1. NATO is an aggressive military alliance which presently represents the greatest threat to international peace and security,
2. NATO, bent on crushing the rights of the people, violating national sovereignties and undermining international law, holds the world hostage to the arms race, the threat of a nuclear war and terror,
3. NATO is responsible for heinous crimes, for ending innumerable human lives, for the destruction of countries and resources,
4. While thousands of human beings die of hunger and preventable diseases and with the excuse of the crisis and combat against the deficit attack the living conditions and rights of the workers, military spending keeps on growing – the military budgets of the NATO member countries together represent around 70% of the world’s military spending,
5. Those mainly responsible for the worsening of the economic and social situation at the national and international level are the same who promote the arms race, the militarization of international relations and war,
6. Portugal, a founding member of NATO through the hands of the fascist regime, has for more than 60 years bowed before this bellicist alliance and the interests of the US and great powers of the European Union,
7. The commitment of the Portuguese authorities clashes with the fundamental principles of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and the United Nations Charter, of which Portugal is a signatory, such as: sovereignty, independence, non-interference, non-aggression, peaceful resolution of conflicts, equality among States; abolition of imperialism, of colonialism and other forms of aggression, domination and exploitation; disarmament, dissolution of political and military blocs;
8. Following the line of the previous ones, the present Portuguese government imposes new and increasing sacrifices on the workers and spends millions of Euros to adapt the Portuguese armed forces to NATO’s demands and sends Portuguese soldiers to serve their aggressions,
9. The defence of peace and the struggle against war is an integral part and necessary condition to ensure the progress and social justice of the peoples,
10. It was with the April Revolution that the workers and the Portuguese people conquered fundamental rights, such as the end of the colonial war and the beginning and establishment of relations of peace, cooperation and friendship with all the peoples of the world,
11. The Constitution that established peace and defends, for example, that «All have the right to work» that «All have the right to social security», that «All have the right to healthcare», that «All have the right to housing», that «All have the right to education and culture», is the Constitution that could not leave out that all people are sovereign and have the right to decide their present and future,
12. The conquest of peace by the Portuguese people is linked to the struggle for better living conditions for the Portuguese workers,
13. It is because of this awareness that we salute the great General Strike called by CGTP-IN for November 24 and invite all Portuguese men and women workers to follow it,
14. Valuing the several initiatives, the wide participation and the great experience of unity represented by the Campaign in defence of peace and against the NATO Summit in Portugal – the Campaign «Peace yes” NATO no!», assume the commitment to continue to strengthen the peace and anti-imperialist movement, persisting in an active intervention for:

• Opposition to NATO and its bellicist goals;
• Withdrawal of Portuguese forces involved in NATO’s military missions;
• An end to foreign military bases and NATO’s installations on national soil;
• Dissolution of NATO;
• Disarmament and the end of nuclear and mass destruction weapons;
• Demand respect and compliance of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and the dispositions of the United Nations Charter, of international law and the sovereignty and equality of the peoples.

Lisbon, November 20, 2010.

The «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Campaign:

1- Denounces and rejects any connection of the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Campaign and of the Demonstration which it has convened, is promoting and will organize on November 20, at 15h00 in Lisbon, from the Marques de Pombal to Restauradores Square, to the so-called PAGAN, ICC, WRI or any other entities that are not among the organizations which promote the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Campaign;

2- Reiterates that the ICC and its branch in Portugal, PAGAN, are not part of, and have no sort of connection with, the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Campaign, nor are they among the organizations promoting the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» demonstration in Lisbon, on November 20;

3- Repudiates the attitude of PAGAN, ICC and WRI which, in a shameful and intentional attitude of pure political parasitism, are seeking to associate, in an abusive and unacceptable way, the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Demonstration to the actions which they are planning for Portugal, namely to the so-called «actions of civil disobedience»;

4- Regrets that the mass media continue to provide coverage to statements by the ICC, WRI and PAGAN which, besides representing a deliberate provocation against the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Campaign, are blatantly distorting the truth, in a deliberate campaign of disinformation;

