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Jones: –and the USA. (unintelligible) will concede that the Common Market has (unintelligible) but (unintelligible word) as a result become more flexible than the protectionist war now being waged. Competition among the three – the EEC and the USA and Japan – has received such scope that it hardly appears possibly to placate or tone it down. The Kennedy Round to align trade– the economic and financial relations in the Western World was followed by the Tokyo Round, and what has been the result? The rivalry has grown instead of being weakened. (tape becomes louder) The Common Market’s trade deficit with Japan has grown to five thousand million dollars by the end of 1977. Compare that with the figure of not more than only three hundred million dollars in 1970. Eloquent testimony it seems of how futile have been the efforts to achieve elementary order in capitalist trade.
In reply to many protests from Common Market headquarters, Tokyo exporters have more than once promised to scale their de– offensive against western Europe, and the prime minister of Japan [Takeo Fukuda] frequently condemns protectionism, which he says could lead to global chaos and the collapse of the capitalist economic order. But words and one thing and deeds another. In 1977, Japanese capitalist exports to the EEC increased by 20 percent, while Japan’s imports from the nine grew only ten percent. And Brussels visitors from Tokyo had no hesitation in rejecting the (unintelligible word) demands that their trade should be balanced.
(knocking at door)
(off mike) Could you not do this? Who is this? Get out of here, get out of here, get out, get out. (pause) (tape edit)
–familiar, yesterday afternoon, Prime Minister [Malcolm] Fraser of Australia condemned the European Common Market for trying to get the world to play to its tune, actually working against the welfare of economic interest of Australia. This tide of protectionism could lead to the contradictions that will bring about a collapse of capitalism sooner. It is inevitable that someday we shall see that. We would all dream it would take place in our time, but obviously, the superiority of seco– socialism has been proven, and one day, it will gain the victory and ascendancy on the entire globe.
The conflict in Indochina. There are alarming events on the borders of the socialist Republic of Vietnam and Kampuchea that’s turning more reactionary every day in its foreign policy. Look on your map and you will note Kampuchea, it’s formerly known as Cambodia, in Southeast Asia. But as shameful to the Chinese in their reactionary foreign policy, it is supporting the expansionist efforts of Kampuchea and appealing to the racist uh, feelings of the Khmer people. When and how did the situation arise which brought about an armed clash between two countries whose peoples long fought shoulder-to-shoulder for freedom and independence? Who is fanning it up? And who benefits from the conflict? How can this dangerous seed of tension be removed? Those tensions– those questions are now asked by all concerned for peace in Indochina and particularly those who are allied – the Warsaw Pact – with the Soviet Union, the vanguard of Marxist-Leninism and world liberation.
The border between Vietnam and Kampuchea stretches for more than 600 miles. It was fixed many decades ago during the French rule in Indochina. Wars, big and small, have been waged more than once over the territory of Indochina, and people fleeing from the horrors of war tended to mingle their blood. When at long last peace came to Indochina, three independent states were set up out of the chaos uh, that US imperialism had created. In the conditions of peace, the government of Vietnam was the first to approach the government of Kampuchea, formerly known as Cambodia, as you’re looking at your maps, if you have opportunity to study our world geography, it was the first – Vietnam was – to approach the government of Kampuchea with the proposal that they solve the border problems inherited from colonial times to settle them on the basis of complete equality and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. Stand by. (tape edit)
–but (unintelligible word) Kampuchea did not respond to that call. Almost half a million Vietnamese have lived in Kampuchea for generations. Many of them have fought and died for Kampuchea’s liberation. But immediately after that liberation, the local authorities began evicting Vietnamese from places where not only they but their ancestors too have lived for generations.
