May 1994, andthe resolution of the SI Asia-PacificCommittee adopted in Manila on 11February 1995, the Council of theSocialist International:

is appalled by the decision of the StateLaw and Order Restoration Council(SLORC) in Burma to deny entry to ahigh-level Socialist Intemational fact-finding mission;

notes with serious concern that SLORChas not complied with the issues raisedby the Socialist International, specifical-ly:1. SLORC has not so far declared that itwill enter into dialogue with Aung SanSuu Kyi, and other democratic andethnic nationalist leaders to find apeaceful solution to the political situa-tion in Burma;

2. SLORC has not so far announced thatit will transfer power to the elected rep-resentatives of the National League forDemocracy (NLD) that won more than82 per cent of the parliamentary seatsinthe2T May 1990 general elections;3. SLORC is continuing with theNational Convention to draft a consti-tution that will reserve a leading rolefor the armed forces in the future polit-ical life of Burma, which clearly contra-dicts the expressed will of the Burmesepeople;4. full respect for human rights andfundamental freedoms, includingethnic and religious rights have notbeen restored and5. the use of torture, arbitrary anests,summary and arbitrary executions,forced labour, porterage, relocation andconscription, and the abuse of $romenby SLORC is continuing;

strongly condemns SLORC's militaryoffensive against and capture ofManerplaw, the headquarters of theKaren National Union and the Burmesedemocracy movement. These actionscontradict SLORC's own claim at theUnited Nations that it is pursuingnational reconciliation through peace-fuI means;

strongly condemns the continued sys-tematic use of torture, summary andarbitary executions, forced labour indevelopment proiects, forced porterageby villagers for the military forced con-scdption into the armed forces, forceddisplacement of the population and therape of women, as a tool of repression,in particular against ethnic and reli-gious minorities;

condemns the use of religion and eth-nicity by SLORC to create divisionswithin the religious and ethnic com-munities of Burma;

condemns the renewed restrictionsplaced on the exercise of fundamentalfreedom including the freedoms ofexpression, association, assembly andthe use of arbitrary arrests and deten-tion to suppress political dissent;

calls on SLORC to immediately ceaseits military offensives against ethnicarmies and instead to solve politicalproblems and to respect the territorialintegdty of neighbouring countries;

appeals to the governments ofThailand, Laos, China, India andBangladesh to continue to grant refugeto those fleeing the conflict in Burmaand to allow humanitarian agenciesaccess to those displaced by the fight-irg;

calls on the United Nations secretarygeneral to urgently implement theDecember 1994 General Assembly reso-lution to find a political solution to thesituation in Burma;

calls on member parties who are ingovemment, to fully support the effortsof the UN secretary general and activelyseek to implement this resolution;

appeals to the governments of ASEANand neighbouring nations to supportthe UN secretary general's efforts topromote national reconciliation inBurma by not Supplying arms to SLORC,and promoting trade and investments;

appeals to the international communi-ty, specifically Japan, UN agencies andintemational financial institutions suchas the Asian Development Bank and theWorld Bank to refrain from renewingODA assistance, development and assis-tance programmes and loans untilSLORC responds positively to the UNsecretary general and Aung San Suu Kyris released unconditionally;

calls on foreign companies operatingin Burma, especially TOTAI of France,UNOCAL andTEXACO from the UnitedStates and PREMIER of Britain, to with-draw or suspend their operations inBurma in support of the UN secretarygeneral's efforts and until they can beassured that their investments will notindtuectly enable SLORC to confinueperpetrating abocities on the people ofBurma, specifically in ethnic areas;

calls on hotel operators, tour agentsand the general public to support theUN secretary general's national reconcil-iation initiatives by protesting againstthe use of slave labour for tourist attrac-tions in Burma and boycotting SLORC's'Visit Myanmar Year - 1996'.The Socialist Intemational has

received the preliminary reports of therelease of Aung San Suu Kyi, which itwelcomes wholeheartedly, providedthat she is free without coiditibns.

CYPRUSThe Socialist International welcomesthe recent European Union-Cyprusagreement. This agreement for integra-tion of Cyprus to the EU makes morecompelling the need for a settlement ofthe conflict thus allowing the popula-tion of the entire island to benefit fromthe EU membership.

