Full text of the WPC Declaration is given below.

Due to the lack of time, the Assembly authorized its executive bodies to
deal with the issues treated in the topical draft Resolutions.

The Assembly also adopted the Amendments to WPC Rules and Regulations and
elected  new leadership.

Orlando Fundora from Cuba was elected WPC President and Thanassis Pafilis
from Greece was elected General Secretary. WPC, one of the oldest and most
glorious international non-governmental organizations in the UN system
reelected its Presidents of Honor: Romesh Chandra (India) and Evangelos
Mahairas (Greece).

Since November 2003 Sloboda/Freedom Association is a full member of WPC.

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WORLD PEACE COUNCIL
10 Othonos Str, 10557 Athens Greece
Tel.: +30-210-3316326, Fax: +30-210-3224302
http://www.wpc-in.org , e-mail: info@wpc-in.org
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Declaration of The Assembly of The WPC Athens, May 6-9, 2004
=============================================

The Assembly of the World Peace Council was successfully held on May 6-9,
2004 in Athens, Greece, with the participation of 134 delegates from 62
Organisations from 47 countries.

After a rich and very fruitful discussion the participants of the Assembly
concluded with the following declaration to the peoples of the world:

The developments that have taken place since the last WPC Assembly in May of
2000 have been ones of particular significance and have given rise to a
situation which is crucial for humanity, one marked by the intensity of the
increased aggressiveness of the world strategy of the USA as it strives to
impose and consolidate the new world order of war and oppression. At the
same time day by day it faces increasing political isolation deriving from
its arbitrary and unilateral acts of violation of human and peoples' rights.

Humanity is alarmed by the developments regarding world peace and security
in recent years. Never before in recent history have the peoples stood up
and organized such huge protests in the anti-war movement as those against
the imperialist war of the US and its allies on Iraq. There is a growing
worldwide trend towards peace. The WPC has been and is strongly involved in
this movement through its members and friendly organizations, together with
millions of people on all continents and in all corners of the world.

The terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York and on the Pentagon on
September 11, 2001 was used as a pretext for an overall offensive to be
launched on the peoples and countries of the world in all sectors.  The
announcement of the so-called counter-terrorist campaign by the USA, with
the support of its allies, serves many purposes and has been used in order
to unleash two new wars, against Afghanistan and Iraq and to target many
countries that resist US domination or do not align themselves with it.

The WPC condemns terrorist acts, including the ones, which are acts of state
terrorism. Those to blame for these acts should be brought to justice. The
hypocritical and militaristic approach of the USA and the EU on this issue
cannot eliminate the causes of such phenomena. Causes like the poverty and
underdevelopment of the majority of the world's population, the exploitation
and plunder of the natural resources of the third world by multinational
corporations, the accumulated injustice and oppression of peoples for
decades, are factors which are being used, often by criminal elements which
the USA itself has recruited, trained and financed, for actions which do not
have the slightest relation to the fight of the peoples for their freedom
and national sovereignty, which we firmly defend.

At the same time basic principles of international law and the Founding
Charter of the UN, are being flagrantly violated. The new doctrine is "might
makes right". Through the new doctrine NATO reserves its rights, to
intervene on a global scale wherever their interests are allegedly at stake.

In this framework a series of positive international conventions and accords
signed in the past few years are being abrogated. The goal is, on the one
hand, to accelerate the further militarization of international relations,
the setting up of new intervention forces and the development of new weapons
systems and on the other to intensify authoritarianism and repression inside
countries and to pass new laws that restrict or abolish individual and
collective democratic rights. It therefore becomes a most important task to
fight against the "new world order", defending the rights of the peoples to
determine their own fate, and for a world order of peace based on the
peaceful principles of the UN Charter.

Neo-liberal globalization has been utilized by international capital, day by
day, as an instrument of unprecedented and exploitation control over peoples
and national policies. Conflicts are increasing; the gap between developing
and developed countries, between rich and poor, is increasing at a
tremendous rate.

