Strasbourg, 14/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - Several members of the European Parliament regret the fact that the conflict resolution process in the Basque country is at deadlock. At their session in Strasbourg, they are collecting signatures to support the declaration by Aeite presented in October 2011 as a roadmap for peace.
These MEPs take the view that the European institution should commit more to forwarding the peace process in the Basque country. Twenty-six of them have already signed in support of the Aiete declaration, which was delivered after the International Conference for the Promotion of the Resolution of Conflict in the Basque Country (San Sebastian, 11 October 2011). This conference was followed by an announcement by the terrorist organisation ETA that it would cease all armed action. Presenting their initiative, François Alfonsi (Greens/EFA, France) said that it was “vital that the European Parliament takes its place in setting in operation a peace process within the EU itself”. Izaskun Bilbao (ALDE, Spain) called for a “programme to be set in place similar to the one in Ireland to achieve sustainable peace and reconstruction”. Catherine Grèze (Greens/EFA, France) drew attention to the fact that since October, the peace process has had to slow down and that repression continues in the Basque country. The support of the MEPs for this declaration will help to relaunch the process, she said. The conference on the follow-up of the Aiete declaration, organised by the Greens/EFA Group and the Basque Friendship Group, which will also be attended by MEPs, aims to boost this relaunch. (MD/transl.fl)