Forward Toward the Third World Congress for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People, Moscow, November 6-7-8, 2007!

Dear comrades and friends:

At this Mini Conference, on the occasion of the 15^th Anniversary of Northstar Compass, I would like to welcome you to the Friendship House and to wish all of you success in our very discussions and decisions that will guide our work until the Third World Congress in 2007.

This Mini Conference is not a Congress gathering - but only a Conference of some elected members of the International Council and of the Editorial Board of Northstar Compass that were able to come, in order to discuss and elaborate on the proposals as presented by the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Soviet Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries, who will host the Third World Congress in Moscow in 2007.

Much has transpired in the world since our Second Congress in 2005 – events that have complicated our work and that have also put mankind in danger, due to the ongoing US imperialist expansionism and more and more fascist methods of achieving their aims, by using proxy nations like Israel-Zionist aggression against Lebanon and Gaza. Imperialism is getting more and more brazen and in spite of weak opposition voices in the United Nations, US imperialism is on a warpath and this has produced a resurgence of anti-war demonstrations, rallies and joining of anti-war forces all over the world.

Israel soldiers demonstrating against their government, calling for the resignation of its Prime Minister, US veterans demonstrating against the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and the world is seeing now more and more unity in the anti-imperialist struggles as never before.

I would especially like us to welcome the Soviet representatives to this Mini Conference – Professor David Dzhohadze, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Chechentsev, Chairman of the Soviet Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Viktor Bourenkov, Vice Chairman of the Soviet Friendship Society and now elected as a member of the Central Committee of the Russian Communist Workers Party. WELCOME!

The above-mentioned delegates were to arrive but had problems getting their visas

In this regard dear comrades and friends – let me divide my presentation into two sections in order to expedite the discussion and resolve some of the problems and agree on the solutions. Allow me on behalf of the Council members to deal with the first topic – Third World Congress in 2007 in Moscow and the proposals submitted by Professor David Dzhohadze of the Russian Academy of Sciences. These excellent proposals were published in Northstar Compass, #11 July issue. In your portfolio you will find a copy of it printed on blue stock.

As Chairman of the International Council I sent a copy of these proposals to all members of the Executive Committee of the International Council and the Editorial Board members of Northstar Compass – asking them for their comments. I received comments, observations and criticisms from 15 out of 17 elected members and these comments are included in full in your portfolio.

Whether these comments and observations are correct, objective or subjective – it is for us dear comrades to study them and come to an agreement as how best to make certain that the forthcoming Worldwide Congress (as Professor Dzhohadze would like it to be called) will be a great success and a start of a process for the resurrection of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics!

Of course it would take much too long for me to read the complete comments of our Council and Editorial members, therefore I shall pick only certain comments that are pertinent and do not repeat themselves. These observations are translated into Russian for our Soviet comrades – and are included in their Conference folios.

May I suggest that tonight each one of you read these comments through (before you go to bed) and it will help all of us to discuss this question after we hear the Soviet delegates present their own thoughts.

I would like the Soviet delegates, especially the Russian Academy of Sciences comrade to fully understand – that these remarks are made by comrades who are unquestionably dedicated friends of the Soviet people!

* I just hope that these prominent people proposed, representing different parties will not start fighting with each other and labelling each other with names. We need unity above all!

* The Third World Congress must take place in Moscow. It will give momentum to our friendship movement for the reestablishment of the USSR. People that were elected at the Second World Congress must be represented at the Presidium, not just the Soviet comrades.

* The Russian edition of NSC does not copy the sharpness and the fighting spirit of NSC. Why are not comrades who were active since the inception of NSC not included in the Organizing Committee of the Congress? In what underground bunker were these professors hiding for the past 16 years?

* The Third World Congress as the International Council itself, is and must remain a united front of all parties and organizations fighting for the restoration of the USSR and Socialism. Therefore if these parties, organizations agree with this aim, they must be included at the Congress. It is a must that we should have representation at the Congress from ALL former Soviet Republics.

* The proposals submitted by Professor Dzhohadze are too academic and too many. Why does he not include our Executives? They have good intentions and are trying to make it a success, but we must also be in control.

* There must be representation from other Soviet Republics. There must be a study of the 90 years of the USSR. A handbook of Soviet contribution to humanity should be published by the World Congress and the Soviet Friendship Society. Relevance of Marxism today must be on the Agenda.

