THE XX COTVGRESS

THE WORLD ECONOMY: A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

The held its Twentieth Congress at the headquarters of the United Nations in Netv York on 9-11 September 1996. More than one hundred and fifly parties and organisations from every continent took part. Some seven hundred delegates together with other parties of the United States and elsewhere represented the political parties social democratic orientation and from the UN diplomatic and organisations which belong invited to take part in the community brought the to the Socialist International Congress. Additional guests from numbers to around one thousand. Our venue, the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations, lent a particular DECISIONS OF T}IE XX CONGRESS REGARDING MEMBERS}IIP solemnity and symbolism to the CHANGE OF STATUS TO FULI MEMBERSHIP debates. ALBANIA: Social , PSD The XX SI Congress, which ALGERIA: Socialist Forces Front, FFS was opened by our president, CAPE VERDE: African Independence Party of Cape Verde, PAICV Pierre Mauroy (see page 4), had CHILE: Party for Democrary, PPD on its agenda three main CHILE: of Chile, PS themes: 'Markets serving people, HAITI: Party of the National Congress of Democratic Movements, KONAKOM not people serving markets', HUNGART Hungarian Socialist Party, MSZP peace, IVORY COAST Ivory Coast Popular Front, FPI 'Making keeping peace' MONGOLIA: Mongolian Social Democratic Party, MSDP and'A human rights agenda for NICAMGUA: Sandinista National Liberation Front, FSLN the twenty-first century'. Debating those themes were FULI MEMBENSHP social democratic leaders from ESTONIA: M66dukad around the world, some of MEXICO: Party of Democratic Revolution, PRD whose reflections are printed on POLAND: Social ofthe Republic of Poland, SdRP POLAND: Union of Labour, UP the preceding pages. They SLOVAK REPUBLIC: Party of the Democratic Left, SDL included heads of government: SLOVENIA: United , ZL Gro Harlem Brundtland, first vice-president of the Socialist COI{SULTATIVE STATUI International and then prime ARGENTINA: Radical Civic Union, UCR minister of Norway; Ant6nio CAMEROON: Social Democratic Front, SDF Guterres, prime minister DOMIMCA: of EQUATORIAT GUINEA: Convergence for , CPDS Portugal, who introduced the GABON: Gabonese Party of , PGP first Congress discussion on the MALI: African Party for Solidarity and Justice, ADEMA-PASJ World Economy; Chancellor MAURITIUS: Mauritius Militant Movement, MMM Franz Vranitzky of ; Prime MEXICO: Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI Minister Paavo Lipponen of MOZAMBIQUE: Frelimo Party Finland; Prime Minister Gyula NIGER: Party for Democracy and of Niger, PNDS Horn of Hungary, and Prime PANAMA: Democratic Revolutionary Party, PRD ROMANIA: Democratic Party, PD Minister Navin Ramgoolam of ROMANIA: Romanian Social Democratic Party, PSDR Mauritius. Other distinguished figures OBSERVER STATUS attending included Shimon ANGOLA: Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, MPLA Peres, former prime minister of ARMENIA: ARF Armenian Socialist Party Israel; Felipe Gonziiez, former AZERBAIJAN: Social Democratic Party of Azerbailan, SDPA prime minister of ; Rafl BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina, SDp BiH BOTSWANA: Botswana National Front, BNF Alfonsin, former president of EL SALVADOR: Democratic Parry PD Argentina; Rodrigo Borja, former GEORGIA: Citizens'Union of Georgia, CUG president of Ecuador; and Pedro HAITI: Lavalas Political Organisation, OPL Pires, former prime minister of INDIA: Janata Dal Cape Verdc, as well as the leader IRAN: Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdiitan, PDKI of the Party o.f European FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA: Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, SDUM MOLDOVA: Social Democratic Party of Moldova Socialists in the European MONTENEGRO: Social Democratic Party of Montenegro, SDPM Parliament, Pauline Green. TERRITORIES I.INDER PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY Among the many guests were Bill Jordan, general secretary of ASSOCIATED ORGANISATION STATUS the ICFTU, Yvan Rybkin, since Intemational League of Religious Socialists appointed secretary of the Security Council of Russia, and leading representatives of the US International's work and In elections to the SI Democratic Party and trade commitments in the coming presidium, Pierre Mauroy was re- union movement. years. elected president and Luis Ayala Boutros Boutros-Ghali, As the highest statutory body was. re-elected secretary general. secretary-general of the United of the International, the Twenty-five vice-presidents were Nations, addressed the Congress Congress decides on the also elected. The members of the (see page 6). admission of new member new presidium are listed The delegates adopted parties and organisa$ons. In the overleaf. detailed Declarations on the period since the XIX Congress in An important initiative of the three main themes, as well as a 1992 an unprecedented number XX Congress was the Resolution setting out the of applications for membership establishment of a neq high- International's perspective on has been received from parties in level commission, to be chaired curent developments in every every continent. The Congress by Felipe Gonz6lez. The continent and region, on the admitted 33 new parties to commission will examine the question of local authorities and various categories of aspirations of social democracy in support of the United membership, as well as a new and the role of an, expanding Nations. These maior policy associated organisation. Full and increasingly global Socialist documents, which are printed in membgrship was also granted to International in today's fast- full at the end of this report, will a number of consultative and changing and interdependent guide the Socialist observer parties. (see page 24). world. PRESIDIUM ELECTED BY THE XX CONGRESS

PRESIDEIIIT Pierre Mauroy First elected ai the XIx sI Congress, Berlin, 199.2, in succession to . Mayor of Lille. Former first seoetary of the Socialist Party, PS, Frunce.Tonier prifie ministq of iiiiii.

vlCE PNESIDEIIIT' Gro Harlem Brundtland (First vice-oresident) party, 26 Former leader of the Norwigian Laboir bNe. Former pime minister of Norway. Rolando fuaya Monse Leader of the'National Liberatiott pafly, pLN, Costa Rica. Tonv Blair Leader ofthe Labour Party, Great Bitain. Leonel Brizola Leado of the Demooatk Labour Party, PDT, Brazil. Formo gwemor of the state of Rio ile laneiro. Philippe Busouin Lead?iof the Socialist party, pS, Belgium. Massimo D'AIema Leader of the Demooatic Party of the Lefr, pDS, Italy. Ousmane Tanor Diens Firct seoetary of the So"cialist pafi pS, Senegal. Minister of state. Felipe Gonz6lez Lead* party, psoE. of the spanish socialist workers' Formo prime minister of Spain. Ant6nio Guterres Leader of the Socialist Party, pS, porfrgaL prime minister of portugal. Gytla Horn Liader of the Hungaian Socialist party, MSzp. pime minister of Hungary. l Erdal Inonti Former leail* of the Republican People\ Party, CHP, Turkey. Former foreign minister anit deputy pime minister of Turkey. Lionel Jospin t First seoetary of the socialist party, ps, France. Former minist* of education. ,i Oskar tafontaine Leadu of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD. fuime minister of the State of Saarland.

