Athens (Brussels Morning). Brussels Morning was present during the 6th European Forum of Left, Green and Progressive forces, covering all the insightful discussions that took place. The European Forum is a space where the left, greens and progressives come together and share their struggles. They aim to formulate and fight for an alternative, a fairer and a greener solution to the crises that Europe is facing. This year’s Forum was held in Athens on 21-23th of October 2022.
During the second plenary of the Forum with title “Against the return of war, for peace and disarmament: a new collective security” politicians, policy makers and activists shared their views, hopes and expertise regarding a wide spectrum of security subjects. The objective of this plenary was to outline a new collective safety architecture based on nuclear disarmament, military de-escalation, an end to over-armament, respect for the territorial integrity of nations and the defence of human rights.
“Peace should reign and I believe we should fight for peace, justice and education. Peace is the red line that we cannot pass. “, shared Maite Mola, First Vice-President of the Party of the European Left, as one of her comments while addressing the attendees and the panel.
“We have to discuss about conflicts, wars and open crises all around the world and not just what is happening in Ukraine. The system of common security is a revolutionary prospect cause it is excluding wars. Nations should look into the national security of other countries, the neighbour countries. Disarmament is a key point for the future and will unite the global populations.”, mentioned Reiner Braun, the Director of the International Peace Bureau – IPB, during her speech.
A collective security system
Both the League of Nations and the United Nations were founded on the principle of collective security. But today we understand that a further update is needed. UN has succeded and failed in the same time as we managed to avoid a Third World War but not regional conflicts and crimes against humanity.
“If we want a collective security system, it should be based on solidarity and not serve the interests of the strongest states. Europe handled the Ukrainian Refugee issue exemplary but this should not be the exception but the rule. The debate on a new Pact on Migration should now be opened.”, stated Danai Koltsida, Head of the European Policy and Foreign Affairs Sector of Syriza-PA and Director of the Poulantzas Institute.
“When we talk about security is ensuring that everything has enough, sharing resources, because there are enough for everyone. Cooperating and benefiting together is crucial rather than competing and the few are profiting. Who decides how the Human Resources are being used today? If we want to have collective security we need to address and give a chance to people to choose themselves how they use their time, talents and creativity and of course I do not believe they will use it to create guns, oppress others or get advantage of the availability of Natural Resources.”, mentioned Natalie Bennett MP, Green Party, UK.
“When we discuss about disarmament it is important to use specific arguments. Of course weapons are not the only cause of wars and conflicts. They are the tools but the causality is imperialism, climate change and interests. We need to plan disarmament so that we can implement non arms solutions. We cannot have disarmament without changes in this new world, and those radical changes demand new ways to manage conflict.”, shared Laëtitia Sédou representing the European Network Against the Arms Trade – ENAAT.
NATO’s Future Direction
The fundamental and permanent goal of NATO is to protect each member state’s freedom and security via political and military action. The speakers examined realistically what the alliance and its members must do to stay relevant in the current geopolitical climate.
“We have watched for years as NATO expanded towards Russia’s borders, the US and the EU pursued an Imperialist policy, Russia is a member of the Security Council attacked another state. But we also have Israel trampling on Palestinian rights and attacking Syria. At the same time, Turkey is encroaching on the sovereignty of Cyprus, an EU state.”, raised as an argument Neoklís Sylikiótis, Member of the Political Bureau, former Minister, former MEP, AKEL, Cyprus.
“The peace movement needs to have different faces! The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 almost created a nuclear crisis between the US and the USSR. Security needs to be a shared security, when there is a state with nuclear weapons there might be surrounded with other nuclear weapons. Instead of investing in arms we should invest in our social systems, eradicate hunger, built up health systems, because COVID 19 would not be eliminated by tanks or carriers. The time has come to ask from all the Left to discuss and prioritise peace, to demand peace.”, stated Willy Meier, MP, zquierda Unida, United Left, Spain.
“Building peace is only possible step by step. Turkey has the resources to build long standing peace in the region, it has the capacity, but the current government does not have a political will. We should understand that there are many countries that have interest that this War in Ukraine keeps going and the crisis deepens.” Mentioned Hişyar Özsoy, Deputy Chair of HDP responsible for foreign affairs and Member of Parliament, Turkey.“The Nordic countries should commit that they will quarantee the security and the sovereignty of all its members. We should build up our defensive military forces and not participate in foreign conflicts.”closed with his remarks Bjørnar Moxnes, Leader of the Red Party, Norway.