* The only chance for us to guide and control the agenda of the Congress is through organizational influence. That means that the members of the International Council and representatives from the four corners of the world must be included in the Organizing Committee. We must have international representation, the international character of the World Congress must be defended and the inner Russian political, organizational and ideological problems and quarrels must "be under control".

* The present members listed in the Russian Academy of Sciences proposal are made up of unknown quality, people like Prigarin who tried to scuttle the last Congress. We must have people there who were elected to their post by the Second World Congress! The many Communist parties there are nothing but a farce. But let them show their true colours and take the criticism that will be levelled by the world delegates.

* The list of proposed names for the Presidium as proposed disturbs us here at the Australian Friends of Soviet People. We feel that Professor Dzohadze has misunderstood the role as a host. People that will be there must accept and adopt the Credo of the Friendship with Soviet People. We do not want this Congress to be just a "talk fest".

* Proposals by comrade Dzhohadze is shocking to me. I know a few of the names listed - many are arch-revisionists, overtly or covertly. With such representation, I am afraid that the work of the Friendship Society will suffer. We must be wary of the likes of Zyuganov and the CPRF. Any unity without principles will be the end of the movement for friendship and solidarity with Soviet People. I feel that the suggestion to be called the "Worldwide Congress " is wrong since it denotes a different meaning.

* The denomination of the Congress as: "Third Worldwide Congress for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People. The Reintegration of the Republics of the USSR and the people that are leaving there –is categorically imperative today!" is excellent. The Communist movement in Russia has mainly two wings: one is revisionist, led by Zyuganov and the CPRF, working together with Simonenko of Ukraine – the other is Marxist-Leninist, but heavily suffering from sectarian tendencies.

I think that the front organization such as ours, which must grow and become a large force and unite all forces in favour of restoring the USSR – has to include these two tendencies. I also feel that comrades that worked with us since the beginning must be included in the Council organizing this Congress. We cannot have only Russian representation – we must have representatives from all of the former Soviet Republic.

* I feel that there should be 50% representation from Soviet Union and 50% international representation, plus the Editorial Board of NSC and the current leadership of the International Council in the Organizing Committee. There must be in the Soviet representatives in the organizing committee - activists, not just academics – from various organizations, from various parties and from other republics, not just the Russian republic.

Regarding the future of the International Council – its Chairman should be based in Europe, while the Editor of Northstar Compass should be based in Canada.

The Congress should discuss and adopt plans for recruitment of mass organizations to have their delegate in the International Council; the formation of Friendship Societies in other countries with the Soviet People; the creation of regional councils, such as North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and others.

We must share lessons and learn from other mass movements in order to improve our effectiveness.

Dear friends!

What I have just read are only very condensed versions of comments from elected members to the International Council and to the Editorial Board of Northstar Compass – but there were numerous comments from readers-subscribers of NSC from many countries of the world that are too numerous to be reported on now, but I’m certain that during our discussions, these thoughts will come up.

Many of the above questions, comments that I read might become much clearer when we hear the Soviet delegates give their reports

If you read the proposals by Professor David Dzhohadze of the plans for the Congress in Moscow, it is on such a grand scale that it boggles the mind. Let me just quote some of the plans that the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Soviet Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries have in mind. But, before reading these plans, let me quote one thought that our dear friend Dzhohadze wrote to me, in reply to my hammering away as to why things are moving so slowly. He wrote: "Bureaucracy is the constant sputnik in the history of mankind. There is still plenty of time, and I am certain that in the near future we will be going at top speed!"

* Invite to the Congress all leaders of the Communist Parties, Marxists-Leninists, peoples organizations from all the Republics of the USSR plus party leaders of former socialist countries

* We will invite to the Congress President Fidel Castro of Cuba, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, President Evo Morales of Bolivia, plus representatives of their Embassies.

* To ask all of the progressive newspapers in the USSR to publicize this Worldwide Congress.

* To organize all meals, buffets, daily sessions and evening sessions, lodgings and Congress meeting hall.

* To organize all the media, newspapers, TV and radio, photographers, correspondents and foreign journalists to cover the event.

* To have a film taken of the Congress for a future video.

* To print and distribute 500 copies of the Congress agenda plus organize the Editorial Committee to publish the proceedings of this Third Worldwide Congress.

* To arrange for lodgings and other necessities for 80-100 foreign delegates, plus cultural programs.