i22\:r':fii\tr"ish sociat Democratic party, sDp prime ministei of Fintand. Wim Kok party, Leader of the Netherlands Labour pvilA. prime minister of the Netherlanils. Alexa McDonoush Leader of the Neti Demooatic party, NDpNpD, Canada. Pedro Paris Montesinos President of Democratk Action, AD, Vutezuela, Jaime Paz Z,amoru Leader of the Revolutionary Left Movement, MIR, Bolivia. Formo presidmt of Bolivia. Shimon Peres Leader of the Israel Labour party. Former pime minister of Israel. Gdran Persson Leader of the swedish social Demooatic party, sAp. prime minister of sweilen. Poul Nynrp Rasmussen. Leader'of the social Democtatic party, Dmmark. prime minister of Dmmark. Costas Simitis Leailer of the pAsoK, Panhellk socialist Movemmt, Greece. prime minister of Greece. Anselmo Sule Leader of the Social Democratic Radical party, pRSD, Chile. Makoto Tanabe Formo Leader of the Social Demooatk party, SDp, lapan. Franz Vranitzky ,Leader of the *icial Demooatic party of Austria, spoe. chancellor of Awtria. Er-Offlclo: Pauline Green party Leader of the Group of the of European sociarists, pES, Jos€ Francisco Pefla G6mez Chair of the SI Committee for Latin America and the Caibbean, SICLAC Audrey Maclaushlin Presidmt of Socialist Intemational Women, SIW Rudolf Schamins hesident of tfie PZrty of European Socialists, pES Nicola Znsaretti Presidmt ofthe Intemational Union of Socialist youth, MSy

SECNETANY GENERAL Luis Avala First ebded at the XVIr sI congress, stockholm, 19g9. Re-elected at the XN congress, Berlin, THE WORLD ECONOMY The Need for o New System of Collective Responsibility

NTRODUCT'ON conditions for conservative ideals to unsafe nuclear plants could easily gain prestige. The neo-liberal ideas replay the Chemobyl catastrophe. 'We believe quite simply that markets acquired such a universal character must serve people and not the other way that some considered them the main 3. Facing these new realities, we around.' $ohn Smith) result of the global information age. stand at a crossroads: Underlying the ultra-liberal model of o either we mobilise our traditions of 1. A new age is emerging based on development there is the idea that solidarity, iustice and globalisation of the world economy. money and the budget are all that cooperation to tackle the problems This has positive aspects such as matter. we face today and in the increased economic efficiency, a new Fifteen years later, these foreseeable future; impetus to world trade and output, conceptions have failed to deliver . or we disregard our values and more and better products and their promise and have led to traditions and leave global resource seryices to consumers at lower prices unprecedented imbalances, allocation only to the invisible - and as well as new market opportunities. frustrated expectations and often insensitive - hand of the The Socialist International widespread inlustice: market. welcomes this development. But we . inequality and poverty are Democratic states should direct also need a new system of collective ravaging the developed and their policies to benefit their people responsibility offsetting the negative developing economies - over a without sacrificing efficiency gains effects of globalisation such as billion people are now living in from the markets. The SI rejects the financial fu rbulence, uneven absolute poverty and the gap inevitability of unemployment and development, increasing inequality, between rich and poor hai widened under-employment, and supports high levels of unemployment, social to unprecedented dimensions; national and multilateral efforts in exclusion and social unrest. . technical progress has generated the search for fulI employment, Globalisation has increased the new jobs but also technological including ioint international action power of multinational corporations, unemployment, and many skilled for a high level of effective demand, manipulators of foreign exchange and well trained people are the social negotiation of working markets and intemational nowadays working in less qualified time and employment creation in organisations at the expense of jobs, often part-time, without the social sphere and preservation governments, electors and the security and at minimal pay. In and enhancement of the democratic process. many countries unemployment has environment. We have a positive view of the reached levels unprecedented since We should recall that promoting development of society and the the period between the two World the values of democracy, justice and potential for sustainable growth and Wars; redistribution in every country and development with high levels of o despite a higher per capita among countries has always been employment. But crucial choices income in many parts of the world the top pdodty of the SI since its have to be made. Political democrary and the advances in medicine during inception. must prevail over economic and this century, millions of people die financial oligarchy. We need a new each year from avoidable and system of collective responsibility to curable diseases; restore effective decision-making o in Central and Eastern Europe TOWARDS A NEW powe$ to elected governments and transition has been accompanied in SYSTEM OF COLLECTIVE thereby reinforce their accountability the short term by drastic falls in RESPONS'B'LITY to their electorates. income, employment and life expectancy; 4. Globalisation in an age of 2. In the"last decades we witnessed a . local armed conflicts, reflecting networked intelligence is the main manifold multiplication of world ethnic disputes or control over local trend in today's world economy. This wealth. But progress has been at high resources, are causing massive is unavoidable and in some respects social cost. From the early 1980s the casualties, mainly among unarmed positive: ultra-liberal model, based'on the civilian populations; o information technology allows an gospel of economic deregulation and . the widening gap between rich economy based on knowledge, the disregard of social concerns, was and poor, both within and among key assets being intellectual assets. disseminated worldwide. The lack of nations, has hit women and children What matters is a company's ability modernisation of state institutions especially hard. to attract, retain and continually and their unfitness to deal with the . environmental degradation and increase workers' knowledge, economic and fiscal disturbances in ecological disasters have become innovation and creativity; many nations helped to create the commonplace, while decrepit and o information is more and more handled in digital form, compressed This failure has been due in part to a framework for regional and global and transmitted at the speed bf dogmatic insistence on deflaiion. cooperation. light, creating informati6n In this context, such a The SI cannot adopt the highways-. approach Through these highways multilateral review should address of the neoliberals, who preadd a vast web of relationships ii takihg the related issues of irade, democracy for the developing shape,innovating " and every ispect of investment and the re-cycling of reforming economies yet deny them economic and social life; surpluses. International irade-is the basic economic cohditions o relations for between producers and increasingly determined by foreign development and social , consumers thus are becoming direct investment. At the 6ame ti"me, making their democratic experience interactive. In some areas the old the_combination of high technology extremely fragile. That is why co{poration is being disaggregated, with the least cost labdur has democracy needs to be reinforced replaced by by clynamic clusters of qualified the assumptions of a new system of collective individuals and entities. The new conventional compirative responsibility, and new policies enterprise, to in order to succeed, must advantages theory to the exclusion reinforce democracv itsellf. adiust to changing business of sub-Saharan Africa and much of Democracy meairs the right to conditions in real time. Latin America. Re-cycling of alternation oi power. Globalisation But efiective has disintegrated surpluses should be'not Snly democrary means that political the former bipolar world, giilng - way between the developed and'newlv parties must be able to implement to a more volatile geopolitical industrialising counlries but also' alternative programmes environment. in It has brought gains towald.s a wider group of developing government. The main reason for to the advanced countriei anii countries. voting is the real possibility of several of the developing economies Due to its nature, its world range changing policies. Indefiniie of Asia. But not all countries have and its long-standing commitmenl austeriry permanent poverty and been gains. included in such Most of to the principles of the mass unemployment devalue and i Africa, much of Latin America and a pgst-wa{ Bretton Woods system, the discredit democracy itself. Changing significant part of Asia have been SI is well placed to addresS these this depends subst6ntially on thE " I excluded. Also, the gainers have not issues and make a decisive international economic framework I won through globalisation l;l alone. contibution to their solution. and the behaviour of intemational Most of the newly indlrstrialising The Slrecognises the inspiring institutions. Both should provide the rii economies of the Pacific rim have work by the Commission on Global macro-economic environment in succeeded through policies for Governance, chaired by Ingvar which new economic and social governing markets and variants on a Carlsson and Shridath hamlphal. tts programmes become possible. But which have reiected report, Our Global Neighbourhood, democracy also means that the the neoJiberal path. is based on values whiih we fully political system must ensure that There are two ways to conceive share and offers concrete proposils political reform, sound policies political and the approach to on how the world can run common economic developmentbenefit all globalisation: affairs. Without improved global social groups and is not put into . the. responsible way, taking into economic governance, human ieopardy by social inequilities or consideration diverse iegional security will be endangered. coruption. realities, and the social cohesion of Globalisation has promoted the different societies, thereby dominance of economic over social contributing to the globai TEN MA'N TASKS interests, devaluing the political improvement of economic and process. As the process of social wellbeing and preserving the 6. For the SI, ten main tasks lie globalisation has limited the role of environment. This is the SI ahead in the second half of the 9Os: the nation state, cooperation has to approach:globalisation, in order to o consolidation of democracy; be strengthened and legitimised by be an element of progress, must be . promotion of employment and more efficient internatibnal politically - . regulatid. better living standards;' institutions. We need an effective the ultra-liberal way, without . coordination of national policies; intemational system of collective social and environmenial . promotion of free and faii trade - responsibility to safeguard the concerns,which will globalise the case for a WTO and the povefty, not only in the developing clause; environment. At the same time we countries but also and increasirigly" . strengthening of financial need to promote the active in the developed countries, tendirig assistance; participation of people with their to standardise r social rights at their" reviewing the functioning of own structures of representation and lowest level; Bretton Woods institutions; org-anisation, contributing to a . regtonal and global cooperation; global civil society at local, regional 5..The responsible way, allowing for o reinforcement of social iights; and national leveis. a tarrer tunctioning of the trade- o achieving equality and systems, requires stronger enhancing women's rights; Ptomotion of employment ond international