[THE February 7 edition of the Guardian reports…]
Socialist Organiser1984 1984-02-16Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 11 →
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THE February 7 edition of the Guardian reports that 939 people signed a petition to President Husak of Czechoslovakia. The petition expressed concern at the escalation of the arms race. It also protested at the Siting of Soviet nuclear missiles in the country.
This action to my mind is both significant and courageous. At the end of 1983 the governments in Eastern Europe gave strong warnings tổ the unofficial peace movements not to criticise the Warsaw Pact's nuclear strategy. In particular they were told not to protest at the stationing of new missiles in Czechoslovakia and East Germany.
These new weapons (SS21s and SS22s) are the Soviet Union's response to the United States' deployment of Cruise and Pershing. In January an article in a Soviet army publication clearly indicated that some SS21s and SS22s were already deployed in East Germany.
It is my opinion that it is the duty of socialists to work for the realisation of a nuclear free zone in Europe. This must entail the support of all those campaigning on whichever side of the Iron Curtain for genuine nuclear disarmament.
We cannot allow Ronald Reagan Europe as a nuclear battle ground. ALEX SIMPSON Cambridge CLP