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Soviet Union backs
Vietnam talks offer

The Soviet government ex-
Pressed full backing for North
Vietnam’s offer of talks with
American representatives on the
Unconditional ending of U.S. ag-
8ression against the North.

: It said the Hanoi offer points

a realistic way to end the war
and reach a political settlement
in the interests of the Vietna-
Mese people and of restoring a
Normal situation throughout
South-East Asia.”

But it noted that air raids
Were continuing over almost
half of North Vietnam and “ag-
8ression does not cease to be ag-
8ression because only part and
Not the whole of the territory is
Subjected to bombing.”

Further developments, said
the Soviet government, depend-
€d on whether the U.S. takes the

next step—to “fully and uncon-
ditionally stop air raids and
other acts of war against the
North.”

It depended on whether the
U.S. would take a constructive
attitude toward the four-point
proposals for a settlement, put
forward by North Vietnam and
the National Liberation Move-
ment in the South.

U.S. bombing raids continued
over North Vietnam and carrier-
based bombers struck at targets
right on the 20th Parallel, which
President Johnson had set as
the Northern limit.

Hanoi Radio said that despite
the announced American cur-
tailment of bombing, the U.S.
was intensifying its raids “hund-
reds of miles north of the demil-
itarised zone.”

U Thant said that after his
meeting with President Johnson
late on Thursday he was “more
hopeful than ever that a dia-
logue between Washington and
Hanoi will take place soon.”

He was speaking in Geneva,
where he had gone to lay the
foundation stone for a new wing
of the world organization’s
European headquarters.

In Saigon, puppet regime
President Nguyen Van Thieu
said his government would de-
clare full mobilization if Hanoi
did not accept ‘negotiations
aimed at ending the war.

“We would never accept a
complete and unconditional
bombing halt,” he said. “If Han-
oi does not accept negotiations,
we will apply appropriate mea-
sures.”

Stockholm conference calls
for mass actions in April

The Stockholm Conference on
Vietnam emergency consultative
Meeting which took place March
23-4 brought together in Sweden
Tepresentatives of 14 internatio-
Nal organizations and of peace
Organizations in 39 countries.
Canada was represented by Dr.
James G. Endicott of the Cana-
dian Peace Congress.

They called for intensive mass
actions during April against the
War, stressing the mass mobili-
Zations of April 27, Easter
Marches, etc.

An appeal to men and women
throughout the world was adopt-
ed which called for concerted
action demanding:

“A definite and unconditional
€nd to the U.S. bombings and
Other acts of war against the
D.R.V. in order to create favor-
able conditions for prompt talks
between the D.R.V. and the U.S.
on relevant problems for the
Solution of the Vietnamese ques-
tion on the basis of the Geneva
Agreements, according to the
January 28, 1967, statement of
the D.R.V. Foreign Minister,
further made clear in the decla-
tations of December 29, 1967,
and February 8, 1968.

“The withdrawal of U.S. and
Satellite troops from South Viet-
Nam so that the South Viet-
Namese people can settle their
Own affairs, on the basis of the
Political Program of the NFL,
Without any foreign  interven-
tion.

“Respect for the right of the
Vietnamese people as a whole to
Settle their own affairs, without
foreign interference.”

They also called for actions

Supporting the U.S. peace forces
as follows: ;
_ @ “the sending of a delegation
Of important people to the U.S.
to meet peace forces as well as
leaders of the government and
the U.S. Congress, journalists,
representatives of trade unions
and other public organizations;

e “sending of letters to orga-
nizations and individuals in the
United States, informing them

4

of public opinion in other coun-
tries;

e “advertisements and letters
in U.S. newspapers, small and
large.”

The conference, in addition
called for help to those Ameri-
cans “whose courage and devo-
tion to the best traditions of
their country enable them to
resist complicity in the barbar-
ous and oppressive war.”