cooperation and a o sustainable development and lMng stondords comprehensive review of the Bretton protection of the environment. Woods institutions and the rules 8. The SI approach envisages the and disciplines of the WTO. lhe consolldatlon of democrocy promotion of a new model of ryith reason, at the Naples G7, sustained and sustainable President- Clinton called for a 7. The universality of representative development, as well as adapting the multilateral review of the democracy is a key value both to the , the most importani functioning of the IMF and the SI and to all democratic parties. But achievement of democratic World socialism Bank, on the grounds that the end of the Cold War^and the in this century. The new model must they had failed to he-lp Africa, Latin spread of representative democracv take account of the evolution of America and Russia to achieve the created expectations which cannot society, scientific and technological success of the Paciftc rim economies. be fulfilled without a new progress, demographic trends, environmental constraints and eliminates low-skilled and/or routine o sustained levels of public migration. This implies: iobs. Of all the new technologies, investment in infrastructure, . a permanent decrease of the information and communication technology and skills, aiming at unemployment rate, enabling the technology (ICT) is the most more economic efficiency and the young and the long-term pervasive and transformative. creation of more and betier iobs; unemployed entering the labour Therefore, we must concentrate on . creation of intemational financial market to undertake proper industries, infrastructures and instruments to correct temporary training and to attain to a better life; technologies of the 21st century in payment and fiscal imbalances and . national and multilateral efforts order to remain competitive ana to to offset speculative capital flows. in the search for fuIl meet economic and social This requires a close co- employment,including ioint aspirations. The quality and the ordination of the international international action for a high level quantity of the new technologies effects of national economic policies. of effective demand, the social will be decisive for the productivity The G7 group has not been able to negotiation of working time, of the global economy.' adequately fulfil this coordinating - employment creation in the social Too often a mismatch between role. In addition, G7 economies sphere and preservation and demand and supply of labour has represent a diminishing share of the enhancement of the environment; prevented placing'the right people world economy and trade. o a sustained rise of living in the right place' and significant We support the creation of an standards, which involves the investments in education and Economic Security Council (an improvement of living conditions to training, especially in the less and enlarged G7) within the UN acceptable levels. least developed countries. Technical framework, as a wav to effectivelv . national and multilateral assistance programmes also have to co-ordinate internaiional econo.iric initiatives on migration, to regulate be stepped up and upgraded. But if it policy and to address global issues flows, to guarantee the social rights is crucial for developing countries to such as the stability of exchange of migrant workers and their invest in human capital, this by no rates and international capital flows, families,and to support the means implies that the effort the avoidance of fiscal competition economic and social development of undertaken by developed countries and the creation of global - low income countries. can be slackened. Implovement in programmes to reduce Improving living standards, qualifications and skills is crucial to unemployment and stimulate together with a more just improving lob security and economic recovery. This forum is distribution of income and wealth, remuneration without endangering also required to iricrease the are of crucial importance for competitiveness. It is also effective in cooperation of international political, economic and social helping to prevent long-term financial institutions within the UN reasons. In particular, they unemployment, to the degree that it framework. strengthen confidence in democratic promotes iob mobility. The form of such an Economic institutions, give a new impetus to Security Council could combine a external relations and improve the Co-ordlnotlon of notionol policies given number of additional efficiency of policies. Moieover, the permanent members with a variable highest growth economies have the 9. The globalisation of the world membership of smaller countries. A least unequal income distribution economy has strongly reduced the new structure on these lines would and unemployment. effectiveness of natiohal economic both be more representative of High unemployment, policies. A cooperative approach is global realities and constitute a underemployment and social required to launch a global manageable forum for the exercise of exclusion constitute the most serious economic recovery which implies collective responsibility. problem of our time, and a the need for: significant threat to democrary. The . a framework to stabilise and Promotlon of free ond foir trude - policy of 'laissel-faire, laissez-passer' control international financial the cose for o WfO sociol clouse has failed in this area, as it failed 60 flows,render the functioning of years ago during the great intemational markets more 10. Trade through full utilisation of depression. This issue has to be transparent,and avoid the the concept of competitive addressed by international co- destabilisation of the economic advantage represents the way to ordination of national economic policies of elected governments. significantly improve welfare policies, through a global recovery Serious consideration should be without ieopardising progress in the programme promoting trade, given-to a turnover tax on purely reduction of inflation and budget income, welfare and employment. speculative foreign exchange deficits. Moreover, trade is clearly Reducing unemployment without transactions. Such a tax,proposed by the first level at which cooperation facing the danger of inflation Nobel prize winner yami's T6bin, becomes critical. Thus we have to requires more.and better investment, should include all maior financial ensure a system of collective both in material and in human markets; responsibility that avoids capital. o co-ordinated action in the protectionism. Small and medium enterprises reduction of the level of interest But it is also clear that if trade is account for more than two out of rates worldwide to reduce the cost of to contdbute to world welfare, it three iobs. They are vital for new job capital and borrowing and stimulate must be consistent with a rise of creation in both industry and investmenu living standards. In particular, services. AIso in some cases o ioint action to control operators import barriers (quotas and dutiep) globalisation can be successfully in off-shore markets, in particular to as well as subsidies regarding the' realised at micro-level, with the fight against tax evasion, corruption production and export of transfer of technology, more likely and money laundering; agricultural products by the through networks of regional, local o fiscal policies which encourage developed countries, which impose and associative enterprises. employment and penalise pollution significant costs on developing New technology creates new iob of the environment and depletion of nations, should be reduced. On the opportunities but at the same time it non-renewable natural resources; other hand, the generalised system of preferences (GSP) providing for way, at the basic needs of the o increase in the amounts lent by lower tariff rates for iome expiorts of population ensuring'minimum international financial institutioni, pooier countries should be made standards... in nutrition, housing, financed.if necessary by an increase more flexible and efficient. health, the environment, education, in their capital subscription; Trqde should generate - cooperation social services and basic income,. : lew allocation of Special Drawing {"! i9Ur, not competition for jobs. (Stuart Houand) Rights (SDRs), in favour of Wild competition decreases _In addition, a close monitoring of developing countries and countries remuneration levels, qualifications, aid programmes is needed to enstire in transition. social protection, safety and effectiveness and the inclusion of a environment quality. It ultimately social conditionality, together with Revlewlng the functlonlng ol t{r- reduces product quality and traditional financial conditionality. Brctton Woods lnstltutbns aggregate demand through low pay Funding of such programmes (hnd and uncertain& thus Dreventins the increase in overall funds available 12. International ftnancial efficiency gaini from tiade. to developing countries) would not institutions were created more than Cooperation for iobs also implies endanger economic stability and 5O years ago, in a macro-economic strerrgthening the vestigial prorisions growth in the developed (dbnor) context that has drastically changed. within WTO by a propei sohal countries. Rather: They are not equipped to iteal wiih clause. This should under no . these programmes would the challenges that the developing circumstances prevent the significantly increase world trade and countries face today, and accoidingly, developing and reforming economies consequently exports from donor they have not served their needs trom- competing on a comparative countries; adequately. This should be remedied cost basis. But it should mEan a ban o some funding could be raised by a substantial review of the on forced and and the through regional financial functioning of the Bretton Woods enforcement of social rights, trades institutions, without consequences institutions. This should include: union freedom, for individual countriesl bullgets; . a different framework for and the right to strike and th6 .- a temporary -as measure, part of structural adjustment programmes elimination of all forms of this could be financed bv new with a different type of discrimination against women. taxation on the main soirrces of conditionaliry taking into account Free trade must translate into fair pollution and on scarce resources, social needs; trade, without hidden administrative bearing in mind that the more .