No.16
21 August 2000
JOINT STATEMENT OF THE WFTU AND THE ICATU
In accordance with the invitation from the WFTU, a joint meeting of ICFTU
and WFTU delegations was held in the WFTU headquarters in Prague during the
period 13 to 16 August 2000. The ICATU delegation was headed by Brother Hacene
Djamam, General Secretary and the WFTU delegation was headed by Brother A.
Zharikov, General Secretary.
The two delegations reviewed the global economic, social and political
situation at the present time. They affirmed the necessity of joint activities
to mobilise the trade unions and the working people to confront the negative
consequences of the neo-liberal policies of globalisation, re-structuring,
privatisation as well as the policies of the IMF and World Bank which have a
serious impact on developing countries through the elimination of jobs and
worsening the unemployment in the countries of the North and the South, the
external debt of developing countries and the struggle for its cancellation.
Both delegations emphasised the need for further strengthening the efforts at
inter-governmental and non-governmental levels to deal with the negative
impact of the external debt burden on economic and social development. They
also called for the elimination of unequal trade and to ensure equality and
justice in economic relations.
Both sides called for efforts to remove the causes of wars and border
conflicts, internecine conflict and civil wars. They condemned the cult of
violence and terror fostered by fundamentalist and extremist groups, and
especially the slaughter in Algeria. They demanded non-intervention in the
internal affairs and an end to military aggression on countries, as well as
the lifting of all economic sanctions blockades which cause great suffering to
the workers and people of Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Cuba, Iran, India, Pakistan and
Jugoslavia. Both delegations called for further strengthening of the
international campaign against blockades and sanctions imposed on countries
and peoples by the dominant powers in the world.
Reviewing the situation of the trade union movement in the Arab countries
and in the world , both sides expressed serious concern at the increasing
attacks on trade unions in a greater part of the world and the attempts to
attack the interests and gains of the workers and the trade union movement.
They emphasised the vital necessity to create conditions and develop forms of
cooperation among all trends in the trade union movement and all regional and
international trade union centres. In this context, they called for serious
efforts to promote specific forms of coordination and joint action, with a
view to build an International Trade Union Front leading to a united world
trade union movement to defend trade union rights and freedoms and to
coordinate and further strengthen the workers’ struggle against
globalisation, privatisation of the public sector, defend social security and
defend the gains won during decades of struggle. They called for united
efforts to organise the unorganised, in order to deal with the low level of
trade union membership and to build up collective bargaining strength. Both
sides also stressed the need to enhance the role of the trade unions in the
sphere of the activities of civil society institutions.
Both sides highly appreciated the bi-lateral cooperation and close
fraternal relations between the ICATU and the WFTU in support of the struggles
for the well-being of the working people, solidarity actions in support of the
just causes of the peoples and to find mechanisms and ways to consolidate the
joint work and coordination between the two organisations at the level of the
ILO and other specialised agencies of the UN as well as at the level of the
NGOs. They called for effective action to support the cause of migrant workers
both inside and outside the Arab world and support their trade union rights
and demands. Both delegations emphasised the need for broader meetings to plan
joint activities, involving the participation of the leaders of national trade
union centres and trade federations, in support of the vital demands of
workers and trade unions and people at the national, regional and
international levels. It was agreed to jointly organise an International Trade
Union Conference to deal with the most important problems and main issues
linked with globalisation and its conseqences and to take steps to prepare for
the Conference and fix the date and venue. It was also agreed to convene a
meeting in Damascus to study all aspects of building of an International Trade
Union Front composed of regional and international trade union centres.
Both delegations agreed to further develop their cooperation in the field
of trade union education, including the hosting of events and participants in
joint actions, for mutual exchanges of participants in educational seminars
organised by both organisations, organise exchange of lecturers and
experiences. It was agreed to invite each other to the Seminars which will be
organised this year, to send lecturers and participants.
It was agreed to continue and develop the exchange of information and media
activities of trade unions, in particular, through the new possibilities of
communication technology and the Internet and also participate in the
solidarity actions which are initiated by both organisations.
In order to implement these guidelines and develop concrete forms of
cooperation, both sides agreed to convene joint meetings annually and whenever
needed.
Both sides discussed the political, economic and social situation in the
Middle East at the present time and condemned the continuation of Israeli
occupation of Arab territories and the policies of intransigence and bluster
which the Israeli government continues, thus destroying the peace process and
led to the failure of the Camp David negotiations. Both delegations condemned
the unjust practices by the Israeli authorities such as confiscation of land,
destruction of houses, the building of settlements, the denial of the right of
refugees to return and their right to self-determination. Both sides
reiterated their strong support to the legitimate national rights of the
Palestinian people to establish their independent national State with
Jerusalem as its capital. They condemned the racist statements against the
Arab Palestine by some politicians and religious extremist personalities in
Israel. The two delegations will continue to do their best to activise and
further strengthen the permanent Secretariat for Solidarity with the Workers
and People of Palestine and the occupied Arab territories.
Both sides noted with great regret the stubborn support given by the United
States to Israeli intransigence which led to the failure of the Summit between
the departed President Hafiz Al Assad and President Bill Clinton, and the
continuation of Israel’s obstructions to peace negotiations on the
Syrian track, and reiterated their support to the Syrian positions for the
implementation of a just and comprehensive peace and for the unconditional
withdrawal of Israel from all occupied territories in the Syrian Golan to the
border of 4 June 1967. Both delegations expressed their concern and condemned
the existence of foreign armies in the Arab Gulf region and the military
attacks on the regions inhabited by the civilian population and the civilian
institutions in Iraq. They called the United Nations and members of the UN
Security Council and the Kuwaiti and Iraqi governments to solve the vestiges
and results of the Gulf War and find a quick solution to the problem of
Kuwaiti prisoners and hostages in Iraq.
In conclusion, the ICATU delegation thanked the WFTU Secretariat for the
generous hospitality and warm welcome which the delegation received since its
arrival. Brother Hacene Djamam, General Secretary of the ICATU, invited
Brother A.Zharikov, General Secretary of the WFTU, to visit the ICATU
headquarters in Damascus, leading a large WFTU delegation. The invitation was
accepted and it was agreed that the dates will be fixed later.
Prague, 16 August 2000
