International Solidarity Againist the Threat of War

The workers of Turkey, Greece and Cyprus have nothing to gain by the latest escalation of the dispute in the Mediterranean over Exclusive Economic Zones. On the contrary, we all have much to lose if this becomes a military confrontation.

The promises of our ruling classes that exploration for oil and natural gas in the sea will bring prosperity are false. It only brings super profits for the energy multinationals like Exxon, Total and ENI, it worsens the contribution of fossil fuels to climate change and it exacerbates the rivalries between imperialist and local powers in the area.

These rivalries are reactionary on all sides. The attempts by our governments to present their actions as “defense of the homeland” are not true and this is shown very clearly by the fact that the Erdogan and Mitsotakis governments are supporting different forces fighting in Libya. Bengazi is not part of a Greek “homeland”, Tripoli is not part of a Turkish “homeland”.

A just solution will not come through the mediation of NATO, the EU or the UN. These international organizations are not “independent brokers” of peace and justice, they are agents of imperialist intervention by military, economic and diplomatic means. This has been proved time and again in every country in the region, from Syria to Yemen and from Afghanistan to the Atlantic ocean, including Cyprus.

The alternative to such “mediation” is not preparation for war. We oppose the attempts by opposition parties to outdo the governments in nationalist rhetoric and an escalation in the arms race. Such policies create openings for the far right and the fascists to grow. It is unacceptable for sections of the left to demand the imposition of sanctions by the EU, to threaten with more frigates in the Aegean or around Cyprus, or to support the repression of the Kurdish people.

The only guarantee for peace and justice is the escalation of workers struggles. We draw inspiration from the global wave of revolts from Chile to Lebanon and from Sudan to France. We raise immediate demands for:

An end to all imperialist interventions in the region. Greece and Turkey out of NATO, shut down all military bases (Incirlik, Souda, Akrotiri) in Cyprus, Greece and Turkey.

* An end to explorations and drilling for oil and gas in the Mediterranean. Fossil fuels should stay at the bottom of the sea.

* An end to the arms race. Stop spending for fighter planes, frigates or missiles whether from the West or Russia.

* Open the borders for refugees. The people who flee war and hunger are welcome. Asylum and shelter for all. End the policies of “fortress Europe”, end the anti-migrant agreements of the EU with Libya and Turkey that humiliate migrants and consider them as an element of blackmailing.

* Turkish and Greek workers in Cyprus have the right to decide the future of their island without outside interventions.

The workers in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus have a rich tradition of fighting against the sacrifices imposed on them by the long drawn out crisis of capitalism. Building the movements for the demands against austerity and exploitation alongside our internationalist demands can create a powerful force for a better future. Our organizations are committed to the revolutionary tradition of opposing imperialist war and to the fight for international socialism. We urge all peace-loving people to join in this common effort.

Socialist Workers Party – Greece (SEK – Sosialistiko Ergatiko Komma)
Revolutionary Socialist Workers Party – Turkey (DSİP – Devrimci Sosyalist İşçi Partisi)
Workers Solidarity – Cyprus (Ergatiki Dimokratia)