A government of Vietnam again moved for a start to negotiations at any level to help strengthen the solidarity between the two states to avert actions that could damage their traditional friendship. However, instead of agreeing to start negotiations, the Kampuchean authorities ordered an invasion of Vietnamese territory. Since spring of last year, Kampuchea has employed large armed forces and a great deal of artillery to attack the Vietnamese frontier area, and to press deep within the Vietnamese borders. Their troops captured Vietnamese areas and inflicted sufferings upon the peaceful populations of border towns and villages. (tape edit) Thousands of peaceful civilians were killed, maimed or left homeless. Foreign sources report that foreign advisers are taking an active part in the Kampuchean military operation, including– included the noted CIA as well as the prominent force of the Chinese reactionaries. On the eve of the new year, the Vietnamese government approached the Kampuchean government, proposing a meeting be held to solve the frontier question in a friendly socialist spirit. This proposal received wide international support, particularly from the vanguard of Marxist-Leninism world liberation, the Soviet Union. Only those who wanted to sharpen the international situation urged Kampuchea to reject this proposal. Inspired apparently by these inflammatory statements, the Kampuchean authorities rejected all meetings and negotiations, and stepped up their armed provocations against Vietnam. Simultaneously, they unleashed a vigorous propaganda campaign with a view to attracting public opinion. Vietnam displayed restraint and patience, but was nevertheless compelled to protect its citizens and territory from further encroachments or invasions.
The Kampuchean, as I mentioned formerly Cambodian, authorities broke off diplomatic relations with Vietnam, and demanded that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Embassy (tape edit) in uh, Phnom Penh should leave the country. Vietnam did not take any similar measures against its diplomats, but they nevertheless have left Hanoi for Peking [Phnom Penh]. It is clear that the attitude of the Kampuchean authorities runs counter to the interest of their own people and of peace and social progress in the whole of Southeast Asia. It is however in line with the secret plans of the advocates of heightening international tension – China and the USA – that has grown closer in this kind of expansionism, as evidenced even in Somalia, now that China and USA have found an accord in the Horn of Africa to back the Somalian aggressors. It is seen that this is only a part of the secret plans of the advocates of heightening international tension of those who hated the Vietnamese people’s victory, their reunification of their country, its strides in building socialism, and its growing international prestige. Kampuchea’s dangerous policy as approved and encouraged by the forces of imperialism throughout the world which have far-reaching plans with regard to Southeast Asia uh– The prime minister of Vietnam [Pham Van Dong] commented, all governments who love peace regret what is taking place on the borders of the two states and sincerely desire a quick solution to the conflict in the spirit of friendship and peace.
A statement from the delegation of the World Peace Council, that has met regularly in our San Francisco Temple, as you know, for a number of years, says that the Council firmly supports the first cause of Vietnam in the border conflict, and calls on the peace-loving peoples and governments of the world to support actively the Vietnamese position directed towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
The government of Vietnam again last week issued a statement which contains constructive– new constructive proposals for a peaceful settlement of relations between the two countries, but at the moment of this commentary, the wars in uh– has penetrated into Vietnamese territory again, and Vietnam offered really little hope that the settlement could come between the two countries without outside assistance. For the purpose, it says, it is essential that there should be an immediate cessation of all hostilities in the border areas, with the withdrawal of the armed forces of both sides to a line five miles– about five miles inside their territories. A meeting in Hanoi, Phnom Penh, or on the border itself should immediately be organized for talks and for the signing of a treaty containing an obligation to respect the independent sovereignty and territorial integrity of one another, to respect the principles of non-aggression, the non-use of violence or threat of violence in relations between the two countries, and non-interference in one another’s internal affairs. It is suggested that both sides renounce subversive activities against one another, establish equal relations, live in peace and friendship, and maintain good neighborly relations. It is also suggested that a treaty on the border be signed on the basis of respect for each other’s territorial sovereignty, preserving the present borders. Agreement on appropriate forms of international guarantees and international control are also absolutely necessary, and proposed by the Vietnamese that won the great struggle against US imperialism in Southeast Asia, uniting the two Vietnamese countries, the false Vietnamam of south– of the southern dictatorship with the truly people’s government of North Vietnam.