5- Clarifies, once again, that it disagrees with, and distances itself from, the so-called «actions of civil disobedience» which seek nothing other than providing media time to initiatives, and above all, to organizations without any significant roots in Portuguese society, as is the case of PAGAN, or which, as is the case of the ICC, act in clear disrespect of the peace, social and popular movements of Portugal;

6- Clarifies that the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Demonstration will be an expression of the long history and tradition of struggle of the Portuguese peace, trade union, social and political movements which have convened, are promoting and organizing it, acting to defend the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic which guarantees to all citizens the right to demonstrate. It is within this framework that it carries out its actions and that it demands and exercises that right;

7- Clarifies, once again, that the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Campaign encompasses over 100 Portuguese organizations and has the support of over 30 organizations in various countries and of the World Peace Council, support which will be expressed tomorrow, in an International Meeting that will be held in Almada, at 10h00, in the Romeu Correia Municipal Forum, as well as in the organized participation of dozens of international representatives in the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Demonstration;

8- Clarifies that the political Parties that are among the organizations that promote the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Demonstration are the Portuguese Communist Party, the Ecologist Party «The Greens» and the Humanist Party;

9- States that, based on the information currently available, it is in a position to inform the mass media that the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Demonstration of next Saturday will be a large demonstration of strength, fighting spirit, serenity, joy and struggle for peace, on the part of the Portuguese people.

November 18, 2010
The Coordinating Committee of the «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» Campaign

Organizações promotoras da Campanha “PAZ Sim! NATO Não!”:

