Socialist International calls for curbs on multi-nationals

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 8

Socialist International calls for curbs on multi-nationals

NZPA-Reuter Vancouver A co-operative effort to control multi-national corporations and to build a new world economic order has been urged at the close of the first meeting in North America of the Socialist International. The three-day congress, grouping 68 Socialist or Social Democratic parties, made large corporations operating across national boundaries a particular target in its discussion of national and international strategies to attain peace and harmonious economic and social development in the world. H o w e v er, there was no

suggestion that the multi- ' nationals should be elimi- ’ nated since, as a report said, ; “in many cases, multi-nat- j ional corporations have been j powerful agents of economic I progress.” But Socialists from both I developed and under-1 developed countries asserted the activities of these com- i panies also had serious i adverse effects. Among i them, speakers listed the ; undermining of national sov- 1 ereignties, intervention in} I the political affairs of host | countries, disruption of i: international economic rela- I tions, and the perpetuation!; of disparities between the I; industrialised world and the} third world. The meeting in Vancouver'

was meant to emphasise the world-wide character of the group, which began its present form in 1951 but had up to now confined its bi-annual congresses to ■ Western Europe, where the biggest Socialist parties are located. Mr Willy Brandt, former Chancellor of West Germany. was re-elected president of the body which, as an association of parties, tries to co-ordinate, but not ;to direct, their activities. This congress tried to i maintain the Socialist InterI national’s traditional middle } ground between capitalism land communism. Although I the United States was occasionally attacked for its “imIperialist’’ role in South

America, the resolutions and speeches placed greater emphasis on the need to pursue co-operation where possible between the two Great-power blocs and economic development. “The scale of the social and economic problems in the world today demands that the attention and resources of every nation should be devoted entirely to the achievement of lasting solutions rather than to sterile conflict,” the final resolution said.

It added that if five per cent of present arms expenditure on the world was diverted to development, this would increase development funds by as much as $16,000M a year.