Soviet bureaucracy joins hands with fascists

FIRST ATHENS, then Madrid and now Lisbon. No matter how brutal the regime, all are eligible candidates for "peaceful coThe Soviet government, for the first time since the end of • the Second World War, has established official contacts with the Portuguese dictatorship.

Stalinism time when racialist began his with a Ballet to Portugal.

At a reception given on Monday by the director of the Portuguese Opera, one of the few guests was the Minister of Educaeven sino have aled the 10n. existence' with the Kremlin.

We kiev conversation with a représentative of the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ostensibly travelling with the ballet corps.

FORMAL LINKS As with Franco's regime in Spain, where the Kremlin bureaucracy made its first approaches under the cover of a visit by a Soviet football team, there can be no doubt that this visit indicates the Stalinists' désire to establish full formal links with Caetano.

This is the foulest and most cynıcal move yet ın the burgeoning of 'peacefu) co-existence' with the most reactionary regimés in the Even the Greek colonels and Franco's fascism are not involved—as is the Portuguese ruling class—in three bloody colonial wais in In Angola, Guine and Mozambique Portuguese troops have for years been using the most barbarous methods against the liberation fighters. But even this butchery must not be allowed to get in the way of Soviet diplomacy.

CIRCULATION

The last three weeks have seen a brisk circulation of political leaders in Europe, tween the imperialist states 'improving' the relations bethe racial oppressors Africa and the Stalinists.

William Rogers, US Secretary of State, left the Rome conference of NATO last month, where he announced expanded military aid for Greece, to negotiate in Madrid the provision of tanks and other weapons to Franco.

With both the Greek regime and Franco the Stalinists already have widespread links-links cémented by the shipping of Polish coal to break the Spanish miners' strike.

Then, following immediately on the state visit ot condemns Vorster's Lisbon visit and 'opposes' • Portugal's 'destructive wars', , it speaks with sickening cynicism.

In Portugal itself, where important strikes hit shipyards, railways and cement works last year, the working class must take the behaviour of the Stalinists in Spain as a warning.

The bureaucracy's overtures are no sign that the regime is 'liberalizing itself', open the road for treachery on a grand scale. mits daily atrocities in Africa. The photographs (above and left) taken by a member of the Portuguese Expeditionary Force in Mozambique, show the decapitation of an African captive. • Meanwhile the Kiev Ballet visits Lisbon to provide an umbrella for the first steps in "peaceful co-existence'.