A Voz do Operário / Arruaça – Associação Juvenil / Associação Água Pública /Associação Cultural Recreativa / Vale de Estacas / Associação das Colectividades do Concelho de Lisboa / Associação das Colectividades do Concelho de Loures / Associação das Colectividades do Concelho do Seixal / Associação de Agricultores do Distrito de Lisboa / Associação de Amizade Portugal-Cuba / Associação de Estudantes da Escola Secundária Dr. José Afonso – Seixal / Associação de Estudantes da Escola Secundária Emídio Navarro / Associação de Estudantes da Escola Secundária Gil Vicente / Associação de Estudantes da Escola Superior de Arte e Design – Caldas da Raínha / Associação de Intervenção Democrática / Associação de Reencontro dos Emigrantes / Associação de Solidariedade com o País Basco / Associação dos Inquilinos Lisbonenses / Associação Iniciativa Jovem / Associação Portuguesa de Amizade e Cooperação Iúri Gagárin / Associação Recreativa e Cultural de Músicos / Casa do Alentejo / Centro de Apoio a Idosos de Moreanes / Clube Desportivo “Os Águias” de Alpiarça / Clube Estefânia / Clube Recreativo União Raposense / Colectivo Mumia Abu-Jamal / Colectivo Socialismo Revolucionário / Comissão de Moradores do Alto Seixalinho / Comité Nacional Preparatório português do 17º Festival Mundial da Juventude e dos Estudantes / Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses – Intersindical Nacional / Confederação Nacional da Agricultura / Confederação Nacional de Reformados Pensionistas e Idosos / Confederação Portuguesa das Colectividades de Cultura, Recreio e Desporto / Confederação Portuguesa de Quadros Técnicos e Científicos / Conselho Português
para a Paz e Cooperação / Coordenadora das Comissões de Trabalhadores da Região de Lisboa / Direcção Regional de Setúbal do Sindicato Nacional dos Trabalhadores da Administração Local / Ecolojovem – Os Verdes / Escola de Mulheres – Oficina de Teatro / Escolas do Desportivo da Cova da Piedade / Escutismo Alternativo / Federação dos Sindicatos da Agricultura, Alimentação, Bebidas, Hotelaria e Turismo de Portugal / Federação Intersindical das Indústrias Metalúrgica, Química, Farmacêutica, Eléctrica, Energia e Minas / Federação Nacional dos Professores / Federação Nacional dos Sindicatos da Função Pública / Federação Portuguesa dos Sindicatos da Construção, Cerâmica e Vidro / Frente Anti-Racista / Grupo Desportivo Recreativo das Figueiras / Grupo Recreativo Apelaçonense / Grupo Sportivo Adicense / Grupo União Lebrense / Inter-Reformados / Interjovem / Juventude Comunista Portuguesa / Liga dos Amigos da Mina de São Domingos / Movimento de Utentes dos Serviços Públicos / Movimento Democrático de Mulheres / Os Penicheiros / Os Pioneiros de Portugal / Partido Comunista Português / Partido Ecologista “Os Verdes” / Partido Humanista / Planeta Azul – Associação Ecológica Alternativa / Política Operária / Projecto Ruído – Associação Juvenil / Sindicato da Cerâmica do Sul / Sindicato das Indústrias Eléctricas do Sul / Sindicato dos Enfermeiros Portugueses Direcção Regional de Coimbra / Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos de Lisboa, Leiria, Santarém e Castelo Branco / Sindicato dos Professores da Região Centro / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores Civis das Forças Armadas, Estabelecimentos Fabris e Empresas de Defesa / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Aviação e Aeroportos / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Função Pública do Sul e Açores / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Indústria de Hotelaria,
Turismo, Restaurantes e Similares do Norte / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Indústria Vidreira / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Pesca do Sul / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Química, Farmacêutica, Petróleo e Gás do Centro, Sul e Ilhas / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores das Indústrias de Celulose, Papel, Gráfica e Imprensa / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores de Transportes Rodoviários e Urbanos de Portugal / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores do Comércio, Escritórios e Serviços de Portugal / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores do Município de Lisboa / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores do Sector Têxtil da Beira Baixa / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores dos Têxteis, Lanifícios, Vestuário, Calçado e Cortumes do Sul / Sindicato dos Trabalhadores na Indústria de Hotelaria, Turismo, Restaurantes e Similares do Sul / Sindicato Nacional dos Trabalhadores da Administração Local / Sindicato Nacional dos Trabalhadores da Agricultura e das Indústrias de Alimentação, Bebidas e Tabacos / Sindicato Nacional dos Trabalhadores do Sector Ferroviário / Sindicato Nacional dos Trabalhadores dos Correios e Telecomunicações / Sociedade Filarmónica União Piedense / Teatro Fórum de Moura / Trevim Cooperativa Editora e de promoção Cultural / Tribunal Iraque (Audiência Portuguesa do Tribunal Mundial sobre o Iraque) / União de Resistentes Antifascistas Portugueses / União dos Sindicatos de Aveiro / União dos Sindicatos de Braga / União dos Sindicatos de Castelo Branco / União dos Sindicatos de Lisboa / União dos Sindicatos de Santarém / União dos Sindicatos de Setúbal / União dos Sindicatos do Algarve / União dos Sindicatos do Distrito de Beja / União dos Sindicatos do Norte Alentejano / União dos Sindicatos do Porto / União Local de Sindicatos de Sines, Santiago do Cacém, Grândola e Alcácer do Sal / Universidade Popular do Porto.

1. As is publicly known, the Campaign in defence of peace and against the NATO Summit in Portugal – the «Peace, yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign – has convened, is promoting and will organize a demonstration on November 20, at 3 p.m., in Lisbon, from the Marquês do Pombal to Restauradores Square, in which all peace-loving Portuguese citizens are called upon to participate. The goals, scope and organizers of this demonstration have been broadly publicized, both domestically and internationally, and the relevant authorities have been informed of the demonstration.
2. It is therefore with surprise that the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign has learnt that other entities -namely the Anti-War, Anti-Nato Platform (PAGAN) – has subsequently announced that they will hold a separate and different demonstration, on the same date and at the same site.
3. In this regards, and expressing the opinions voiced during the plenary meeting of its sponsoring organizations, that was held on October 2, 2010, the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign informs and makes it known that:

- these other entities are not integrated within the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign. Likewise, they have never taken part, nor attended any event sponsored by the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign. These other entities are naturally entitled to hold their own demonstration, but not at the same site and date as the already convened and legally announced demonstration organized by the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign.

- the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign will not allow any attempt by these or any other entity to instrumentalize the demonstration that has been convened for November 20, nor will it allow the demonstration to be jeopardized by opportunistic attempts to gain political capital from the popular mobilization promoted by the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign.