- a change in the capital quotas in barriers, with adequate social successful the fight against pollution the IMF and World Brnk, nith the legislation and fre6 trade-union is, the less revenue this kind of tax more equitable share in voting activity. The question is not to would bring in; procedures for developing couhtries; challenge the ability of less o a larger-number of developed . new or reinforced regional developed countriei to compete countries should share the burden of financial institutions, more clearly through lower wage costs. What we funding, including newly serving the needs of local econoriies; cannot fo-rever disregard is any industrialised countries. The UN . improved cooperation among process of wage formation from target of 0.7 percent of GNp as intematiohal financial institutiohs which free bargaining activity is development assistancb should be and other intemational donors, thus excluded. reached by all donor countries. co_nsolidating the poliry-making Further, the link between trade No literate and healthy ettorts ot the international and environment calls for an population is poor. No illiterate community within the UN; environmental clause in the WTO population in ill health is other than o creation of new financial r4rith binding intemational poor. Priority should be made for the instruments with intemational commitments. funding of health and education, maco-economic potential (such as with a special focus on programmes regional and world bonds) to Shengthqrtng f, nondol asslstonce tor women and girls. In terms of facilitate the rerycling of financial health there is an urgent need for a slrrplus in favour of politically- 11. Most of the less and all of the vaccination and remedial diseases defined intemationa-l obieCiries; Ieast developed countries rely on fund for the poorest countries. o a mechanism for the orderly financial asslistance to overcome At its present level, debt service is adiustment of development balance-of-paynients problems. Aid has to be an unbearable burden to heavily disequilibria to facilitate the strengthened and reoriented if some indebted low-income economies, maintenance of stable degree but flexible of convergence is to be negatively affecting the level of exchange rates. achieved. There must be an absolute public and privatelnvestment, and One of the key obligation for issues in any the rich countdes to requiring very restrictive fiscal fundamental review of the hglp poor through programmes the policies. To address this issue the functioning of the IMF and aimed at the relief the of .forpoverB/ so as to following measures shorrld be World Bank is their relation create the conditions to the reai and adopted: new WTO, and whether this sustainable development. in . rescheduling of all debt service practice is to prove able to fulfil the Aid should be diverted from due to Paris Club and other bilateral opening paragraph of its Preamble proiects of the 'white-elephant, kind,' creditors, including a substancial that 'the signatories to this frequently linked to corruption and debt write-off for heavily indebted agreement recognise diversion that their of funds. More aitention low-income countries; relations in the field trade should of and be given to the need, . increase in the maturities and economic endeavour should particularly in be the poorer countries, interest subsidies of the debt due to conducted with a view to raising to finance: r intemational financial institutions standards of living, ensuring fufl the 'software' of democratic financed by gold sales by the IMF, employment institutions and a large anil steadily - the requirements of the part of the profits of the World Bank growing real income and effective basico functioning ofthe state; and other regional financial demand'. rural development and other institutions and by grants from A multilateral commission programmes reviewing aimed, in an integrated bilateral donors; the functioning of the IMF and the - World Bank in relation to the WTO market economy under such reality. Men and women must have needs to recognise that the paradigm constraints creates an explosive the same possibilities to combine of comparative advantage in situation, aggravating exclusion and professional and other international trade has been leading to social unrast and political responsibilities, both in society and overtaken by cumulative advantage extremism that may, in turn, disrupt in the family environment. In the for multinational investment and the democratic protess. poorest countries, demographic trade, to the exclusion of many of _ The SI therefore strongly explosion has been a ma'jor the lesser and least developed advocates the need for th-e'adoption- impeliment to real development. countries. of policies and measures that Family planning and parental contribute proactively to eliminating responsibility will not be possible Reglonol ond globol poltctes any form of ethnic, gender or social without a strong investm€nt in discrimination or the constitution of women's role in society, and 13. The SI urges increased monetary ghettos, hence promoting the increased education and co-ordination, and in particular the participation of citizens in decisions participation in the decision-making enhancement of monetary regional which particularly concern their process. We also should focus on the cooperation. The SI also favours an fate. ratification of the UN Convention approach that introduces measures Social rights are inevitably linked on the Protection of the Rights of All ensuring more transparency and to the existence of democratic Migrant Workers and their Families. accountability of operators, and that institutjons. They can only be Action programmes are needed in avoids competitive devaluations. guaranteed wher'e fu ndamental order to enact legislative and A less monolithic global system huqan rights are fully respected, administrative reforms to give also needs more plural multilateral including free trade uhion activiry women fulI and equal access to institutions and financial collective bargaining and the riglit economic respurces including the instruments. to strike- right to inheritanCe, to ownership of The regional organisation of the land, and equal access to credit. United Nations brolndly coincides Trade unions activities have played a Action is also needed in order to with a potential framework for such key role in developed societii:s, hot pursue and implement sound and pluralism, with a variable geometry only in the defence of workers' stable sectoral policies, designed with of regional trade and economic rights, but also for the the full and equal participatlon of groups within this framework. The modernisation and efficiency of the women, that encourage broad-based has a key role to economies. sustainable growth geared towards play not only within a wider Europe eradicating poverty and reducing for example in the Baltic Sea regioh, Achleving equolity ond womenl gender-based inequality. but also with the Lom6 Convention rtghts Further action is needed to countries; likewise with the restructure and target the allocation Mercosur, the Rio Group in Latin 15. Equality between women and of public expenditures to promote America, SADCC, the Maghreb and men is a basic condition for the women's economic opportunities other regional groupings within equitable development of modem and equal access to productive Africa, and with the follow-up of the society. Deep discriminations against resources and to address the basic Barcelona Conference. But progress women still prevail in large parts of social, educational and health needs to a more plural framework also the world, assuming absolut-ely of women, particularly those means that the regional agencies of inhuman forms. Even in developed currently living in poverty. Macro- the UN such as the Economic countries, iudicial equality does not economic policies have to be Commissions for Africa and Latin prevent open or hidden generated that have a positive America and some specialised discriminatory practices at both impact on the employment and agencies and subsidiary organs, social and cultural leveIs. income of women workers in both should be reinforced, better resourced _ The labour market, in particular, the formal and informal sectors. and given greater relative autonomy. does not allow real equaliiy of There is a strong case for opportunities, since women are Sustolnoble d*elopment ond reinforcing the power of the regional usually offered low-paid part-time protedion of tlta environment development banks and matching iobs and are greatly affecied by the them by regional monetary funds. new forms of structural 16; The solution to the This macro-economic conception lies unemployment. The eradication of environmental problems threatening behind the establishment of the poverty cannot be accomplished the future of the planet is a critical European Investment Fund, through anti-poverty profirammes challenge for humanity as a whole. parallelling the micro-project finance alone but will requiie {emocratic A healthy and sustainable local of the European Investment Bank. participation and chariges in order environment is a basic right, both to ensure access for all women to for today's and future generations. Relnforcement of sociol rlghts resources, opporfunities,and Public authorities and public servlces. initiatives have an essential role to 14. Intolerance, inequality, racial or The effective deliverv of basic play filling in the gaps left by free religious segregation, sexism and social services, efficient' competition, looking to fulfil social exclusion undermine the implementation of support environmental needs that have a solidarity and cohesion that are the mechanisms like housing, social impact and are ignored by cement of today's societies. Many of healthcare, childcare and education, private enterprise, or to guarantee the social problems we face today coupled with positive changes in democratic access for all to have their roots in one of these anti-poverty programmes, will environmental goods and services forms of discrimination, whether on significantly lessen the burden of within an integrated and balanced grounds of race, gender or religion as poverty on women. development perspective. do the symptoms of unemployment, Political action to promote The Rio Summit rightly urban violence and drug abuse. equality in education and lob established a link betrveen The functioning of a deregulated opportunities, must become a environment and development: 'wealth creates over-consumption, corvcl'usrors need to be addressed and resolved but poverty destroys nature as well through greater diversity in due to the fact that too many have The new era of globalisation of the ideas,policies and institutions, rather too little to share'. (Svend Auken) world economy is a challenge for us than constrained by a single The answer to environmental all. The socialist movementis paradigm of structural adiustment problems cannot be divorced from prepared to accept the challenge. and gains from trade, or a single the totality of global concems. It Globalisation undermines the old model of governance; must be viewed not as an isolated links of solidarity in local enterprises . a reform of the international issue or trend, but rather within a and deregulates sectors which monetary system that will contribute framework that encompasses all the previously guaranteed a large to reducing exchange rate volatility problems that beset the economy number of iobs. Globalisation can and foster cooperation aimed at a and society. lead to irreparable damages to the sustainable grofih of the world Concern for the environment environment. Not lea ., economy; must not be seen as a barrier to globalisation, while putting in . a better transparency and economic growth. It must be question the regulatory rolC of the accountability of intemational increasingly considered, on the nation state, calls for integrated financial markets with measures contrary as an opportunity to economic institutions at both addressing the need to reduce Se4erate iobs based on new regional and global levels. speculative transactions and thus technologies with meaningful We reaffirm that the democratic contributing to the stability of employrnent for high-skilled decisions taken at national and intemational currencies and capital professionals and low-skilled workers international level have an markets; alike. Energy-saving and the irreplaceable role in co$ecting o a strengthening of the restoration and preservation of distortions generated by the multilateral trade system whereby nature, being labour-intensive, also functioning global markets and in each country has to comply with the offer major job opportunities. the search for social iustice and full obligations arising from the The required change towards employment. agreements now covered by the sustainable economic growth in our Recent cooperation in the field of WTO'and contribute to the success sociedes, given the supranational economic policies among developed of further market opening, nafure of the environment, itself countries has mainly aimed at reinforced by negotiation of a social demands intemational treaties, but reducing inflation ahd budget clause, and with strcngthened also supranational institutions and deficits, especially in Europe. preferential treatment for the poorer associated policies able to contribute Employment, social issues and the countries; decisively to a sustainable environment have clearly become . a teinforcement of women's development guided