The Italian Communist larty Conference has become the first occasion for a direct and com.,letely open corfrontation between the views of the Chinese Commnist Party and those of the Khrushovites. Despite impressions created by Press reports, it was the Italian CP leader who commenced the reCrimination when in his opening address Togliatti attacked the Albanian CP and then went on to criticise the Chinese for supporting the Albanians. this is the first time at such gatherings that the pretension that the dispute was between kruschov and the Albanians has been dropped. Hitherto, all reference to China has been avoj ded. Togliatti also took the opportunity in an indirect way of criticising the Chinese over the Indian border dispute.
Speaking the next day, Mon. Dec. 3rd, hozlov, leader of the Russian delegation, strongly condemned those who believed that war with the Capitalist countries was inevitable. This tine Albania was accredited with this view and China remained unmentioned but said "Those who are certain of their historic future have no need to play with fire and endanger all the achievements of civilisation". Kozlov stated that the Indian border disj;ute harmed the true interests of the Chinese people and their friends the Indians. Imperialists and reactionaries in India were the only ones, he went on, who would benefit from China's action, and would use it to hound the CP in India and obstruct its work, whilst bringing an end to Indian neutrality and éncouraging her to enter the Western camp. Chao-y=-Ming, fraternal delegate ta the conference fron the Chinese Party's central committee criticised Togliattis attack on the Albanians ut+he Congress whilst admitting that the real difference existed with the Chinese Farty. (See footnote).
Naturally enough, the Italians responded to this criticism next day, when Pajetta, a leading Italian CP member declared his party's support for kruschov's position and echoed Togliatti's remarks of sunday when he claimed that the issue ai stake was not the shaky condition of international capitalism but the strengtheming of the powers of the socialist part of the? hich by building up its strengthand internal economic condition could contest capitalism whilst maintaining Coexistence. By intimation Pajetta rejected the Chinese policy of vigorous support for national revolutions, as this would increase the . dangers of conflict with the capitalist world.
(Notes We intend to reproduce at a later date the full text of the speech of the Chinese delegate at the Conference, which incidentally is moderately couched and far from 'turbul9nt' as one would expect from the Italian attitude. Copies available 4d post free from Bookshop.