The government of Vietnam, now united, calls on the governments and peoples of countries friendly to the two countries, on international organizations, and on peoples who support peace and justice to back these proposals. The call is rousing a wide respan– response. As far as the Soviet Union is concerned, it considers that a peaceful solution alone meets the vital and lasting interest of both peoples, and that is the policy of the Soviet Union throughout the world. The dangerous seat of tension, which emerged on the border of Vietnam and Kampuchea, cannot but concern all friends of both peoples who are deeply interested in seeing that peace and friendship reign in Indochina. It is only in conditions of peace that these peoples can successfully build the new life of socialism for which they fought heroically against the foreign capitalist invaders, against internal and external reactionaries. Stand by. (tape edit) (Pause)
Who pours oil on the fire in Africa? (tape edit) An analysis of the Somalia-Ethiopian conflict leads to the paradoxical conclusion that the two countries have no serious reason for making war on one another. The barren Ogaden region is not at all worth rivers of blood. All the more so since, given good will, all the questions in dispute could be settled peacefully. Nevertheless, Somalians and Ethiopians continue to kill one another.
To understand the reasons behind the Somalia aggression, you have to consider developments in Africa over the last 20 years, first the tragedy of the Congo with the murder of [Patrice] Lumumba, and the coup in Katanga, the civil war in Nigeria, the separatist Biafra movement, and the intervention of South Africa and foreign mercenaries in Angola. At first glance, you might think that those events were all local affairs with nothing in common. They were however closely linked by the vicious activity of those who do not find it in their interest for African countries to build in peace and strengthen their independence. The riots, assassinations, civil wars, invasions by mercenary armies and petty nationalistic movements are all grist to the mill of such groups. For they create instability and prevent the African countries from concentrating their efforts on national development programs.
In the West, capitalist propagandists (unintelligible word) blame Africa’s trouble on the Soviet Union, the Russian bear, who they say is roaming Africa, trying to secure as many gains and privileges as possible. However, hard facts disprove those lies. Nonsense stories about Soviet nation– naval bases in Lebanon, Guinea and Somalia have all been exploded, but the Western naval bases in (unintelligible name), Diego Garcia and Gibraltar are undeniable realities of US aggressive interest. The West alleges that the Soviet Union is seeking access to Africa’s mineral wealth, but they cannot point to a single case of a Soviet organization developing mineral resources anywhere on the entire African continent. However, at the same time, such companies as the Anglo-American Corporation of South Africa, (unintelligible name), Unilever, Gulf Oil, British Petroleum, and many, many other US empires have gained firm toeholds in almost every African country. From the point of view of the old legal principle cui boni– cui bono, who benefits, instability and weakening of the African countries are needed by those who are eager to maintain their grip on the young developing African countries. For if they are able to strengthen their independence, this obviously damages the interests of foreign monopolies and hinders them from continuing to plunder Africa’s natural wealth. The socialist union, led particularly by the– the vanguard of Marxist-Leninism, the Soviet Union, have nothing to gain by plundering the wealth of Africa. But not so can it be said of the capitalist interest represented by the United States and its lackeys.
The conflict in the Horn of Africa becomes clear when viewed in this context. Both Somalia and Ethiopia took the road of deep growing social and economic reforms, a fact which could not fail to alarm foreign monopolies. It is quite obvious that Somalia’s attack on Ethiopia was inspired from outside, and the feverish actions in the West to escalate the conflict, make it clear from what quarter that inspiration came. It is no accident that the conflict has coincided with US– American diplomatic maneuvers to bring about a separate deal between Israel and Egypt, so splitting the Arab front. The conflict of Ogaden provides a useful distraction from the Middle East. As for the great Soviet Union, it calls for an end to the fighting between Ethiopia and Somalia, the withdrawal of Somalian troops from Ethiopian territory, and the settling of the disputes between the two states by peaceful means. That stand is in full accord with the position of the Organization of African Unity and the interest of world peace.
Thus ends commentary about some of the social conditions, some of the political upheavals, and some of the hopes of change that are taking place in the world on this Sunday afternoon. Thank you, with deep love, my fellow comrades.
(End of tape)
Tape originally posted January 2013