by principles of secondary. The SI approach is not rights, political participation and mutual interest and cooperation. only more faiq but also more equality of opportunities, remedying The necessary aid to and efficient, as it takes into account the lack of autonomy and access to cooperation. with developing lon$-term perspectives, offsets economic resources, including credit, countries has to be translated into negative extemalities and promotes land ownership and inheritance, spegific financial assistance, training social inclusion. offsetting the inadequate access of and transfer of technology in such a Confronted with international women to education and their way that the development of the economic and monetary disorder, minimal participation in the nations who receive those benefits is we socialists and social democrats decision-making process. The release not subiect to medium-term express our determination to of women's productive potential is constraints because of the short-term promote a new system of collective pivotal to breaking the rycle of destruction of its resources. responsibility within the following poverty so that women can both On the other hand, the enormous strategic framework: fully share in and conhibute to the environmental deficits bequeathed . a global recovery programme co- benefits of development; by the totalitarian regimes of Central ordinated by an enlarged G7 or an o strengthening within the and Eastern Europe call for an eventual Economic Security Council framework of the United Nations increase in aid such as the European of the UN to promote world those agencies concerned with Union is already giving. development and to fight poverty. environment, such as the Sustainable The environment reflects what a This programme shouli be Development Commission and the society is as a whole. This entails the financed through new instruments Environment Programme, and the ioint responsibility of the whole of and increased official financial institutions associated with society for resolving its problems. We development assistance, including such development; need a better match betu/een substantial debt write-offs for . intemational agreements to problems and answers. The principles ,the heavily indebted low-income improve the quality of continental of prevention and restitution - countdes; waters and the air, neutralising the polluter pays' - are central to this. . the creation of employment and negative consequences of climate Environment costs must b€ the rise in standards of living change and desertification, and intemalised. For this to be achieved (involving both the economic and enhancing the overall quality of the it is necessary to seek the application soci.al dimensions) at both the global environment. of new standards, the signihg of domestic and world levels, thus voluntary agreements with specific strengthening cohesion between industries and the undertaking of North and South, East and West, educational programmes. We also with action of global and local should.fulfil the potential offered by significance implemented at the a new fiscal system that would appropriate level; include environmental taxes on r a review of the functioning of the pollution. IMF and the World Bank recognising that diverse problems for different economic systems MAKING PEACE, KEEPING PEACE

Peace, freedom, iustice and our ideals and obiectives are needed considerations about the changing solidarity have always been the both at the global and regional role of the organisation. central values and obiectives of the levels. The concepts of cdmmon, Last year, when the UN turned socialist movement. cooperative and comprehensive 5O, another important report was The Socialist International takes security provide basic guidelines and published. The Carlsson eommission pride in its tradition of persistent directions for such eff&ts. The stressed a strong commitment to and successful work for peace and Socialist Intemational reaffirms its global cooperation in the service of security. appeal to all governments, social peace and progress and reiected Throughout the Cold War the SI, movements and individuals to work unilateralist approaches to global true to its principles, maintained together for a iust and peaceful problems. dialogue with maior powers, world order. If preventive diplomacy fails and consistently appealing for nuclear traditional peacekeeping is disarmament, for radical cuts in insufficient, then the United Nations nuclear weapons, for non- TOWARDS COOPERATi,VE may call on other organisations to proliferation, for a test ban, for SECURITY iestore peace. This is perhaps the confidence-building measures, for greatest innovation in recent times openness and transparency, for the A fundamental change has occurred in this field, and it is still being solution of regional crises, for in the course of the last decade. The tested in Bosnia. common securiry for preventive strictly bipolar intemational system The concept of 'overlapping diplomacy, for security and and the ideological antagoniim institutions' provides regional cooperation - for peace. Through between the blocs has given way to a o_r_ganisations and even military such policies which also inspired more cooperative world order. alliances a role while keeping the member parties, the SI contiibuted The change in the international political decision-making role of the to the end of the Cold War. system is still going on, and its United Nations Security Council While the Cold War is now over, impact is being fell in East and West, intact. and the related arms race and the North and South. With the Regional organisations, acting on threat of a nuclear war seem to have predictability of the bipolar system the basis of the UN Charter, play an subsided, the post-Cold-War iiisappearedj the preseit situdtion is important complementary role. In experiences have not been only characterised by uncertainties. The Europe, the Organisation for Security positive. While negotiations have Soviet legacy continues to be a factor and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) brought peacefuI solutions to many affecting security policy in Russia has changed from a traditional Cold War regional conflicts, new and elsewhere. forum for East-West negotiations, to crises and armed conflicts have The United Nations is and an international organisation emerged elsewhere. While malor remains the most important forum concentrating on preventive breakthroughs have been made in for security cooperati,on. The diplomary and conflict- disarmament, huge stockpiles of Security Council, responsible for management. The OSCE has played weapons of mass destruction and intemational peace and secudry a useful role in many post-Cold-War conventional weapons are still there, cannot be replaced by anything else conflicts such as the former and the world still wastes its scarce in the foreseiable futfure, but iti role Yugoslavia, Nagorno-Karabakh and resources in excessive military can be further strengthened. Chechnva- spending. Besides being global in Fornis of cooperation between Therefore, the sustained powerful membership, the United Nations such regional organisations as the action for peace, security and also deals with all aspects of security, European Union (EU), the Western disarmament must continue even in including various n& threats to European Union (WEU), the Council the post-Cold-War world. The securlty, such as political upheavals, of Europe, OSCE and NATO are Socialist Intemational - and its social distress, poverry being developed in order to find a regional and special committees - environmental degradation, ethnic meaningful division of labour for will explore new ways and means to unrest, uncontrolled migration, them in the emerging European play a constructive role in the new tefiorism and drug abuse. Future secudty architecture. situation. We reaffirm our conviction security policies should take this that the end of the Cold War has comprehensive seority concept as created conditions for a just and theif foundation. TOWARDS A MORE EFFECT'VE peaceful world order. Such an The global agenda of the United UN SECUR'TY SYSTEM international order must be built on Nations permits it to be utilised in a the principles of democracy, human flexible manner. Devetopment and The world has faced more than a peace go rights and the rule of law. hand in hand.-Concern for hundred severe armed conflicts since global A peaceful world order also the envitonment is concern 1945. The role of the United Nations for peace. progress requires the revival of the Social is a in crisis-management has increased commitment Charter to precondition for welfare, to the UN stability- dramatically following the end of and peace. The maintain intemational peace and United Nations the Cold War. Between 1988 and conferences on security'with the least diversion for important global 1_995, the UN has launched twenty- issues focus problems armaments of the world's human on to be three peace-keeping operations, ai resolved and economic resources'. by all states together. compared to the thirteen established The peaCe' Such changes do not come by 'Agenda for of the bet\^reen 1948 and 1988. Secretary-General themselves. Persistent efforts to of the United The Council of the SI, at its change Nations contains important the world in accordance with meeting in Tokyo in May 1.994, approved the report of the special underlines the need for an enhanced Cold War has been felt most working group of the SIPSAD on UN UN capability to effectively dramatically and that there the reform. On that occasion, while contribute to assess and solve them. challenge and need for establishing acknowledging the existing Economic imbalances and poverty, cooperative security arrangements to limitations in procedures, food and water shortages, dnd overcome the Cold-War divide are operational capabilities and resources cultural divides are at the root of most urgent. That need has been for the UN to perform its role in many existing and potential recognised by all European maintaining peace, we stressed the co4fl icts. Cooperati,on between governments. need to maintain the notion that the ag&rcies and with NGOs as well as The CSCE history, and now the UN is the sole legitimate body where interaction with the affected institutions and procedures of the measures to introduce and maintain populations are among the OSCE, have created the basis for peace can be adopted on behalf of requirements for maintaining peace such wide European secudty the international community. in the future. This cooperation arrangements. Fruitful experience in The Socialist Internationdl appears also as a prerequisite in confidence-building and -ooperation remains committed to these those cases where peace has been as well as the mechanisms developed principles and calls for a further achieved but must vet be for crisis-prevention, for the extension of the means and consolidated. Thesd new challenges promotion of democracy and of resources at the disposal of the UN will require a greater democratisalion minodty rights give direction to Secretary-General. We also express and transparency in the decisions of further efforts. our satisfaction at the progress of the the Security Council and increased Yet, today's OSCE is still too weak Secretary-General's'Agenda for collabbratiirn with the General an organisation to be able to deal Peace', whose efforts to create a new Assembly, whose role should be with severe political or military conceptual framework, in order to enhanced. crises alone. The necessity to find respond to new challenges beyond adequate roles for various the scope of traditional international organisations and the peacekeeping, will require the TOWARDS ENHANCED best possible forms of cooperation support and commitment of the REG'ONAL SECUR'TY between them is guiding the present member nations. efforts in Europe. The European Conflict-prevention appears as an A major aspect of present Union, the Western European area in