Subject: POLITICAL INITIATIVES OF THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY
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(13) POLITICAL INITIATIVES OF THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY
by Emma Bonino, Secretary of the Radical Party
Sofia, 15-18 July 1993, Radical Party General Council
(13) Choice of initiatives
As I said at the beginning, it is now necessary to decide on future
projects on the basis of this "panorama" of possible initiatives. This is
our most difficult and probably most controversial task.
On our capacity to decide, however, we will stake the credibility of the
party, its identity as an organization which, unlike the many meritorious
NGOs, sees its fundamental purpose not only in the agitation of problems
and the theoretical definition of solutions but also in the achievement of
precise objectives, the creation of new positive international legislation
through the adoption of international laws which are binding for all
states, through the democratic reform of national institutions, and through
nonviolent political and parliamentary campaigns.
The political instrument for these battles
In order to do all this, the first problem is to create a political
instrument - the Radical Party - which is suited and equipped for the task.
Our priority continues to be the construction of a party which is not
geographically unbalanced as it is at present, with very few members in
highly industrialized countries (apart from Italy). It would in fact be
vain to think that we could have any effect on the problems of
international politics if we are not able to create some pockets, however
small, of strong pressure within the countries that have so much influence
on international decisions.
It is therefore necessary to add another criterion for the choice of
initiatives to be followed: the possibility of carrying them out in also in
the most industrialized countries.
Another requirement which immediately emerges as we examine the initiatives
outlined above is the operational and information-exchange liaison between
parliamentarians in the Radical Party, the members of the General Council
and party activists.
All the proposals, in fact, involve highly organized campaigns in the
different countries and parliaments, with the necessity for constant and
reciprocal exchange of information on the results obtained and on the
subsequent deadlines and objectives. Since it is clearly not possible to
organize many meetings of the two main party organs (each meeting costs
$400,000), it is absolutely necessary to set up an efficient communication
network which allows this kind of rapid exchange of information. Otherwise
all the work which we have planned during this meeting will be rendered
vain.
We have settled on three instruments of information and communication which
could be further analysed in the course of this meeting: a weekly or
fortnightly news-sheet addressed to parliamentarians in the Radical Party,
activists and other parliamentarians interested in our activities; the
"Agora'" computer network, and naturally the party newspaper, "The New
Party".
This means that we must all make every possible effort to equip ourselves,
also in terms of communication technology, in order to become a part of
this network which, despite the fact that it is based on sophisticated
technologies, can be used without enormous expenditure.
(END)
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CONTENTS OF THE PRECEDING DOCUMENTS
Radical Party causes
Tasks and priorities of the Radical Party
Possible initiatives
1. UNITED NATIONS:
- Permanent International Court
- Court to judge war crimes in the Ex-Yugoslavia
- A parliamentary body at the UN: the options
- General Assembly of parliamentarians from
UN Member States
- Considering the options
- Redefining the UN's peacekeeping role
and strengthening humanitarian action
- A Civil Guard for democracy
- Abolition of the death penalty by 2000
- Rights of national minorities
2. EX-YUGOSLAVIA:
- Refusing to recognize the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia
- Protecting Kosovo
- Macedonia
- The Balkan Confederation
3. ENVIRONMENT:
- Campaign for the protection of the environment
and for ecologically sustainable development
in Central and Eastern Europe
- Campaign for efficient energy networks and
for the closure of dangerous nuclear power
stations
- Campaign for the institution of a European
great rivers and waterways community
- Campaign for the right to information
4. DRUGS:
- The Anti-prohibitionist policy
- Campaign for the denouncement of the international Conventions on drugs
5. AIDS:
- A pragmatic strategy
- Initiative in the ambit of the WHO
6. INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE:
- The right to language
The choices
Which is the right instrument for these campaigns?
