05/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - A minute's silence at EP to pay homage to Michel Rocard, who passed away over the weekend. On Monday 4 July in Strasbourg, the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, opened the plenary session with an appeal to observe a minute's silence in homage of the former French Prime Minister and MEP from 1994 to 2009, Michel Rocard, who passed away on 2 July at the age of 85. Mr Rocard was a major European figure and statesman who helped devise the 1988 "Matignon agreements", which helped put an end to the violence in New Caledonia. He also demonstrated visionary commitment in the field of environmental protection, particularly in the Arctic and Antarctica, explained Mr Schultz. (LC)