which security the UN should developments is stiengthened Union, the Council of Europe, the broaden its role, either through cooperation between Commonwealth of Independent preventive diplomacy the United or through a Nations and regional organisations States (CIS), NATO, and the UN are preventive deployment of UN forces in peace and security issues, under all exploring their potential in the early stages of a crisis. This Chapter VIII of the UN contribution to European security will require reinforcing the authority Charter. - While this opportunity has been in architecture. The North Atlantic of the Secretary-General, speeding- the Charter, it is only in this decade Cooperation Council (NACC), up the decision procedures and that it has come under closer Partnership for Peace as well as the allowing stand-by forces to be scrutiny and in more frequent use. onSoing Implementation Force deployed at early call. Conflict- (IFOR) operation in Bosnia are all prevention Cooperation includes diplomatic is the most appropdate support, consultation, examples of such new forms of means to prevent and division crises spreading, of laborrr in co-deployment or security cooperation, where old thus avoiding loss of life and saving ioint operations. Positive experiencei have adversaries as well as neutral states enormous effort and resources. already been gained in many crisis are acting together to build a new Successfu I confl ict-prevention and areas, in Europe, and safer Europe. crisis-management Africa andCentral also reduce the America. In post-Cold-War conditions, the risks and the amplitude of any The contributions of the most probable challenges are related prospective use of force. Association of South East to crisis-management and peace- Regional cooperation the Asian in area Nations (ASEAN) in Cambodia, keeping. Therefore the primary focus of security has increased during the the OAS and the Contadora Group of European discussions and last years. The possibility for regional in the European negotiations - whether in NATO, EU organisations to act in their arehs Qentral {mer!ca, of Union, the OSCE, NATO ahd the or WEU - is on these issues. The responsibility_should be encouraged WEU in the Former Yugoslavia, IFOR operation also sets a potential and facilitated. The experiences ifr have pointed, to, a tremendous potential. example in providing a ftamework Europe and, most receirtly, in Africa The linkage between the UN and for civilian and military elements in should allow a most efficient action new peace-keeping opdrations. Such in conflict-prevention the Conference on Security and and Coo.p.eration a comprehensive peace-keeping management when the in_Europe wa3 formally UN Security et?blished the approach has been fruitful already in Council cannot guarantee the i! belinning of the' 1990s, but of course regional former UN operations, e.g. in avqilability of the means required. [he approach in Europe has beEn Namibia, Central America and The UN cannot act today as the under way tor a quarter Cambodia. world policeman, but this of a century. should Europe was also The Socialist International has on not be in contradiction with the centrally in ihe focus of SI activities for various occasions referted to the need to define as clearly as possible I long time, which was well rounded, because possibility of exploiting the the criteria upon whicti the'security European experience in other Council, on behalf of the whole E_u1qp1 was so deeply divided by the Cold War and because Europe was regions of conflict. While it is not intemational community, makes its pdmary feasible to reproduce such decision whether the scene for militaly or not-to intervene confrontation, with experiences elsewhere - because in a conflict. the two opposing military alliances every crisis and conflict has its In the world of today, the role of confronting each other. unique characteristics - some central the UN in maintaining peace cannot Against that historical features of the CSCE approach seem be restricted to peace operations. The background it may be worthwhile, such as tlid inclusion of impact of non-military argued that factors on particularly in Europe the end of the all relevant parties in the global and regional se'curity negotiations, the adoption of a comprehensive secudty agenda and Argentina, Brazil and Chile have or the capacity for its possible use for the beginning of the jotrrney if become fulI parties to the Treaty of terrorist purposes. The so-called cut- necessary, even with modest results Tlatelolco. France has engaged in off treaty negotiations must be to make it start. procedures to sign the Treaty of initiated as soon as possible under The validity of such a thesis has Rarotonga. With Africa's Nuclear- conditions which would not been underlined by similar recent Weapon-Free Zone, established in legitimise the arsenals of the experiences in many conflict-ridden 1996, nearly all of the southern threshold states; regions like Central America, South hemisphere now constitutes a 4. that of the extension of the Aftica, Middle East and Asia. The nuclear-weapon-free zone. powers of supervision of the capital created through confidence- of cooperation among International Atomic Energy Agency, building is needed to overcome nuclear-weapon states has made it which is an important condition for protracted hostilities and to assure possible to reach agreements on the implementation of the policy of everyone the benefits of peace. tangible reductions in nuclear nuclear material control, without stockpiles and on the elimination of which any policy directed against entire classes of nuclear weapons. proliferation will fail. TOWARDS NUCLEAR Nuclear weapons have been The trade in plutonium and D'SARMAMENf completely withdrawn from many highly enriched uranium for countries where thev had been economic, scientific or other reasons Nucleor non- prollfemtion deployed during thd Cold War. should be placed under strict The Socialist International international control. In the same The Socialist International remains opposes the deployment of nuclear way, the IAEA must be allowed to committed to achieving the real goal weapons and related delivery follow the evolution of radioactivity of nuclear non-proliferation: general systems in new member states in the levels of all the nolV closed-down nuclear disarmament. With the case of NATO enlargement. This nuclear facilities or test sites and to indefinite extension of the Non- would be against the spirit of the keep track of all the undeclared Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1995 NPT. activities which may lead to the and in view of the Comprehensive The main concerns in the coming production of nuclear weapons. Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the years are the huge remaining A register of nuclear weapons intemational community should stockpiles of the nuclear-weapon should be established at the United restate its priorities. The Socialist states, the refusal of some so-called Nations. Registering the existing International will continue its work threshold countdes to renounce the arsenals of nuclear weapons will to lessen the role of nuclear weapons nuclear option, and the risk that enhance the confidence of non- udth the ultimate aim of a nuclear- nuclear know-how and material end nuclear countdes in the readiness of free world. up in the hands of states or groups nuclear countries to disarm and will Non-proliferation is more than which are beyond international thereby strengthen the will to adhere control.. to the non-proliferation policy. iust setting the agenda for nuclear disarmament or improving the NPT Under these conditions, the The Socialist International safeguards system. It is necessary to existence of important nuclear strongly urges all the governments address the political and/or regional arsenals still presents the risk of their which take their inspiration from SI security perceptions and motives use, with the very serious effects principles to simultaneously pursue evoked in order to keep a nuclear which this would mean for the the legal and political battle along arsenal or to develop a new one. It populations and the environment. these four guidelines. should become clear that there is no The situation created by the Negotiations on a treaty for a credible strategic need or rationale disappearance of the USSR has nuclear-weapon-ftee world must start for nuclear weapons in a world with brought about new dangers in the in the Conference on Disarmament a sharply reduced risk of a global nuclear field which are iust as immediately. conflict, without antagonistic important. military blocs. With all the means The first is the possible access by Nucleor testlng available we should tackle the new states to nuclear armaments. tension in certain regions which And the second is the possibility for The Socialist International has tempt states to become nuclear, and non-state terrorist or mafia groups to consistently insisted on a definitive support consistent initiatives in acquire by purchasing, trafficking or end to nuclear testing as an effective order to favour the settlement of theft, nuclear materials capable of and indispensable means to achieve substantial security confidence- producing bombs. This is why action real progress in nuclear building measures, disarmament aiming to rid the planet of nuclear disarmament. These efforts should agreements, etc, while enhancing risk must be conducted be continued until the CTBT is our global support for the simultaneously in four fields: signed and ratified by all relevant elimination of the presence and the 1. that of reducing the existing states. threat of any kind of weapons of arsenals - the START II Treaty must There is no technical iustification mass destruction. now be ratified by the Russian for the continuation of nuclear Duma, is necessary A1l states should strictly adhere to but it to begin testing. Scientific studies have shown the Resolution on Principles and without waiting to negotiate a new that a very small number of tests is Obiectives for Nuclear Non- step which could take the form of a needed to ensure the safety of Proliferation and Disarmament, START III Treaty; certain types of nuclear weapons; yet passed by the NPT Review and 2. that of reinforcing non- in no case will tests be needed after Extension Conference. A number of proliferation and the test ban - it is 1996. France and China - after two countdes have taken important steps essential that the NPT be signed by more test explosions in 1996 - have to renounce their aspirations to all the states of the world and that finally stopped testing and joined acquire nuclear weapons. South the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty the moratorium by the United, Aftica has dismantled its nuclear- be signed soon on the basis of the States, Russia and the United weapon-making capability. Argentina zero option; Kingdom. While it is positive that and Chile have joined the NP[, and 3. that of forbidding the production China has given up the concept of of nuclear material for military use so-called peacefu I nuclear explosions, any conditions attached political conditions and arms- to that goal. Conversion at global, to the decision are out of place. readiness of all parties to the treaty national and societal levels will The Socialist International has to adapt its stipulations to the release huge resources to consistently supported the realities of the post-Cold-War world constructive purposes both in conclusion in 1996 of the CTBT. We makes it relevant also for today's developing countries and therefore welcome the resolution world. The Socialist International industrialised countries. passed by the General Assembly of demands the stdct implementation the United Nations on 1O September of the treaty." We emphasise the 1.996, adopting the text of the CTBT. necessity of reducing the number of THE ROLE OF THE SOC'AL/,ST The immediate goal now is therefore forces and arms also in regions ,NTERNAT'ONAL to secure