11th International Meeting of the Communist and Workers Parties - 1st day

Press Release 1st Day

New Delhi: November 20, 2009

Intensify popular struggles and expand solidarities in the wake of current world capitalist crisis. This seems to be main direction emerging from discussions on the inaugural day of the 11th International Meeting of the Communist and Workers Parties, being jointly hosted by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India.

In the brief inaugural session, CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member and head of International Department of the Party, Sitaram Yechury presented the main theme of the meeting, 'The International Capitalist Crisis, the workers and people's struggle, the alternatives and the role of the communist and working class movement'. CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A B Bardhan were also present along with scores of other leaders from the Cps of the world.

The delegate session began at 12:15 a.m. Discussion began with countries of American continents. In pre-lunch session Oscar Martinez Cordoves (C P Cuba), Jose Reinaldo Carvalho ( C P doB), Patricio Echegaray ( C P Argentina), Antonio Pavel (C P Mexico) and Scott Marshll (C P USA) addressed the session. Manzurul Ahsan Khan (C P Bangladesh) also addressed the delegates.

All speakers from parties of Latin American countries underlined that for the progressive forces and processes in their region, the coming to power of Obama in USA does not indicate any favourable change. It represents only new and more intelligent tactic of Empire to stall the march of progressive forces in the region. They underlined various steps taken by US under Obama to strengthen forces of reaction in the region. The coup d'etat in Honduras was repeatedly mentioned in this context.

Cuban representative specifically debunked this media created impression that Obama administration has begun dismantling the half century old criminal blockade against Cuba. He underlined that Obama has powers but no political will to change US imperial methods. Scott Marshal of CP USA said that Obama's victory in the election was an outcome of the struggle to defeat the reactionary right regime of Bush. He also underlined the significance of largest US trade union organisation, AFL-CIO, rediscovering its working class roots, as represented by its 2009 convention.

CP Bangladesh representative underlined the fact that imperialism encouraged and supported fundamentalist and reactionary forces in their country, including the two year long military supported dictatorial rule, that working class and people of Bangladesh had to defeat to restore democracy in the country.

International meeting is to continue it's discussion in the evening session which would see Manik Sarkar speaking on behalf of CPI(M) and S Sudhakar Reddy of CPI, Ai Ping of Communist Party of China and Pak Gyong Son of Workers Party of Korea among others.