In 2001, according to a UN report, one hundred thousand people a day were
dying of starvation, three times more than six years before. Five million
people have died in the last ten years in Africa in dozens of clashes and
wars. Three large wars (in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq) have cost the
lives of thousands of people and caused tremendous destruction. Almost half
of the world's population lives on less than two euro per day

This situation, which is accompanied by rivalry amongst the main powers to
secure control over and division of the spheres of influence and markets
create tremendous dangers of intensification in warfare and, furthermore the
probability of generalized conflicts having an impact global in scope.

The US administration has proclaimed the new doctrine of pre-emptive war,
which runs counter to International law. It has openly listed the states
making up the "axis of evil", thus determining its next targets.  Many
countries have been placed on the list, which remains open-ended, ready to
include those countries, peoples and all movements that do not comply with
the domination of the US and its allies.

The USA has adopted the strategy of pre-emptive nuclear strikes, abandoning
the commitment made by all nuclear states to not make the first use of
nuclear weapons. The USA and France are planning to develop new types of
nuclear weapons for use even in urban battlefields. All nuclear powers must
implement their undertakings for the elimination of nuclear weapons made in
the NPT Review Conference in 2000 under article 6. However, the world peace
movement has raised its voice in favor of making the year 2005- 60th
anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and a year of the NPT
Review conference in New York- a turning point for the abolition of nuclear
weapons

In the recent period it has been announced that a European Army would be
established, which constitutes a further reactionary militarization of the
EU. At the same time the situation in Palestine deteriorated, while in Latin
America a plan to intervene in Colombia ha been announced, pressure on
Venezuela has been intensified, increased pressure has been exerted on Cuba
and in Asia events giving rise to tension have been triggered by the USA.  A
further enlargement of NATO has been decided on.

Just as Yugoslavia had been the field for the application of the new NATO
doctrine previously, Afghanistan and especially Iraq were the first victims
of the new and horrific doctrine of pre-emptive war.

The policy of military alliances, (NATO, Japan -US security treaty and
others) is being further intensified in order to involve the allies more the
US strategy and, along this line, US and other foreign military bases abroad
are also being reinforced and reorganized all over the world. Thus the
movements against US military alliances, NATO and foreign military bases are
growing worldwide. In this context the WPC will support popular
mobilizations against the NATO summit in Istanbul in June 2004.

All of these decisions, particularly the US pre-emptive attack strategy,
overturn the statutory principles of the UN, as well as the principles of
international law as they were formulated after the Second World War.

The WPC demands the decolonization of all territories, which remain under
colonial rule. The WPC expresses its solidarity with the Indigenous peoples
for their inalienable and indivisible rights, including their rights for
self-determination.

One year after the US-led imperialist invasion and occupation of Iraq by the
imperialists, the Iraqi people's tragedy continues. In solidarity with the
resistance of the people of Iraq against the occupation, we demand the
immediate and complete withdrawal of all occupying forces in order to allow
the Iraqi people to determine their destiny alone.

The Assembly expresses its vehement condemnation of the brutal torture of
prisoners by the occupation forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Base.

We denounce the ongoing NATO occupation of Afghanistan, a "first" on the
Asian continent, which is being used as a model by the US for its future
plans in Iraq.

The genocide of the Palestinian people continues, while new, inhuman and
reactionary measures are being taken by the Israeli government, like the
construction of the wall. The suffering of the Palestinians doesn't count
for the powerful forces, which back Israel.

In accordance with the UN resolutions, the WPC demands the immediate
withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from all territories occupied in
1967, including the Golan Heights of Syria and the establishment of the
independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, alongside
Israel. Likewise we support the right of return of the Palestinian refugees.

The WPC condemns the occupation of the 37% of the Cyprus Republic, which has
continued since 1974, as well as the de facto division of the country. The
WPC salutes the struggle of the Cypriot people-both Greek Cypriots and
Turkish Cypriots- to end the occupation and supports the efforts to reach a
solution soon which will lead to the reunification of the country.