“Corporations,” they said,
“providing the goods and ser-
vices essential for the U.S. gov-
ernment’s war against Vietnam
must be made to realize the ex-
tent and intensity. of the opposi-
tion to the actions. To this end,
we recommend a boycott of cer-
tain products combined with
various specific protest actions.”
They specifically mention Dow
Chemical products and also urge
that careful consideration be
given to similar action against
other war industries.

A message was sent to the
people of Vietnam, which said in
part:

“The participants in the Emer-
gency Consultative Meeting of
the Stockholm Conference ex-
press their solidarity with and
their admiration for the entire

Vietnamese people in their hero-
ic struggle against American ag-
gression and for the salvation of
their country.

“The participants in this meet-
ing deeply appreciate the tenaci-
ous and concerted struggle wag-
ed day after day by the people
of the D.R.V. to defend their na-
tion and protect their economic,
social and cultural life.

“The participants in this meet-

ing express their support of the

just struggle of the people of
South Vietnam, who are being
led from victory to victory by
the National Liberation Front,
the representative. of the funda-
mental aspirations of the South
Vietnamese population.

“We extend our cordial greet-
ings to the political and patriotic
organizations which have re-
cently joined the resistance
movement against the U.S. in-
vader in order to liberate South
Vietnam and pave the way for
the peaceful reunification of
Vietnam.

“We regard your victories as
victories of the progressive
forces of the world. We shall
spare no efforts to support the
Vietnamese people in their fight
to win final victory.”

Georgia,

he Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Atlanta,
a, extending deepest sympathy to Martin Luther
King’s family and to the organization. a

ne Workers (UE) wired —

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ORE :
onde 18°

Papandreou calls for
support from Canada

Toronto’s Varsity Arena was
packed last Sunday night when
the Committee for the Restora-
tion of Democracy in Greece ar-
ranged a public meeting for
Andreas Papandreou.

Between chants of “Down
with the Junta,” ‘Papandreou,
Liberty and Freedom,” the
exiled Greek parliamentarian
spoke of the struggle of the
Greek people to defeat the junta
and restore democracy.

Papandreou brought tears to
the eyes of his audience as he
spoke of those languishing in
concentration camps undergoing

‘terrible tortures. He spoke of

the dream of the new generation
of establishing a democracy in
Greece.

Papandreou spoke of the need
for the coordination and unity
of all organizations of resistance
to the dictator generals, He
spoke of the support received in
many countries and asked for
similar support from the Cana-
dian government.

“] will sign a pledge of
honor,” he said, “We will return
to Greece and there found a new
democratic country together.
Forward to the new Thermo-
pylae!”

Wires were sent from the
meeting to the United Nations,
the Canadian federal political
party leaders calling for con-
demnation of the junta and of
the barbaric tortures. They also

brought to the attention of the
Canadian government “the con-
sequences of recognizing the
fascist government of Greece as
well as of continuing to give

military aid to it” and asked the

government “to support the ef-
forts of the Greeek people to
overthrow the dictatorship.”

Platform guests included pro-
fessors from the University of
Toronto and York University,
Amnesty International, and the
Voice of Women.

In addition Donald -MacDon-
ald, Ontario leader of the New
Democratic Party was present

and spoke of support to those -

who will “strike to restore free-
dom of Greece.”

Murray Tate, - vice-president
of the Labor Council of Metro-
politan Toronto, in greeting the
gathering in the name of the
130,000 trade unionists affiliated
to the Council, said that it is a
“crime against civilization that
that the country which gave
birth to democracy is under the
heel of a fascist dictatorship.”

“Your fight,” he said, “is the
fight of all decent people of To-
ronto, of Ontario, of Canada, of
the whole world.,jWe march with
you together in your fight for
democracy. Long live -democ-
racy, long live freedom.”

The rafters shook as the meet-
ing ended as it had begun with
thousands on their feet chanting,
“Down with the Junta.”

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APRIL 13, 1968-_PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Page 9

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