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Katayama

Report and Resolution
on the Egyptian S.P.

(November 1922)

From International Press Correspondence, Vol. 3 No. 2, 5 January 1923, p. 21.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Marxists’ Internet Archive

Comrades, the Egyptian Commission has met several times. It has heard the report of the Socialist Party of Egypt and discussed the question in a very thoroughgoing manner. We recognise that Egypt occupies an important position. On the one hand it is the dividing point between the East and the West, and on the other hand it is a connecting link between the West and the East. Egypt holds the key to the East and the Far East. Therefore the Egyptian Communist movement is important.

For forty years the Egyptian people have been exploited by English and French imperialists. The late war brought about a change of attitude on the part of the Egyptian people. They revolted against English imperialism. The Egyptian petty bourgeoisie and the Egyptian capitalists are satisfied with the nominal independence of Egypt, but the communists and the revolutionary workers are not satisfied with nominal independence. They want a real independence and on this point the Comintern should support them. We, the Egyptian Commission, agreed that the Communist movement in Egypt should be helped and encouraged. A strong communist movement should be built up in Egypt in order to hold the key to the East and the Far East. In the case of revolt in India, Egypt, by reason of the geographical position it occupies, would hold the key to the Indian revolution and could assist it by blockading the Suez Canal. Therefore, we want to help the Egyptian Communist movement, and we want to recognise the Egyptian Socialist Party. The Egyptian Communist Party is young, it is inexperienced in many ways, although the Egyptian comrades are working for the Comintern on Comintern lines. But we want to put certain conditions to their admission to the Comintern and so we agreed to present to you the following resolution:

Resolution of the Egyptian Commission on the Matter
of the Socialist Party of Egypt

November 26, 1922

After several sessions, the Commission has reached the following conclusion:

  1. The report of the S.P.E. delegate, made available to the Commission, is satisfactory evidence that the S.P.E. represents a substantial revolutionary movement in conformity with the Communist International.
     
  2. The Commission considers, however, that the affiliation of the S.P.E. must be postponed until:

    a) The Party has expelled certain undesirable elements.

    b) The Party has convoked a Congress at which an attempt shall be made to unite with the S.P.E. any communist element in Egypt that may at present exist outside the S.P.E. and will accept the 21 conditions of the C.I. [Comintern]

    c) The Party has changed its name to “The Communist Party of Egypt”.
     
  3. The S.P.E. is therefore instructed to summon a congress for the above purposes at an early date, and not later than January 15, 1923.

 
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