The Socialist International views withapprehension the present situation inCyprus.

After 20 years of Turkish occupation of37 per cent of the islanq there is noprogress in the United Nations'attempts to solve the conflict, as a resultof no positive signs from the Turkishside to reach an acceptable solution.

The SI calls on the United Nations tocontinue the efforts to reach an agree-ment based on iustice and respect ofinternational law.

The SI calls on the government ofCyprus and the Turkish community in

42 Cyprus to show goodwill and start aprocess of confidence-building betweenthem.

The SI is committed to assist the peaceprocess in Cyprus.

THE DEMOCP/T,,SATIONPROCESS AND THEKURD,,SH PROBLEM TNTURKEYReferring to the report of the SI WorkingGroup on the Kurdish issue, the conclu-sions of which were unanimouslyadopted by the SI Middle EastCommittee,

taking into account the findings of thenumerous missions to Turkey of theCouncil of Europe, the EuropeanParliament, the Organisation forSecurity and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE) and several national parliamentsand NGO gloups and the resolutionsadopted by these bodies,

concemed about the stagnation of thedemocratisation process and the contin-uing degradation of the human rightssituation in Turkey as stated by AmnestyInternational, the Turkish HumanFjghts Association (IHD), the OSCE andthe Western European Union (WEU),

alarmed by recent statements by theTtrrkish deputy chief of staff and the factthat Prime Minister Tansu QiIIerannounced that she had to suspend thedeliberations of the Turkish Parliamenton constitutional reform,

condemning the new operations byTurkish troops in the Kurdish UN pro-tection zone in the neighbouring stateof Iraq, causing again several civilianvictims and the destruction of Kurdishvillages,

worried about the civil warJike situa-tion in South-East Turkey and convincedthat there is no solution by militarymeans of the Kurdish problem,

recognising the clear internationaldimension of the Kurdish problem, thesolution of which is of utmost impor-tance for the stability of Turkey and theother countries concemed,

supportinS the territorial integrity ofthe Turkish state and the neighbouringcountdes, reiecting any kind of sepa-ratism,

reiecting all kinds of tyranny, includ-ing terrorism exerted by popular organi-sations such as the PKK, as well as by thestate security forces,the Socialist International, at its

Council meeting in Cape Town, on 10-l1 July 1995:

firmly supports all national and inter-national demands for rapid progress inthe democmtisation process in Turkey,in particular far-reaching constitutionalreforms and substantial improvements

in the human rights situation,hopes for the conclusion of a customs

union between the European Unionand Turkey within the ftamework posedby the European Parliament,

demands the release of all politicalprisoners including the DEP parliamen-tarians,

appeals to the Turkish authorities toopen a constructive dialogue with thecountry's Kurdish citizens and theirrepresentatives who renounce violence,and

reaffirms its conviction that a stableand democratic Turkey is of utmostimportance for the future developmentof the region and of Europe, believingthat the more democratic Turkeybecomes the more it can become part ofdemocratic European institutions.

AN /iNilERNAT,ONAL BANON I/,NDM'NESThe Socialist Intemational:

aware that landmines are an abhor-rent and indiscriminate weapon; thatthey cannot be aimed; that they can betriggered by adults, children, oranimals; that they recognise no cease-fire and may go on maiming and killingdecades after hostilities cease; and thatthose most likely to encounter land-mines are the rural poor who live farfrom adequate medical facilities;

emphasising that landmines are dev-astating at all levels of society - individ-ual, family, community and nation -and that countries must respond notonly to the immediate medical andrehabilitative needs of landminevictims but also to the severe long-termeffects of landmines on post-war eco-nomic reconstruction and social reinte-gration of refugees and internally dis-placed persons;

further emphasisinS that landminescommonly kill or inflict ravagingwounds usually resulting in traumaticor surgical amputation; that the minesdrive dirt and bacteria deep into thetissue, causing rapid spread of infec-tion; and that those who survive theinitial blast require antibiotics, largeamounts of blood, extended hospitalstays, long-term phpical therapy, andcostly prosthetic device;

