Re: M-TH: Gysi steps down
Allegedly because he failed to get the congress to agree to "judge in each case whether the should lend support to UN peace-keeping troops", instead the majority argued there should be no support for the UN in any circumstances. I guess that dented the possibility of an alliance with the Social-Democrats. On Fri, Apr 14, 2000 at 11:11:50PM +0100, Chris Burford wrote: > I missed this news. Can anyone tell me why? > > I attach the not very idiomatic report of the 3rd Congress of the PDS from > their web site. > --- from list [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---
M-TH: Gysi steps down
I missed this news. Can anyone tell me why? I attach the not very idiomatic report of the 3rd Congress of the PDS from their web site. Chris Burford London __ PDS International Information on the results of the 3rd Session of the 6th Congress of the PDS This session took place on 7-9 April, 2000 in Münster in North-Rhine Westphalia - for the first time in a West German federal state. The PDS had taken this decision to demonstrate after the successful elections of the years 1998/99 the importance of a growing influence and stronger organisations in the lander of the old FRG. At the same time this was meant as a support of the PDS campaign for the Landtag election in this federal state due on 14 May, 2000. For financial and organisational reasons the PDS had not invited partner organisations from abroad to take part in this session. Representatives of several foreign embassies attended as observers. The main points of the agenda were: Keynote speech of the party chairman General discussion and decision on continuing the programmatic debate in the party Discussion and decisions on the following problems: - Armed military missions of the UN - Future orientated ecological policy - North-South relationship, just world economic order - Gender emancipation Amendments to the party constitution The session attracted considerable media attention. The number of the registered correspondents exceeded that of the delegates. The whole session of 2,5 days was transmitted live by one public TV program and one radio station. The following are the main results of the session: 1.After the general debate on the keynote speech of party chairman, Lothar Bisky, the congress adopted a political resolution which calls for basic changes in the development of society to prevent the destruction of the welfare state. It must be reconstructed under the new circumstances. The party views itself as part of this society and signals from Münster a new opening towards it. It seeks closer co-operation with all forces striving for a sustainable development. It will put forward its own specific propositions and not duplicate erroneous projects of Social democrats and Greens. 2.After a thorough debate the congress decided with a big majority against the vote of delegates of the Communist Platform, the Marxist Forum and others on a revision of the party programme of 1993, thus paving the way for a programmatic renovation of the party. No time limit was set for this work but the national election of autumn 2002 is exerting a certain pressure. The voters of the socialist party in Germany have the right to know about the principal political and programmatic positions of the PDS. Lothar Bisky demanded in his speech neither to exaggerate nor to deny the chances and the potential of reform in this society. 3.The congress stated the necessity to pay more attention to the ecological problems in PDS politics. A socialist party can only be an ecological one. 4.In the debate on development issues delegates demanded more active solidarity with the developing countries. All the more so as the PDS is finding growing acceptance with the NGO's working in this field. 5.The worsening social situation of women in Germany ten years after unification was met with harsh criticism. Their real influence on PDS policies is also seen as insufficient, the decision on 50 % reserved places in all leading bodies of the party notwithstanding. On the last three issues the National Executive presented position papers (see the PDS website on www.pds-online.de). 6.On application of the National Executive the congress adopted several amendments to the party constitution. The most important one concerns the terms of office for the leading posts of the party. As a lesson from SED times a person was allowed to stay maximum eight years on the same post. According to the amendment adopted by the congress this now refers only to party officials elected individually (chairpersons, vice chairpersons, general secretaries, treasurers) on the lander and national levels. After a special decision of the competent body adopted by two thirds of the vote a prolongation of two years is possible. For the lower levels the limit has been lifted altogether. 7.On the position of the party towards armed UN missions according to Chapter VII of the Charter the session continued the passionate, emotional debate which has been going on for several weeks. It adopted by big majority a resolution confirming the anti- militarist consensus of the party, its character as a force of peace. Important points of this consensus are: a civil, non-military foreign and security policy peaceful, non-military solutions to conflicts, their preventive handling no militarisation of the EU general and full disarmament, prohibition of weapons of mass destruction and arms exports no Bundeswehr missions in foreign countries. The
