George Gruenthal is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Council, Editorial Board of NSC, Editor of NSC Web Page and Secretary of the US Friends of Soviet People

As all readers of Northstar Compass know, the Executive Committee of the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with Soviet People decided that it would not be possible to hold the Third World Congress of the International Council in Moscow in November of 2007. I think that there is some lack of clarity as to how this decision was made and why, which I would like to try to clear up.

First, the decision to postpone the Congress was made by the overwhelming majority of the members of the Executive Committee, following discussions by phone, e-mail and letters – it was not a decision made by one person or by a small group within the Executive Committee. There were both objective and subjective problems in holding of the Congress in Moscow in 2007which could not be overcome, at least not in time.

The main objective problem is one that we all knew at the Second World Congress held in Toronto in September of 2005 – the potential for sabotage, disruption and obstruction by Putin’s capitalist regime. The simplest form of doing this would be for Putin to deny visas to leading delegates to the Congress from abroad, particularly to Michael Lucas, the Chair of the Executive Committee. Comrades from the Soviet Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries had promised to ask the Russian government for a visa for Michael, but the government never gave a response.

One should note that, while some foreign Communist Parties take part in meetings in Moscow, these parties in general do not call for the removal of Putin’s regime. The International Council, however, clearly calls for the rebirth of the Soviet Union and the revival of socialism there, which is to be the theme of the Third World Congress.

There were also several subjective problems with holding the Congress in Moscow in 2007.

The formation of the Soviet Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the change of its name from the Russian Society to the Soviet Society were hailed at the Second World Congress as important steps allowing us to hold the Third Congress on the territory of

the former Soviet Union, and we continue to greatly appreciate the work of the Soviet comrades in taking this step. However, we recognized at the time of the Second Congress that this was just a first step, and that other crucial steps were needed.

One of the main weaknesses of the Soviet Society is that most of its members are associated with one party, the Russian Communist Workers Party (RCWP), and it is based in only one republic, Russia. It is important that the RCWP as well as other parties and organizations support of the work of the Soviet Society and in particular the holding of the Third World Congress.

The International Council has stated many times that the Council is not a new communist international, and so we can certainly not state that any one party is the genuine Communist Party in the former Soviet Union. The problem of the many communist parties in the former Soviet Union, of the formation of a genuine Communist Party and most importantly its unity with the advanced sections of the working class, can only be solved by the Soviet comrades themselves. All the International Council can do is support and promote such efforts at unity.

Therefore we must encourage the Soviet comrades from all the political parties, trade unions, youth, scientific and cultural organizations that see the need for the rebirth of the Soviet Union and socialism to help to develop and broaden the Soviet Society as a non-partisan united front. This united front must have the backing of these parties and organizations without being, or even being seen as, a front for one or another party.

Part of this question is the relation of the Soviet Society and the Third World Congress with Zyuganov and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF). Zyuganov and the CPRF as a whole have never supported the International Council, and for very clear reasons – they do not stand for the rebirth of the Soviet Union and socialism. They prefer to function as the "loyal opposition" to Putin’s regime. Of course, there are many genuine supporters of socialism in the Soviet Union within the CPRF, but they do not determine the policy of that party. Thus, to have a Congress in Moscow that would be objectively beholden to the CPRF would be to undermine the aims and work of the Council. This does not mean that we would oppose the participation of members of the CPRF in the Third World Congress – we should welcome this, but we cannot let the CPRF determine the line or work of the Congress.

These, in my view, are the main reasons that the Congress could not be held in Moscow in November of 2007 as planned.

The preparations for the Third World Congress are continuing. Clearly, it would be best if the Congress could be held on territory of the former Soviet Union – whether in Minsk or elsewhere. Another possibility would be to hold it in a former socialist country of Eastern Europe. Otherwise, having the Congress somewhere in West Europe would be possible, since this would involve less travel expenses for our Soviet comrades than traveling to Canada.

In any case, the situation will involve more work on the part of both the International Council and the Soviet Society. It will be the task of both organizations to promote the support for the Soviet Society from a broad spectrum of parties and organizations in the former Soviet Union. It will be the task of the Soviet Society to look a location for the Congress inside the former Soviet Union, and the task of the International Council to look for a location outside the former SU. The location should be one that allows for members of the International Council and of the Soviet Society to attend with a minimum of political problems, particularly visa problems, and one where there is an organization on the ground that can do the logistical work of holding the Congress. It would be best if it were be possible for delegates to stay with supporters of the Congress rather than staying in hotels, but if this is not possible the Congress should be held somewhere where the expenses would not be prohibitive. We all have a lot of work to do, but with the political will this will be achieved.