A delegation from the Communist Party of Israel (CPI) participated in the 21st International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP) held last weekend in İzmir, Turkey, under the auspices of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). The IMCWP conference focused on proletarian internationalism.
Communist Party of Turkey General Secretary, Kemal Okuyan, address delegates at the opening session of the 21st International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties held in Izmir, Turkey, Friday, October 18, 2019. (Photo: TKP)
A working group of the IMCWP, composed of members from 25 Communist parties from around the world, held a meeting last June and decided that this year’s meeting will take place in Izmir, Turkey, under the joint auspices of the Turkish and Greek parties, and will mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist International and the theme: “The fight for peace and socialism continues!”
Representatives from over 70 parties from over 60 countries attended last weekend’s meeting in Izmir as an expression of the common goal and militancy of the communist and workers’ parties, towards socialism and proletarian internationalism. The joint hosting of the meeting by the TKP and KKE manifested these guiding principles.
The meeting was concluded with the ratification of a common platform, discussed and agreed upon by the parties from around the world that participated in the conference, and which will serve as a compass for the forthcoming activities and joint struggles of the member parties of the IMCWPs.
Communist Party of Turkey General Secretary, Kemal Okuyan, revealed during the opening session, “We were planning to host you next year, for the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Turkey. However due to reasons you are all aware of, we undertook the obligation to organize our 21st Meeting. Due to the military operation launched by Turkey against Syria, we had to cancel a large gathering we had planned for Saturday evening, that would featured political and cultural activities and would have brought together over five thousand participants to which you, the delegates, would have been invited. Our meeting coincided with Turkey’s new military offensive launched in Syrian territory. This is not the first time: The presence of the Turkish army in the territory of other countries started with Korea. It was part of an unjust war waged to protect the interests of US imperialism. In subsequent years, soldiers of Turkey participated in many operations of NATO, the international monopolist terrorist organization. In Cyprus, the sovereignty, independence and integrity of the island has been violated [by Turkey] for 45 years. There are countless cross-border operations in Iraq, as well as numerous bases, outposts and observation points belonging to the Turkish army, just as in Syria.”
Related:
- Communist Parties: Solidarity with Struggle of the Palestinian People
- CPI Delegation Attends 18th International Meeting of Communist & Workers’ Parties
- Address of CPI Secretary General before the 18th Int’l Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties
- 15 IMCWP: Contribution of the Communist Party of Israel
