In the framework of the coming Summit of NATO to be held in Lisbon, Portugal, in November, 2010, the World Federation of Democratic Youth extends its support to the peace-loving forces in Portugal.We particularly salute the actions of our member organization, the Portuguese Communist Youth (JCP), of the Portuguese National Preparatory Committee for the 17th WFYS, and all organizations that, side by side with these abovementioned two, are part of the campaign “Yes to Peace, no to NATO!”

As the last 60 years have proved, NATO is since its foundation, one of the most killing instruments of imperialism and has always played a role of oppressing the struggling people, whether by support to fascist coup d’etats, colonialist domination and military intervention or direct attack.
Among many other examples, mankind
can’t ever forget how on 1999 NATO was the instrument for the bombing of Serbia, bringing war back to Europe to conclude the dismantle of Yugoslavia, a country that lived in peace and prosperity for decades and whose only “mistake” was not to accept the imperialist imposition to abandon its policy of sovereignty.

In the preparations for this summit of November already several voices of imperialist powers have raised their voice to announce the deepening of NATO global aggressive character, as to widen the justifications for NATO interventions and confirm it as the “policeman” of imperialism that can intervene at anytime and anywhere.

This fact, goes side by side with the growing military investment and commitment of the European Union and USA to NATO, as their tool to protect and deepen the imperialist domination over all countries of the world, present in Afghanistan with an increasing military contingent and having as main future target Iran.

We stand side by side with the Portuguese youth and people, whose country remains attached to this hideous structure following a commitment made by the Portuguese fascist state 61 years ago. The dissolution of NATO is, therefore, a demand of the current times, part of the achievements of the Portuguese people with the overthrow of the fascist regime and a clear of guideline of the national constitution of the country even nowadays.

In the road for the 17th World Festival of Youth and Students, in South Africa in 2010, the struggle of the youth against NATO and for peace is a major aspect of the preparations of the Festival and it will also be one of the most significant topics in discussion.

WFDY fully supports and endorses the Portuguese campaign “Yes to Peace, no to NATO!”which unites dozens of movements and organizations. We call upon all peace loving organizations to unite our voices and meet in November 2010 in Lisbon under the appeal of the above mentioned campaign.

WFDY holds its next General Council (GC) meeting in Havana Cuba on May 8-9, 2009. The meeting is supposed to discuss and evaluate the Report of activities of WFDY for the past year 2008, and also approve a new plan of action for the current year.

In the new plan of action, WFDY will continue some of its actions like the update contacts campaign to have a renewed list of members that are in the daily life of WFDY. WFDY will also discuss a new international campaign against imperialist military basis, occupation troops and NATO policies. The meeting will set the plans for this campaign with suggested events and dates. WFDY will approve its summer events that will be celebrated also in Havana, Cuba in July and August in solidarity with the Cuban revolution and against NATO on its 60^th anniversary. The meeting will also discuss new developments related to the 17^th World Festival of Youth and Students reaffirming its character as an anti-imperialist mass event.

After the meeting, WFDY will organize several solidarity events with the 5 Cuban heroes detained in the USA. The events will occur on May 11 and 12, 2009, with very broad international and local participation. The issue of those heroes has become an international issue where tens of organizations around the globe show their solidarity till their freedom out of US political detention.

WFDY notes the importance of the wide participation confirmed till now in the GC and the solidarity events that reaches more than 50 organizations. It will be another important moment in the life of WFDY and will help to reinforce its bodies, daily life and future plan.

      Last week NATO has announced the intention to develop “training exercises” in the area of Caucasus, more specifically in Georgia, with its full support, simulating an operation of the United Nations led by NATO, to take place in the coming months.

Such fact has, in several perspectives, important elements which WFDY denounces:

a) The development of such “simulation” will only bring even more tension to the area, as it is the frame of the seize and provocation to Russia, Iran and China, that not even one year ago led to military confrontation between Georgia (as a tool of NATO) and Russia, raising the inter-imperialist rivalries that separate USA/European Union/NATO on one side, and Russia on the other.

b) The whole theoretical scenery for this operation, despite the argument that it is only a simulation, is a demonstration of the anti-democratic and dangerous manipulation of the United Nations by imperialism, which wants the structure of UN side by side with its killing machine: NATO.

c) The contradiction between the deeply promoted speeches of a “worldwide disarmament” done by the President of USA, Barack Obama, and the reality of the USA/NATO action is alarming and deserves the attention of everyone.

Facing this, WFDY firmly believes that these steps are not innocent, but indeed the continuation of a path of escalation of the militarization and tension all over the world, but particularly in the borders of Russia, in the frame of the imperialist strategy to take over the control of the resources and markets of Russia, Iran and China.

WFDY vehemently condemns these moves and the hypocrisy of those who spend hours speaking about peace to afterwards promote more military activity. We believe that those who really want peace do not promote the conditions for war!

WFDY calls upon all its member and friend organizations to denounce and, together with the young people of their countries, struggle against the militarization of the world and against all the imperialist instruments, such as NATO, AFRICOM, the 4^th Fleet or any others!