- these entities attitude reveals a troubling absence of political responsibility and can only be interpreted as a regrettable attempt to jeopardize the nature, goals and characteristics of the demonstration that has been convened by the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign, besides deliberately seeking to create factors of interference;

- the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign was created in January 2010, and unites over 100 organizations of a diversified and broad spectrum – among which are movements which, by themselves, represent the broadest and most inclusive movements for the unity of the Portuguese workers and people, in the struggle for their rights and for peace. This clearly shows that the demonstration which it has convened for November 20 is characterized by an inclusive and united nature.

- the demonstration that will be held on November 20, at 15h00, from Marquês do Pombal to Praça dos Restauradores, in Lisbon, was debated, conceived, decided and publicized, and will be organized, in its various aspects, by the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign.

- the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign will do everything in its power to ensure that the demonstration which it has convened will be what the Campaign wishes it to be: a peaceful and militant event of real unity among the Portuguese people against the NATO Summit and for its goals of a world of Peace.

The «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign reaffirms its appeal to the most diverse organizations of the Portuguese society and to all citizens who stand for peace, so that they may join with the Campaign in:

• expressing the Portuguese people’s opposition to the NATO Summit and its war-mongering goals;
• demanding that the Government withdraw all Portuguese forces involved in NATO military missions;
• demand an end to foreign military bases and to NATO facilities on national territory;
• demand the dissolution of NATO;
• demand a nuclear disarmament and an end to nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction;
• demand that the Portuguese authorities fulfill their obligations under the United Nations Charter and the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, respecting International Law and the sovereignty and equality of all peoples.

October 13, 2010

The Coordinating Committee of the «Peace, Yes!; NATO, No!» Campaign

On the occasion of the trip to Portugal by NATO’s Secretary General, within the framework of the preparation of NATO’s Summit, to be held in Lisbon in November, the Campaign «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» – which encompasses 104 organizations – reaffirms its concerns and warnings regarding the real threats and dangers that are posed to the peoples as a result of the strengthening of NATO as an instrument for interference and aggression throughout the world.

Confronted with a growing crisis, the U.S. seeks, through the Lisbon NATO Summit, to force its allies into committing themselves to escalate conflicts in order to ensure the exploitation of resources, the control of markets and the political domination which it needs, in order to survive through the use of military force.

The U.S., which is facing its most serious economic and financial crisis since 1929, sees exploitation, violence and war as the response to the quagmire in which it is trapped. The U.S. Military budget for 2010 is the largest ever in its history, and is approximately the same as the sum total of those of all other countries. The military budget of NATO-member countries is roughly 2/3 of the world’s overall military budgets.

Those who promote the arms race, the militarization of international relations, the disregard for the sovereignty of peoples and war, are the same ones who are chiefly responsible for a deteriorating economic and social situation world-wide.

The Campaign «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» also denounces the attitude of the Portuguese government which, whilst taking part in NATO negotiations, conceals from the Portuguese people the stances which it takes and does not promote a broad, serious and plural national debate regarding the serious consequences of tying Portugal to the ongoing escalation of militarism and war – an escalation which is in outright contradiction with the text of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic.
Portugal will soon host the NATO Summit, at the same time as its budget allocations for military aggressions against other peoples are growing. These aggressions run totally counter to the national interest and are in clear disrespect of the Constitution of the Republic.

In Portugal, as in the European Union countries in general, it is those who live from their work, it is the pensioners, the poorest and least protected, that are burdened with “sacrifices”, whilst at the same time there are growing and immoral profits, subsidies and handouts. There is no lack of money for blackmail, interference and war.
-/-
Regarding the trip to Portugal by the NATO Secretary General, within the context of the preparation of that organization’s Summit which, among other goals, seeks to reformulate its strategic concept, the Campaign «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» considers it necessary to denounce that:

1.The recently-disclosed contents of the so-called «analysis and recommendations of the group of experts for NATO’s new strategic concept» (a group which, significantly, was chaired by Madeleine Albright, Clinton’s Secretary of State during the illegal aggression against Yugoslavia in 1999), although devoid of fundamental novelties, can only give rise to greater concerns regarding the real dangers and threats which it poses for the peoples and the qualitative leap which is being prepared for the NATO Summit in Portugal;
2.In this document, it is defended that NATO should «normalize» and foment its aggressive acts of interference using any pretext; that it encourage higher military budgets (namely of its European members); an arms race; the setting up of foreign military bases and the deployment of troops outside the borders of its member countries; the transformation of the national armed forces into mercenary expeditionary forces at the service of NATO – that is, of the interests and ambitions of domination of the U.S. and the big EU powers – interference, the militarization of international relations and war;
3.The document reaffirms and takes to a new level NATO as an instrument of world-wide interference and aggression, prioritizing its activities outside the borders of its member States – in other words, inside the borders of non-member States;
4.The ambition is to project NATO’s actions into every region of the planet (Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and the rest of Asia, «obviously» omitting North America and leaving Latin America in the hands of the U.S.).
5.NATO actions are envisaged under the excuse of any (false) pretexts, with so-called «new threats» being concocted to try to justify NATO’s existence, doctrine, goals and illegal and criminal action;
6.In other words, NATO provokes and will provoke the situations that it will then use to try and “justify” its aggressions – before a public opinion that is intentionally manipulated through campaigns of disinformation;
7.International Law is again instrumentalized, whenever possible, to “legitimize” NATO’s illegal actions or, should that not be possible, is overtly flouted, claiming that any «threat» is reason enough to unleash interference and war;
8.Based on the experiences in the Balkans and Afghanistan, it is restated that NATO seeks to enlarge its sphere of action through the establishment of so-called «partnerships» with countries, regional or international organizations (including the UN) with varying contents, form and duration, so as to pave the road for its direct presence and action, or to tie and place others at the service of its goals and strategy of domination in all regions of the world. NATO is to play, according to the needs or possibilities, the role of director and main actor, or of director of other actors (as illustrated by the examples in the Balkans – Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo – or of Afghanistan;
9.It reaffirms and lists all the hotbeds of tension and «threats», as defined by the USA, namely Iran, and puts forth the notion that a NATO aggression against that country may be justified;
10.It reiterates the promiscuity between the military and civilian spheres (humanitarian aid, civilian protection, …), subordinating the latter to the former, in the service of a strategy of interference and domination;
11.It reaffirms the European Union as a European pillar of NATO and its key and strategic ally, stressing the content and significance of the Lisbon Treaty for this militaristic goal;
12.It defends the preservation and use of nuclear weapons in NATO’s doctrine and strategy, defending the deployment of this type of weapons, namely of U.S. nuclear weapons, in other NATO-member countries;
13.It proposes that NATO considers as its own, the new offensive missile systems, including the anti-missile system in Europe;
14.It claims to defend a reduction and rationalization of NATO’s (administrative) expenses, but only in order to channel more resources towards wars of aggression against the peoples, as happens in Afghanistan, where it is confronting growing difficulties;
15.In a sentence, the document is a declaration of war against the peoples of the world.

-/-
With the increasingly overt and unacceptable goals of the NATO Summit, the demands and aspirations of the Campaign «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» become increasingly relevant and legitimate:
To express the opposition of the Portuguese people to the holding of the NATO Summit and its war-mongering goals;
To demand that the government withdraw the Portuguese forces that are involved in NATO military missions;
To demand the dissolution of NATO;
To demand disarmament and an end to nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction;
To demand from the Portuguese authorities full respect for the contents of the U.N. Charter and of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, full respect for International Law and the sovereignty and equality of the peoples.

The Campaign «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» considers that it is not possible to reform or improve the new NATO strategic concept that is being prepared, by deleting or rewording some paragraphs. What is needed is its total and outright rejection.
The struggle for peace and against war is an integral part and a necessary condition for progress and social justice.
In order to embody these aspirations and demands, whose spirit and ideal is enshrined in the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, the Campaign «Peace, Yes! NATO, No!» has, among other initiatives that were carried out or are planned, collected 13 000 signatures in a citizens’ petition to Parliament; convened a demonstrations for November 20, in Lisbon, and scheduled a youth camp for July 23 to 25 in Avis.

Place (Rua do Carmo, Lisbon)