Calls for:1. An intemationl ban on the use, pro-duction, stockpiling, and sale, transfer,or export of anti-personnel mines.2. The establishment of an internation-al fund, administered by the UnitedNations, to promote and finance minevictim assistance programmes andlandmine awareness, clearance, anderadication programmes worldwide.3. Countries responsible for the produc-

tion and dissemination of anti-person-nel mines to contribute to the intema-tional fund.

f,IE M'DDLE EASTOn behalf of the Socialist InternationalMiddle East Committee, SIMEC, wewish to repod that during the last halfyear since the Council meeting inBudapest, thete have been significantdevelopments in the Middle East whichis on its way to a full and comprehen-sive peace.

The Palestinian National Authority inspite of all the difficulties has estab-Iished its administrative authority in thearea and its population and is on its way

. to achieving an accord with Israel onthe second stage of the interim agree-ment, including redeployment and elec-tions. The SI calls on the internationalcommunity and especially the EuropeanUnion to assist the Palestinian NationalAuthority and to invest in the forma-tion of an economic, social and politicalstructure in the Palestinian autonomy,and to help create an atmosphere ofhope. It also issues a call to all the SIparties to help the Palestinian peoplewith assistance in their process ofdemocracy-building.

We wish to mention with satisfactionthe meeting of Chiefs of Staff of Israeland Syria and the agreement to contin-ue the talks on a more detailed level inorder to find common ground for peacebetween the two countries.

There is also an urgent need to initiatenegotiations between Israel andLebanon for the sake of peace and inorder to end the existing violence onthe border which endangers the peaceProcess.

The Peace Agreement between Israeland Jordan was signed lust before ourlast Council meeting and has sincemoved towards cooperation and thedevelopment of a closer rclationship.

We condemn both the attempt toassassinate President Mubarak and theforces which stand behind this act.These are the same forces which use ter-rorism against Israelis, Palestinians,Jews, fuabs, and others in an attempt toblock any chance to achieve peace.

The Middle East has started regionaleconomic cooperation and in thisregard we wish to mention theCasablanca conference and the futureAmman conference. In this context weappreciate the pivotal role of Europe inits Mediterranean policy of assistanceand the example it sets in practisingregional cooperation.

But beyond all these achievements wehave not yet reached full peace eitheron the IsraeliPalestinian track, wherepermanent status neSotiations have not

yet started, or in the Middle East as awhole, and there is still a long n/ay to 80.

The Socialist Intemational will contin-ue, as in the past, to work to assist thepeace process in the region to achievefull and comprehensive peace.

NUCLEAR TEST,NG 'N

fHESOUilH PAC,iF,iCThe Council meeting of the SocialistInternational,

acknowledging that in August 1995 itwill be fifty years since atomic bombswere dropped in Japan - a timelyreminder of the dangers of militarismand the destructive horror of nuclearwar;

and further that there has been sub-stantial recent progress in nuclear armsreduction;noting that the Nuclear Non-

Proliferation Treaty Review andExtension Conference in AprilMay thisyear decided to extend the Treaty indef-initely and unconditionally;

and further that negotiations are cur-rently under way in Geneva with theaim of achieving a Comprehensive TestBan Treaty;

applauding the decision of formerFrench President Mitterand to suspendnuclear testing in April 1992 thereby ini-tiating an informal moratorium ontesting then implemented by the UnitedStates, Russia and Britain, and applaud-ing also French willingness to partici-pate in a comprehensive test ban treaty;

regretting that this moratorium will noIonger be observed by the currentFrench government;

concluding that the decision is anunnecessary blow to the NPT and sendsthe wrong sigaals to possibly nuclear-capable countries not party to the NPT;and

reflecting the concerns of EuropeanSocialist leaders as strongly expressed attheir recent meeting inCannes/Valbonne that President Chiracurgently reconsider his decision toresume a programme of nuclear testing;The Council of the SI therefote:

expresses deep concem at the decisionof the French government to resumenuclear testing in the South Pacific;

calls on the government of France torevoke its decision thereby showingproper consideration for the concems ofPacific Island States and for the strength-ening of the Nuclear Non-ProliferationTreaty;

supports the protests of its memberparties and will play a coordinating rolein developing future action aimed atstopping the resumption of testing;

ask all other nuclear states to main-tain the present moratorium, and China

to implement it urgently so that theComprehensive Test Ban Treaty can besigned as soon as possible.

