21/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - Pervenche Beres French Socialist member of the European Parliament, criticised the contradictions in the attitude of President Chirac with regards to the Mad Cow crisis. "7 November 2000": Jacques Chirac supported, without warning the government, in favour of the total ban on animal meals. On 18 February 2001: at the agriculturally fair, he considered "irresponsible" the opinion given by the AFFSSA over the possible transmission of BSE to sheep", notes Mrs Beres in a Communiqué. She adds: "It is necessary to remain coherent: against a crisis of this size, health crisis, but also economic and social, we cannot condone the opportunist attitude of Jacques Chirac. The present situation in too serious for us to indiscriminately use the precautionary principal". Mrs Beres also insisted on the priority to attach to consumer safety, but also the necessary "European and national solidarity" with regards to the agricultural world, which cannot bear the consequences of this crisis on its own.