signatures of all states for where they seem to have temporarily the CTBT and the early entering into increased, and encourage all parties CONFLICT-PREVENT'ON'N force of the Treaty. When in force, to explore ways for further preventive the Treaty will be a cornerstone of reductions of maior conventional As action in the post- nuclear disarmament together with weapons. It would seem useful for Cold-War period is becoming more the NPII the IAEA safeguards system OSCE to open a revision process important, there is an increasing role and the agreements among the where all states concerneil could not only for preventive diplomacy nuclear-weapon states. participate. but also for non-govemmental The ultimate obiective, however, Another positive development in organisations. must remain the elimination of all recent years has been the increased The Socialist International has a record nuclear weapons. openness and transparency in arms valuable of dialogue between powers In this regard the SI welcomes the transfers. The UN Register on maior as well as other partners, - recommendations of the recently Conventional Arms is a most conflict and in new more - completed Canberra Commission on valuable instrument in this respect favourable conditions, its role in the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. and should be further developed. conflict-prevention should be further Openness in issues dealing with explored. arms transfers is a necessary From this point of view, it is ingredient in confidence-building, recommended by the Socialist TOWARDS CONVENT'ONAL International that the member ARMS CONTROL which again is a necessity for any peace process. parties make a common effort in the As a consequence of the end of fields of conflict-prevention, dsk- For fifty years the efforts of the analysis and mediation. international community in the field the Cold War and the solution of of disarmament have been primarily many long-standing regional conflicts, the volume of l. The role of the portles in conflict- aimed at promoting nuclear prevention disarmament and the prohibition of intemational arms trade has notably other means of mass destruction. decreased. This positive development can be further supported by 1.1 Security today requires a global Such emphasis has been problems; iustified, unilateral restraint, by agreements approach to the in because fhe future of mairkind was' political, between maior arms suppliers as well conflict-prevention the long leopardised especially by these economic and social dimensions of very weapons. That task remains as by cooperation of arms importers at regional level. the crises must be taken into unfinished, and further efforts are Respect Recently, more attention - account. for human rights needed to enhance nuclear and democratic rules in a perspective disarmament by all means, the particularly at the regional level, especially in Africa - has been paid to of development facilitate conflict- ratification and implementation of prevention. SI member parties are the convention prohibiting chemical so-called micro-disarmament, i.e. measures taken to destroy small arms called upon to work for an efficient weapons as well as further measures prevention piled in certain conflict areas. Such of conflicts. to effectively abolish biological 1.2 The parties have a sensitising weapons everywhere. an approach can be of considerable help in the solution of regional and educating role vis-i-vis public However, it is becoming more ThE preventive conflicts, and should therefore be opinion. method of imperative than ever to take diplomacy requires that the peoples measures to cut down the so-called further developed by the UN in cooperation with regional concerned and intemational public conventional weapons as well. These opinion are involved. Today, all are the weapons with which most organisations. A balanced and effective solution armed conflicts touch civilian present wars are being waged, they populations, which are the principal constitute the arsenal of most armies must be found to the indiscriminate use of landmines which cause victims of modern wars. Preventive and they assume the greatest share action can only be used in a political of global military expenditures. iniuries and loss of human life to the civilian population. climate which is convinced of its In fact, the concept of necessity and of the promotion of a conventional weapons has long been As conventional weapons take the greatest share of global military culture of peace, which must be the m,isleading, because many weapons main obiective of the SI member ot this category can result in expenditures, their reduction is a key factor in bringing them down, closei parties. destruction comparable to that 1.3 In government or in caused by weapons of mass to the goal established in the UN Charter of maintaining peace opposition, our parties have the destruction, and join international securiW "with the least obligation to their efforts in The Treaw on Conventional international as well as regional Armed Forcel in Europe (CFE), as the diversion for armam'ents of the world's human and economic organisations. Under their influence, most far-reaching treaty on maior states can prefer a policy of conventional weapons, is an resources". While the transition from the Cold-War expenditure levels prevention, taking in the long-term encouraging example in many action which prevents cdses respects. While it was negotiated in towards that legitimate goal implies major conversion at all levels, the beforehand or prevents them from the final phases of the Cold War in reappearing. Europe, it still shows how favourable Socialist International encourages all states to reaffirm their commitment 2. The role of the Sociolist lntemotionol in onolysing risk of confll(,s 2.1 The International, with its regional and specialised committees, could be used for centralised efforts and the exchange of information. The SIPSAD and regional committees could deal with these issues more flexibly and faster than international organisations. 2.2 Following the example of the European Parliament conflict- prevention centre, regional expertise in conflict-prevention could be organised.Their main task could be to work out crisis indicators (social tensions,economic hardships, disintegration of state structures) and to analyse their different forms. 2.3 Thus the SI should be prepared to give an early warning and pass it on to competent international organisations.

3. The role of Sociolist lntemotionol member parties in mediation

3.1 SI parties should be able to avoid accusations of interfering in the internal affairs of a state. Support given beforehand can provide the concerned parties more efficient means to act in their own country. 3.2 Diplomacy can advance when disputes are studied and regulated through political dialogue, which channels tensions and helps the parties to find peaceful solutions together. 3.3. Thus, mediation which brings about a rapprochement of the parties to the conflict can become a central task of the Council. In particular, our parties can help preventive efforts to be successful thanks to their knowledge of the local situations and their capacity to set up a mission of good offices in a relatively short time. Thanks to this 'citizens' diplomacy', discretion and confidentiality - necessary conditions for preventive diplomacy - have a better chance to be fulfilled and a compromise is easier to reach between the parties concerned.

The originality of the SI Statutes allows it to find its place in preventive diplomacy. Its role must be seen as parallel and complementary to the activities of intemational organisations. It provides a forum for political dialogue and an opportunity for informal meetings which are indispensable if a rapprochement is sought. A HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

,NTRODUCT'ON be hard to say that human rights A new univeral humon rlghts order: abuses could be definitively geneml prtnclples No other pedod in human history has eradicated. In particular, there remains been so strongly linked to the qubst a maior contradiction between the Any new universal human rights for h_uman rights as the 20th century. norms adopted,internationally and order, as indeed past efforts to create It will stand out as the century of the practices tolerated at the national such an order amply demonstrate, human rights as well as the c6ntury of Ievel. must be based on a number of general the-most.abject denials of these rights This fact is amply documented bv pri!ciples to,be universally acceptable and freedoms. the growing voluirt! of reports issuef and accepted. At the end of this century it is by national and internati6nal therefore necessary and legitimate to authodties, governments, Untvenolity draw the lessons cif one hrindred years international organisations and major ' of human progress, and of humari international human rights NGOs, Human rights standards, although failure, in one of the most noble such as Amnesty International, rooted in many cultures, are universal. obiectives of political endeavour: to Human Rights Watch, or the Through their universality human provide to the men, women and International Commission of Jurists. It rights must afford protection to all of children of this planet an equal degree tlus appears imperative to draw up, humanity, including special groups of human rights'and freedoms as after the experience of decades pasi such as women, children, minorities expressed in so many instruments and and present,- a new human righ^ts and indigenous peoples, workers, declarations and fouhd wanting in so agen-da for the 21st century. national minorities, refugees and many dramatic and tragic failuies and This agenda must build on the displaced persons, the disabled and shortcomings. challenges andthreats of the past as the elderly. Whilst recognising cultural More than at any time in the past, analysed and identified by a liost of pluralism, we must not toleraie human rights have hobilised nod oniy international conferences and cultural practices which derogate from academici and specialists, governmeni meetings, not least the 1993 Vienna universally accepted human rights, experts and lawyers but alsb large International Human Rights including women's rights. numbers of ordinary people who have Conference and some other UN mega- As human rights are of universal organised, in a now huge field of events such_ as the Copenhagen, Cairo, concern and are universal in value, NGOs, what is today the vast Beiiing, and Istanbul Conferences on the advocacy of human rights cannot international human rights Social Affairs, Population, Women and be considered to be an eniroachment movement. Moreover, human rights Human Settlements. upon national sovereignty. concerns today have also created a The following analysis and vast number of institutions and proposals will not dephrt from the s6crrpy the workings of many national now universally acceited view of ,ndiyisibiltE and lnterdependence and international organisations, human rights and fundamental beginning with the United Nations. freedoms, namely their indivisibility Human rights - be they civil, cultural, While periodically pushed to lower and interdepend6nce, without economic, political or social rights - rank on the international agenda and privileging any category or generation are individual and interdependtnt. For from the minds of internati,onal of human rights: civil, cultural, that reason, neither set of'rights can decision-makers, while constantly economic, political or social. be accorded priority over tha other. discriminated against in favour oi On the basis of past experience and Nor can it be argued that one set of more worldly and also material current trends it will endeavour to rights is, in practice, a prerequisite for concerns of states and governments - establish the elements of a human the enioyment of others. Such not least in favour of eionomic rights agenda for the 21st century that arguments are without legal or