THE CONFL,Cr 'N

THEFORMER YUGOSLAV,,AThe Council of the SocialistIntemational, meeting on 10-11 July1995 in Cape Town,

reaffirming the resolution adopted inPrague on 9-10 June 1995 by theSocialist Intemational Committee forCentral and Eastern Europe, SICEE,

appeals to all the sides involved toabandon definitively the illusion of amilitary solution, and instead truly tryto reach a political solution based onfair negotiations which can Suaranteethe rights of all ethnic and religiouscommunities;

underlines that this obiective is possi-ble only if the international communi-ty - and in paficular the EuropeanUnion and the Contact Group - allcarry out a common action, withgreater determination and cohesionthan that shown up to now overcom-ing too many divisions which haveweakened the actions of the UN and ofthe intemational community;

asks the Bosnian Serbs to withdrawfrom the siege of Sarajevo, and appealsto all the sides to rcmove all of theintervening obstacles to the activities ofthe 'blue helmets';

believes that the reduction or evacua-tion of the 'blue helmets' should beavoided; their presence should on theconhary be reinforced, putting at theirdisposal all of the necessary tools andresources, and clarifying at the sametime their mandate in application ofUN Resolution 836;

urges a more rigorous and coherentapplication of the embargo and thesanctions - often violated at present bythe same countries which agreed toimpose them - through an increase ofsecurity and control measures at theborders of the counties in conflict, andby envisaging compensation for theneighbouring countries which could bedamaged by the consequences of theembarSo;

asks the Belgrade govemment to exer-cise all forms of pressure on the BosnianSerb leadership to accept the proposalsof the Contact Group, to recoSnise theborders of Croati4 and to recogniseexplicitly the right of Bosnia to exist asa sovereign state within its currentborders, as an indispensable conditionin order to carry out accords which willdefine the constitutional frameworkand territorial organisation of theBosnian state;

believes that the United Nations may

consider the suspension of sanctionsagainst the Belgrade government onlyafter these measures are caried out;

asks the sides to work towards a neSo-tiated solution of the set-up of theItaiina regions which, by reconfirmingthat they belong to Croatia, recognisestheir right to autonomy on the basis ofthe proposals by the 24 Group;

underlines the need to ensure stabilityand security in the entire region, and forthis asks the Greek authorities and theFormer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia(FYROM) to rapidly initiate negotiationsunder the auspices of the UnitedNations which will reach accords whichare reciprocally satisfactory;

underlines, furthermore, that therecognition of the autonomy of Kosovowithin the current Yugoslav borders cancontribute to avoiding the risks of theexpansion of the crisis;

asks that, whatever the teritorial andconstitutional set-up of each republic,these wiII require the fulI recognition,and above all the acfual exercise, ofequal rights for all ethnic and religiouscommunities;

ulges the international community -and in the first place the EuroPeanUnion and its member states - to set upa special progralnme for assistance torefugees, which would best utilise theactivities of NGOs, of volunteer associa-tions and of local agencies, also throughthe Geation of ttre necessary financialtools and legislative ftamework;

expresses its solidarity and support forall of the reformist and social democrat-ic political forces in the region which,by refusing to accept the damning thesisof ethnic confrontation, work in thevarious states of the former Yugoslaviato reassert the road of dialogue and ofcoexistence;

underlines the value of the decision tosend delegations of the SocialistIntemational to Sarajevo, Zagreb andBelgrade to carry out a 'Mission ofDialogue'which will ioin the actions ofthe Socialist International to the effortsof those who are flghting to stop thewar and to achieve Peace, and givesthem the mandate to implement thecontents of this resolution.

