1. On the 4th of April the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) completes 60 years. NATO is a political-military imperialist block of an aggressive nature. Its creation was an integral part of the reactionary counter-offensive that followed the defeat of nazi-fascism in World War II (towards which the Soviet Union and the communists of the world have an decisive contribution) and the popular victories that accompanied the end of the war. NATO is inseparable from the strategy of the so-called «cold war» that saw US imperialism place itself at the forefront of a global reaction to stall the profound social transformations and and national liberation movements that the people of the world aspired to, after half a century during which capitalism brought Humanity two world wars and the profound economic crisis of the 1930s.
2. The fact that Portugal, under the fascist dictatorship of Salazar, became a founding member of NATO (as well as the Greek and Turkish military dictatorships) illustrates the reactionary and anti-population nature of this military organization. Despite the fact that its founding documents speak of «democracy», NATO contributed to reinforce the Salazar dictatorship and supported the colonial wars with which the fascist regime sought to maintain in submission the peoples of the then Portuguese colonies. Along the same line, in the months that followed the 25th of April, NATO sought to countermand the liberating course of the Portuguese Revolution, openly interfering in the internal affairs of Portugal. All throughout its existence, NATO has called in question national sovereignty and independence, achievements for which PCP and the Portuguese people fought tirelessly.
3. The aggressive nature of NATO, as the military branch of imperialism, became particularly evident after the disappearance of the Soviet Union and the socialist countries of Europe that integrated the Warsaw Pact. Far from dissolving itself, NATO then began a qualitative steps forward. It adopted a new Strategic Concept of confessed offensive nature, justifying interventions outside its geographic sphere and broadening its pretense of military interventions. It widened its borders with the inclusion of new countries. It implemented its first war of aggression, against Yugoslavia, precisely ten years ago, under false pretenses and to a large extent using non-conventional weapons, such as cluster bombs and weapons with enriched uranium, bombing civilian targets and committing numerous war crimes. It participated in the occupation of Afghanistan (ISAF), of Iraq (NTM-I), and in other military operations of aggressive nature. It is an active agent in the aggressive operations of US imperialism towards Russia, by its widening east, in the support of the so-called anti-missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic (against the will of their people) and in the support of interference and aggressions in the Caucasus and former soviet republics. NATO, which in various aspects acts in disrespect of International Law and in attempting to override the UN, is an instrument towards the imposition of a global hegemony of imperialism and one of its main instruments of war, domination and destabilization on the global level.
4. The NATO summit, that will take place today and tomorrow in Germany and France (country that recently reintegrated its military command) in the context of a relaunching of the transatlantic axis supported by an intense ideological campaign of the new Administration of the US, proposed to give new steps in a military and armament surge. The preparation of a new Strategic Concept, in colaboration with the new military surge that the US is implementing in Afghanistan and Pakistan – continuing the failed war policy of the Bush Administration – and a new impulse towards the militarization of the European Union. One need recall the the so-called EU Lisbon Treaty – rejected by the Irish people (the only allowed to pronounced themselves), but whose ratification the governments of EU intend to impose behind the backs of the peoples – formalizes a relationship between the EU and NATO. In Portugal, the Socialist Party (PS), the Social-Democrat Party (PSD) and the Democratic Social Center/Popular Party (CDS-PP) support this Treaty that consecrates the EU as a the European pillar of NATO.
5. Portugal's participation in the militarist and aggressive surge of NATO is an affront to the fundamental principals of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic. In its Article 7, our fundamental law explicitly demands the dissolution of political-military blocks, general, simultaneous and controlled disarmament, and a peaceful solution to international conflicts, together with a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other States and the cooperation with all other peoples. PCP demands that the government and President of the Republic respect the Constitution. Portugal should remove break its ties from the policies of war, interference and aggression of NATO, and actively strive towards the dissolution of the this political-military block. It is serious that Portugal has accepted to host the NATO summit in the second semester of 2010 or first semester of 2011, for which a new stage in the military aggressive strategy of this organization is to be announced.
6. The current crises of capitalism is a factor that entails very serious dangers for world peace. Imperialism may be tempted, as in the past, to resort to war in order to solve the crisis it has generated and for which it demonstrates inability to find and answer for. History demonstrates that the strengthening of armament policies and of aggressive military blocks and the service of the interests of imperialist domination constitute and enormous treat to world peace and the interests of Humanity.
7. PCP, which has always struggled against the existence of political-military blocks and for the dissolution, appeals to workers and the people to demand the withdrawal of Portugal from policies of war and destruction, as well as the dissolution of NATO. In the context of a rupture with right-wing policies, PCP reclaims for Portugal a new policy of peace, cooperation with peoples and a peaceful resolution of conflicts – in accordance with the UN Charter, the principles of International law and the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic – and the progressive withdrawal of Portugal from the military structure of NATO.
April 3rd, 2009
The Political Commission of the Central Committee of the Portuguese Communist Party
