JCP message to 5th Congress of Communist Refoundation Party, Italy

The Japanese Communist Party Central Committee sent the following greetings of solidarity to the 5th Congress of the Communist Refoundation Party, Italy, held from April 4-7 in Rimini:

We wish your congress all success in its effort to encourage the struggles of the workers and people against the right-wing Berlusconi government's policy of easing dismissal regulations and cutting welfare services. We also hope it will contribute to strengthening a broad-based front for a progressive change of politics and building a strong CRP.

Today, international opinion shows grave concern about the U.S. Bush administration moving to further expand its military campaign under the pretext of combating international terrorism by labeling certain countries as an "axis of evil" and without excluding the possible use of nuclear weapons. History shows clearly that international terrorism cannot be eradicated by military retaliation.

The world is at a crossroads: whether it should accept an international order under U.S. hegemony backed by overwhelming military power or establish an order for peace based on the principles established in the United Nations Charter. The pressing task now is to develop struggles for the swift abolition of nuclear weapons, the establishment of a democratic international economic order that will defend the rights of the workers from U.S.-led arbitrary globalization, eliminate poverty and starvation, bring financial speculations under control, and protect the environment.

We hope that cooperation and exchanges between our two parties, both working in highly developed capitalist countries, will be further developed based on these international tasks and common interests. (English translation by Japan Press Service) (end)