44

Socialist lnternationalPierre MauroyLuis Ayala

SOUTH AFRICAAfrican National Congress, ANC

Cheryl CarolusBlade NzimandeAlfred NzoDullar OmarAziz PahadYusuf SalooleeRaymond Suttnerlbrahim EbrahimStyx Sifingoleremy CroninMakazi NtenteniLulu lohnson

MEMBER PARTIES

ARGENTINAPopulqr Socialist Party, PSP

Cuillermo Est6vez BoeroMaria del Carmen Vifras

AUSTRALIAAustralian Labor Party, ALP

Michael Beahan

AUSTRIASocial Democratic Party of Austria, SPO

lrmtraut KarlssonKarl SchramekPeter lankowitschSusanne Caugl

BELGIUMSocialist Party, PS

Philippe BusquinEtienne Godin

BRAZILDemocratic Labour Party, PDT

Leonel BrizolaVivaldo BarbosaLuis Enrique LimaAlbuino Azeredo

BURKINA FASOParty for Democracy and Progress, PDP

loseph Ki-Zerbo

CYPRUSEDEK Socialist Party of Cyprus

Alecos Orountiotis

DENMARKSocial Democratic Party

Steen ChristensenLasse Budtz

DOMINICAN REPUBTICDominican Revolutionary Party, PRD

los6 Francisco Pefra G6mezHatuey DecampsPeggy Cabral

FINLANDFinnish Social Democratic Party, SDP

Pertti PaasioTero ShemeikkaTuula HaatainenRuth Hasan

FRANCESocialist Party, P5

G6rard FuchsRen6e Fregosilean-Pierre Crochet

GERMANYSocial Democratic Party of Cermany, SPD

Herta Diubler-CmelinChristoph ZtipelKarsten VoigtChrista Randzio-PlathKarin .lunkerWolfgang Weege

GREAT BRITAINThe Labour Party

Clare ShortCeorge FoulkesShaun SpiersNick Sigler

GREECEPanhellenic Socialist Movement PASOK

Nikos Dimadis

ISRAELlsrael Labour Party

lsrael GatAbraham HatzamriDaphna SharfmanYehuda Paz

ISRAELUnited Workers' Party of lsrael, MAPAM

Chanan EresElazar CranotMonica Pollack

ITALYDemocratic Party of the Left, PDS

Piero FassinoMauro MontaliRaffaella ChiodoNicola ZingarettiMarco Bianchini

ITALYItalian Socialists, Sl

Pia Locatelli

LITHUANIALithuanian Social Democratic Parly, LSDP

Daiva lakaite

MAURlTIUS

in

MOROCCOSocialist Union of Popular Forces, USFP

Nouzha Chekrouni

NETHERUNDSLabour Party, PvdA

jan Marinus Wiersma

NEW ZEAUNDNew Zealand Labour Party

Sonja Davies

NORWAYNorwegian Labour Party, DNA

Gro Harlem BrundtlandDag Terle AndersenFrode ForfangRigmor Aasrud JahrenLene LskenMsrten Wetland

PORTUGALSocialist Party, PS

Ant6nio GuterresRui Nozes

PUERTO RICOPuerto Rican lndependence Party, PIP

Rub6n Berrios

SENEGALSocialist Party of Senegal

lacques BaudinAminata Mbengue NdtayiBabacar Sinl

SPAINSpanish Socialist Workers' Party, PSOE

Raimon ObiolsRafael EstrellaElena FloresRicard Torrell

SWEDENSwedish Social Democratic Party, SAP

Margareta WnbergConny FredriksonMonica AnderssonGunnar StenarvUlla Petterssonlngegerd Sahlstrcim