The WPC takes note of the recent initiatives of India and Pakistan towards
normalization of bilateral relations, and expresses support for the peoples'
activities to promote an atmosphere of peace and harmony on the Indian
sub-continent.

The WPC voices its concern over the US pressure on Bangladesh for a
bilateral military agreement to be reached and the establishment of a US
military base to be established in the Bay of Bengal.

The WPC expresses its solidarity with the people of Korea, which is fighting
against the US hegemonic and hostile policy and for peace on the Korean
peninsula .The WPC supports the peaceful solution of the nuclear problem
between the DPRK and the USA through negotiations. It demands the complete
withdrawal of US troops from the Korean peninsula.

The WPC expresses its sympathy and firm solidarity with the millions of
victims of the toxic chemical AGENT ORANGE used by the USA during the
Vietnam War and calls for action to help alleviate their sufferings.

The WPC expresses its solidarity with the peoples of Yugoslavia in their
struggle against the consequences of the barbarous NATO aggression, which
led to the occupation of part of Serbian territory, Kossovo, and its
transformation into a NATO protectorate. The so-called Hague Tribunal is one
example of the manipulation of truth and an attempt to legitimize the
aggression and other crimes of the USA and NATO.

The WPC denounces the imprisonment of the five Cuban political prisoners who
fought against terrorist plans in the United States, while Cuban- born
convicted terrorists are walking free in the same country. We express our
firm support and solidarity with the Cuban people which is fighting in
difficult conditions to defend its dignity and sovereignty and demand the
end of the criminal US blockade against Cuba which has lasted for four
decades.

The WPC demands the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from Haiti.

We condemn the acts of the reactionary forces of the local oligarchy to
overthrow the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela in cooperation with the USA
and its allies in the region and Europe. We support the efforts for
constructing one society of justice, peace, and solidarity in accordance
with the wishes of its people.

We salute the struggle of the peoples of the Americas against the Free Trade
Area of the Americas (FTAA) and against the payment of the foreign debts as
well as against the Plan Colombia, which are two components of the US policy
of domination over the resources and wealth of Latin America and the
Caribbean on the one hand and of the military threat and interference in the
region in order to guarantee and protect its interests on the other. In this
context we salute the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) as a
sovereign proposal against the neo-liberal plans of imperialism.

Africa is paying the heavy cost of the neo-colonial and imperialist
interventions, combined with sometimes inefficient economic and social
policies, violation of human rights and democratic principles and various
other forms of social, political and cultural exclusion. Instead of bringing
more peace and better prospects of a just and sustainable development to
them, the poverty of the African peoples is increasing, dangerously
threatening the lives of millions every day and aggravating the instability
of their countries. Precious resources are often being wasted on armaments
instead of being used to efficiently combat pandemics like AIDS and malaria
and for the education and health of the peoples. The WPC strongly supports
the effective implementation of the UN resolutions on arms circulation and
mine dissemination and use on the continent, as well as on its general
disarmament.

The WPC denounces foreign interference in the internal affairs of African
countries and we condemn in particular the imposition of sanctions on
Zimbabwe by the British and US governments.

Challenged by the imperialist attempts of the USA to dominate the world
along with its allies, we the delegates of the Assembly of the WPC, express
our confidence and trust in humanity for its future. Through the massive and
coordinated struggles of our peoples we can achieve our objectives. The 21st
century has just begun. As never before the peoples of the world have become
conscious of the new dangers, millions of people have marched in the streets
demanding peace and justice. New uprisings of the peoples and struggles for
social transformations will appear. The new century is holds many surprises
for the enemies of the peoples' demands and rights.

On the occasion of the 55th Anniversary from the foundation of the WPC, the
Assembly calls upon all organizations and movements on the national,
regional and international levels that are ready to work and fight to defend
peace against imperialist plans, to unite our voices and action for a world
of peace, equality, justice and solidarity.

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