Re: M-TH: Gysi steps down
Can Chris or anyone else elaborate a bit on the Communist Platform and Marxist Forum within the PDS? Are they autonomous groups working within the PDS? What is the nature of their relationship with the party? Thanks in advance Manjur Karim - Original Message - From: Chris Burford <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, April 14, 2000 10:11 AM Subject: M-TH: Gysi steps down > I missed this news. Can anyone tell me why? > > I attach the not very idiomatic report of the 3rd Congress of the PDS from > their web site. > > Chris Burford > > London > __ > > PDS International > > Information on the results of the 3rd Session of the 6th Congress of the PDS > > This session took place on 7-9 April, 2000 in Münster in North-Rhine > Westphalia - for the first time in a West German federal state. The PDS had > taken this decision to demonstrate after the successful elections of the > years 1998/99 the importance of a growing influence and stronger > organisations in the lander of the old FRG. At the same time this was meant > as a support of the PDS campaign for the Landtag election in this federal > state due on 14 May, 2000. > > For financial and organisational reasons the PDS had not invited partner > organisations from abroad to take part in this session. Representatives of > several foreign embassies attended as observers. > > The main points of the agenda were: > > Keynote speech of the party chairman General discussion and decision on > continuing the programmatic debate in the party Discussion and decisions on > the following problems: - Armed military missions of the UN - Future > orientated ecological policy - North-South relationship, just world > economic order - Gender emancipation Amendments to the party constitution > > The session attracted considerable media attention. The number of the > registered correspondents exceeded that of the delegates. The whole session > of 2,5 days was transmitted live by one public TV program and one radio > station. > > The following are the main results of the session: > > 1.After the general debate on the keynote speech of party chairman, Lothar > Bisky, the congress adopted a political resolution which calls for basic > changes in the development of society to prevent the destruction of the > welfare state. It must be reconstructed under the new circumstances. The > party views itself as part of this society and signals from Münster a new > opening towards it. It seeks closer co-operation with all forces striving > for a sustainable development. It will put forward its own specific > propositions and not duplicate erroneous projects of Social democrats and > Greens. > > 2.After a thorough debate the congress decided with a big majority against > the vote of delegates of the Communist Platform, the Marxist Forum and > others on a revision of the party programme of 1993, thus paving the way > for a programmatic renovation of the party. No time limit was set for this > work but the national election of autumn 2002 is exerting a certain > pressure. The voters of the socialist party in Germany have the right to > know about the principal political and programmatic positions of the PDS. > Lothar Bisky demanded in his speech neither to exaggerate nor to deny the > chances and the potential of reform in this society. > > 3.The congress stated the necessity to pay more attention to the ecological > problems in PDS politics. A socialist party can only be an ecological one. > > 4.In the debate on development issues delegates demanded more active > solidarity with the developing countries. All the more so as the PDS is > finding growing acceptance with the NGO's working in this field. > > 5.The worsening social situation of women in Germany ten years after > unification was met with harsh criticism. Their real influence on PDS > policies is also seen as insufficient, the decision on 50 % reserved places > in all leading bodies of the party notwithstanding. > > On the last three issues the National Executive presented position papers > (see the PDS website on www.pds-online.de). > > 6.On application of the National Executive the congress adopted several > amendments to the party constitution. The most important one concerns the > terms of office for the leading posts of the party. As a lesson from SED > times a person was allowed to stay maximum eight years on the same post. > According to the amendment adopted by the congress this now refers only to > party officials elected individually (chairpersons, vice chairpersons, > general secretaries, treasurers) on the lander and national levels. After a > special decision of the competent body adopted by two thirds of the vote a > prolongation of two years is possible. For the lower levels the limit has > been lifted altogether. > > 7.On the position of the party towards armed UN missions according to > Chapter VII of the Charter the sessio