advantage - human rights are here to should build on the idea of a universal empirical foundation but can easily stay, moving higher and higher in set of human rights and fundamental destroy the basis on which to builil an world political Concerns, ndt least freedoms. It will include a international human rights consensus. thanks to a new degree of considerable body of human rights Human rights, however, are international awareness in a global concerns that doininated the 2bth interdependent, as can be exemplified information society that leavEs few century and that will remain relevant by the fapt that economic rights spots in the internltional arena in coming decades. demand a fair distribution oI resources unexplored. A human rights agenda for the Zlst and income, and the right to freedom But there ii no doubt that despite century, while not fundamentally ftom hunger and poverty. These can this dramatic advance in differeirt from the current one a( far as only be protected where people are consciousness and awareness, in the human rights content is able to exercise their civil anil political sensitivity and concern, the overall concerned, should however also be rights, for example, the right o-f balance sheet in the promotion and bolder and more ambitious. It should workers to organise and form unions defense of human rights and be aimed towards a much higher level to protect their economic rights. fu ndamental freedoms worldwide of awareness and preparedneis in their Poverty arises from wrong remains bleak. detense, introducing new systems of development in the face of systematic While human ingenuity and much refined and safer protedures, denial of human rights. technical progress have been thus creating a new and There must be a holistic and successful in many instances in unprecedented degree of human rights integrated approach to human rights. fighting the evils haunting mankind - security. Once set, those rights cannot be used such as illnesses and ignoiance or the to bargain for others. risks of unforeseen disaster - it would frlltdatity hand, and advisory services or Democrocy, development ond good technical cooperation on the other. goven orrce The North-South dimension of the The differences between the two types human rights agenda is of of activity are fundamental and the Democracy and development are fundamental importance. Solidarity as distinction must be retained. Similarly, linked in fundamental wayS. They are understood in the Declaration on the while peace-keeping, the exercise of linked because democracy'providi:s RiSht to Development is'solidarity 'good offices' functions and the only long-term basis for managing between industrialised countrieS and conciliation efforts are of maior competing ethnic, religious, and their developing partners and importance, and should as far as cultural interests in a way that solidarity in every country with the possible reflect integrated human minimises the risk of violent internal most disadvantaged'. The right to rights components, they cannot be conflict. They are linked because development is universal and seen as substitutes for human rights democracy is inherently attached to inalienable. monitoring, nor will it be appropriate the question of governance, which has In the year 200O and beyond, four in many instances to combine an impact on all aspects of fifths of the people of the world will responsibility for the different development efforts. They are linked be living in the developing countries, functions in the same entity. Rather, because democracy is a fundamental the number in absolute poverty and in many situations, human rights human right, the advancement of despair will still be growing. monitors are needed to scrutinise the which is itself an important measure Solidarity with the people of all promotion of human rights and other of development. countries requires a community of activities of technical advisers, peace- Therefore, to an increasing degree interests and values to manage keepers and others, rather than being the problem of the form of problems that respect no borders - replaced by them. government in the members of the from environmental degradation and international communiry the nation migration, to drugs and epidemic states, has become part of the diseases. All people are made less THE BUILD,ING BLOCKS FOR international political agenda. In secure by the poverty and misery that THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT particular, progress towards a universal exist in the world. Development democratic order and good matters: properly applied in propitious AND PROTECT'O'V OF HUMAN governance is more and more seen - environments, aid works. RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL not least in the words and philosophy The international community FREEDOMS of Boutros-Ghali's "Agenda for Peace" needs to sustain and increase the - as the ultimate goal of all volume of official development Denooacy, fteedom of thought ond international efforts of peace-making assistance in order to reverse the expruslon: and peace-building. growing marginalisation of the poor Holding elections is only one and achieve progress toward realistic Democmcy element in democratisation. Member goals of human development. states have sought and received A global development partnership Deinocracy is more than a legalistic or United Nations assistance in should work to achieve early in the formal process. Democrary is more facilitating decolonisation, thereby next century: than the ritual casting of a ballot at implementing the right to self- o a massive reduction in the multi-party elections. True democracy determination in designing procedures proportion of people living in extreme involves participatory democracy by to smooth and facilitate transitions to poverty; the people at all levels so that they democracy and in building democratic . universal primary education in all have a voice in the discussions and alternatives to conflict. United countries; decisions by which they are governed. Nations support has also been . gender equality, But democracy must not only govern provided for activities such as drafting . access through primary health care the political process, but should constitutions, instituting systems to reproductive health pervade all spheres of society, administrative and financial reforms, services for all indMduals of including economic and social life. It strengthening domestic human rights appropriate age. is also a dynamic concept that needs laws, enhancing ludicial structures, Development policies should also constant development and movement training human rights officials and ensure that current trends in the loss towards ever stronger foundations. helping armed opposition movements of environmental resources are It must be realised in the form of transform themselves into effectively reversed at both global and people's empowerment and democratically competitive political national levels. participation at the grassroots and parties. The success or failure of poor other levels with responsive and While democracy is not the only people and poor countries in making accountable processes and institutions means by which improved governance theii way in an interdependent world both locally and nationally. It can be achieved, it is the only reliable will have a profound influence in demands g6od governanc6, freedom one. By providing for greater popular shaping the 21st century and the from corruption, and accountability of participation, democracy increases the plaie that human rights and state and other authorities to the likelihood that national development fundamental freedoms will occupy in people. It involves the protection and goals will reflect broad societal it. participation of those groups which aspirations and priorities. By are not in the maiority, namely providing appropriate mechanisms lntegmtlon minorities and disempowered groups. and channels for governmental It is intertwined with the issue of land succession, democracy provides Human rights activities should not be and social iustice for rural people and incentives to protect the capacity, treated or pursued in isolation but other disadvantaged groups. reliability and integrity of core state should be integrated into other Democracy is a wav of life: in the institutions, including the civil activities, such as development home, in the'workplate, in the local service, the legal system and the cooperation, peace-keeping and other community and beyond. It must be democratic process itself. By forms of conflict settlement. Careful fostered and guaranteed in all establishing the political lefotimacy of distinction should be made however, countries. govemments, democracy strengthens between authentic human rights fact- their capacity to carry out their finding and monitoring on the one policies and functions efficiently and il ,t

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effectively. By making governments for civil and political rights as well as torture and inhuman and degrading accountable to citizens, democrary with democracy, is severely treatment gives rise to increasing makes particular governments more constrained in manv countries. ln concern. These practices must be responsive to popular concerns and many parts of the #orld there are no eradicated. provides added incentives for media independent from goveinments In many countries, suspects are transparency in decision-making. or powerful economic monopolies. tortured by law-enforcement Sustaining democracy and People cannot express themselves personnel in order to extract development within states is closely without fear. Journalists and also confessions. This inhuman practice is linked to expanding democracy in ordinary citizens are persecuted, iailed officially encouraged by some relations among states and at all levels and even killed because they express authorities as a cheap and convenient of the international system. their thoughts or write the truth. method of crime control. These so- Democracy in intemational relations Sometimes the truth is suppressed called confessions are used as evidence provides the only basis for building by economic lobbies and carte-ls - in court cases. mutual support and respect among including the evil power of drug The action needed to counter such nations. Without true democrary in barons - but more often than not the practices needs to be both preventive international relations, peace will not pretext for curbing freedom of and curative. The latter implies endure, and a satisfactory pace for expression is national security or a prosecution of those responsible, as development cannot be isiured. presumed system of 'law and order'. well as rehabilitation assistance for Democracy within the f4mily of This is mostly a fagade for torture victims. nations is a principle that is integral authoritarianism and for the to the system of international elimination of democratic aspirations. Abolitton of the death peno@ relations envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations. It is a principle Ntlltotisotlon One of the most fundamental that means affording to all states, amongst human rights is every large and small, the fullest There is a growing concern over the individual's right to life. Universal opPortunity to consult and to increasing militarisation of many abolition of the death penalty participate. It means the application countdes and the diversion of therefore contributes to the of democratic principles within the resources for this purpose. enhancement of human dignity and United Nations and other Militarisation has led to the the progressive development of international organisations, global or destruction of civil society, human rights. No one should regional, themselves. undermined the right to ielf- therefore be condemned to such a Democracy in international determination, and denied the people penalty or executed. States should, in relations also means respect for the right to liberate themselves an