* To appeal to all parties, organizations to support us with finances.

On this 15^th Anniversary of Northstar Compass it is god to go way back in order to realize the dedicated work that was done by some comrades who are no longer with us, in order to present not only to Canadians, but to many countries of the world, the truth about Soviet Union, about Lenin and Stalin, about the struggles of the Soviet people after the October 1917 Revolution, about the encirclement by Imperialist states of the young Soviet Union, about the plans to attack the USSR, about the Western conniving efforts with Nazi Germany, about the glorious dedication of Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War, about the Cold War, about the revisionism and traitorous policies of Khrushchev, followed by others, including Yeltsin, Gorbachev and now Putin.

This ongoing struggle was carried on by many of our members - such as Dr. Lawrie who was the initiator of the "Hands Off Russia Committee" in 1918. There were many newsletters dedicated to friendship with Soviet people over the years published by members of the Canada-USSR Association – such as the "Friendship News", "Canada-USSR Friendship News", "Northern Neighbours", "Focus on Friendship" and then 15 years ago the Canadian Friends of Soviet People started to publish "Northstar Compass", which is now the organ of the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People. Happy 15^th Anniversary Northstar Compass!

Dear comrades:

As happy as we are here today in marking this achievement of having an English Edition, a French Edition and now a Russian Edition of Northstar Compass being published, we should discuss the future of this publication which is now being read in over 76 countries of the world.

Finances are the main problem to overcome in publishing any journal, be it here in Canada or in Moscow.

Unfortunately our "Minister of Finances", Helen Lucas cannot be here due to serious complications that came after a knee replacement operation took place, which was followed by a fall on the floor, which complicated matters, thus not being able to walk without the support of a walker. She wanted this statement to be read at this Mini Conference.

Below are some suggestions that were sent in by members of the International Council and the Editorial Board of Northstar Compass, to be discussed at this Mini Conference and to present a Resolution on Northstar Compass to the upcoming Third Worldwide Congress in Moscow in 2007.

*NSC should concentrate mainly on our main business – the restoration of the Soviet Union. Therefore the main content should be articles on the struggles in the Soviet Union. We need more such articles and better quality.

* We should stick to our broad anti-imperialist concepts, but our readers are interested mainly in what is happening and what is not happening in the USSR. There are other specialized publications in the world that deal with international issues. The international articles should not exceed 25% of the content of NSC.

* We should not judge parties on the pureness of Marxism-Leninism.

* We should become the vanguard publication of defending Socialism and criticizing the many revisionist and traitorous tendencies in some of the parties in former USSR and in other parts of the world.

* Why is it that some communist parties that criticize us for defending Socialism and Stalin will not give NSC any publicity or even a comment – good or bad? Their method is to ignore us. What ever happened to Communist method of criticism and self-criticism?

* We must cover international news as well as news from former USSR – you cannot separate the two things- since they are intertwined and affect each other.

* One of the weaknesses of NSC is that newspapers from USSR arrive one month late, then NSC translates and publishes the articles, another month goes by – then this news becomes outdated.

* Why can’t he Russian Edition of NSC make certain that someone there is appointed to send the latest news by e-mail so that the problem of lateness is overcome?

* Why cannot the Editorial Board of NSC that was elected at the Second World Congress in 2005 not open up a Northstar Compass subscription campaign – since most of the NSC being sent overseas are free?

Dear comrades:

In conclusion I would like to appeal to all of you present, to read the Mini Conference Agenda and take an active part in discussions, in criticism and self-criticism in order for us to improve our work, not only in publishing Northstar Compass but in the work of the International Council and our very important Third Worldwide Congress that I feel will set the stage for this first event that will be held after thee dismemberment of the USSR.

This will be the gathering of educational and political events that will be exclusively dedicated to the political, economic, cultural, historical integration of the Soviet people, after the counterrevolution which had disunited and separated the Soviet people. This event could be and must be the turning point for the Soviet people.

All attempts to reunite the Soviet people into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, with the help of the international friends of the Soviet people have long ago objectively been ripe!

The coming Third World Congress for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People in 2007 can be the turning point in helping the Soviet people to regain its mighty role as the vanguard for peace, defending the world against US imperialism's New World Fascist Order! This can only be done after the rebirth of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics!

Our Cause Is Just!
We Shall Be Victorious!