Brussels, 09/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament is calling on the Kyrgyzstan authorities to conduct a “credible, impartial and independent” inquiry into the inter-ethnic clashes between Kyrgyz nationals and the Uzbek minority in the towns of south Och and Djalal-Abad in June this year, when at least 300 persons lost their lives (the violence also led to 300,000 persons being displaced within the country, and 100,000 seeking refuge in the neighbouring Uzbekistan). The investigation could possibly be carried out with international assistance in order to bring the perpetrators of the violent acts to justice, MEPs say in a resolution adopted in Strasbourg on 8 July. The European Commission is invited to deploy humanitarian aid in cooperation with international organisations and to initiate programmes for short and medium-term rebuilding of homes destroyed in order to create conditions that are favourable for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons. As well as humanitarian aid, the EU is expected to step up its efforts to stabilise the country ahead of the parliamentary elections in October. These elections should provide the constitutional bases for the creation of a pluralist political system, the resolution underlines. The EP also urges local authorities to adopt confidence-building measures and to undertake true dialogue with all ethnic communities living in southern Kyrgyzstan. MEPs do not make a direct mention of the wish expressed by the Kyrgyz authorities to see the EU deploy a European police mission in the country (EUROPE 10174), but call on High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton and on member states to make an active contribution to the rapid deployment of an OSCE police mission tasked with preventing any further eruption of violence, stabilising the situation in the towns affected by the clashes, protecting the victims and the most vulnerable persons, and facilitating the return of refugees and internally displaced persons. The EP also expresses concern regarding information whereby a number of human rights activists in Kyrgyzstan have been arrested, and calls for the immediate release of those persons. (H.B./transl.jl)