TUN!SIAConstitutional Democratic Assembly, RCD

Chedli NeffatiSaid Naceur RamdhaneMohsen SnoussiAbdelmelid LajiliHatem Atallah

TURKEYSocial Democratic Populist Party, SHP

Turkan Akyol

USADemocratic Socialists of America, DSA

Skip Roberts

VENEZUELADemocratic Action, AD

Timoteo Zambrano

Office of Sl PresidentMichel ThauvinAxel QuevalVera MatthiasGilles Finchelstein

CONSUTTATIVE PARTIES

ALGERIASocialist Forces Fron! FFS

Hocine Ai't-AhmedAhmed Djeddai

CAPE VERDEAfrican Pafty for the lndependence ofCape Verde, PAICV

Pedro PiresMiirio Paix6o Lopes

CHITEParty for Democracy, PPD

Victor Manuel RebolledoJorge Heine

IVORY COASTlvory Coast Popular Front FPI

Aboudramane Sangar6

PAKISTANPakistan People's Party, PPP

Shafqat Mahmood

URUGUAYParty for People's Govemment, PGP

Antonio Gallicchio

OBSERVER PARTIES

HUNGARYHungarian Social Democratic Parly,MSzDP

llona Gyiirgy

HUNGARYHungarian Socialist Party, MSzP

Vilmos Szab6Zita Gurmai

NICARAGUASandinista National Liberation Fronl FSLN

los6 PasosMargarita Zapata

SrovENrASocial Democratic Party of Slovenia,SDSS

Marcel Koprol

FRATERNAL ORGAN ISATIONS

lnternational Unlon of SocialistYouth,lUSY

Alfred GusenbauerRoger H?illhagAlfredo Lazzerefti

Socialist lnternational Women, SIWMarline Haasllonka Van Rijnlndira Sidaya

ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS

Group of the Party of EuropeanSocialists, European Parliament

Luigi ColaianniNadia Van Hamme

Party of European Soclalists, PESlean-Frangois Vallin

World Labour Zionist Movemen!WlZMlonathan Silke

GUESTS. INTERNATIONAToRGANtSATiONS/PART| ES

Democratlc Party of lranian Kurdistan,PDKI

Ghacem HosseiniMostafa-Kamal Davoudi

Frledrich Ebed Stiftung, FESErnst Kerbusch

Palestine Liberatlon Organisation, PLOHanna SinioraTareq Zaki Abu Youssefllan Halevi

POUSARTOMohamed Sidati

ANGOIIPopular Movement for the Liberation ofAngola, MPIA

Paulo Teixeira lorgeEduardo Ruas Manuel

ARGENTINARadical Civic Union, UCR

Sim6n L6zaraLuis Alberto C6ceres

BOSNIAUnion of Bosnian Social Democrats, UBSD

Seifudin Tokic

BOTSWANABotswanan National Front, BNF

Ethna Keabetswe DabuthaSesame TauPeter lsafu Wotolssac Mabiletsa

BURMANational League for Democracy, NLD

Wn KhetOung Myint Tun

EQUATORIAT GUINEAConvergencia para la Democracia Social,CPDS

Pliicido Mic6Celestino Bakale

INDIASamata Party

George Femandes

TESOTHOLesotho Labour Party

Omar M MpelaMamolefi Alice Ranthimo

MAtIAfrican Party for Solidarity and lustice,ADEMA/PASI

lbrahim Boubacar KeitaSeydou M Dianahlbrahima SibyYacouba DoumbiaSbane MahlmoudouAbdrahamane Tou16Toumani D Diallo

MATINational Congres for Democraticlnitiative, CNID

Mountaga Talllbrahim Berthe

MEXTCOParty of the Democratic Revolution, PRD

lorge Calder6n Salazar

MEXTCOlnstitutional Revolutionary Party, PRI

Gustavo CawajalSami David DavidRosamaria VillarelloCarlos Flores Vtzcara

MOZAMBIQUEFrelimo Party

Feliciano SalomZo GundanaManuel Tom6Pedro TaimoRoberto Vasco Cossalose A Levy Marre Ngula

PANAMADemocratic Revolutionary Party, PRD

Leonardo Kam

POI.ANDSocial Democracy of the Republic ofPoland, SdRP

Alelaander KwasniewskiTadeusz lwinski

RUSSIA FEDERATIONSocial Democratic Union

Vladimir Mironov

SLOVENIAUnited List of Social Democrats olSlovenia, ZL

lanez Kociiancic

USANational Democratic lnstitute, NDI

Maura Donlan

ZAIREUnion for Democracy and Social Progress,UDPS

Omer N'Kambalean-Louis Kalambaie