Brussels, 27/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Several political groups from the European Parliament expressed the wish that the Parliament should encourage the outlook for national reconciliation in Mexico, mainly by inviting representatives of the EZLN (Ejercito Zapatista de liberacion nacional) movement.
The president of the United Left/Nordic Greens Left, Francis Wurtz, wrote to Nicole Fontaine, EP President, inviting a delegation of this movement to the Parliament "for example, in the context of work by the delegation for relations with Central America or the foreign affairs' committee". Mr Wurtz stressed the considerable success of the "peace march" by Comandante Marcos and the "positive attitude adopted towards him by the new Mexican authorities". He made it clear that the Parliament should use this new political situation to support dialogue and reconciliation in Mexico.
Enrique Baron, President of the Socialist Group, affirmed that his group was willing to receive the EZLN leaders and, if conditions for dialogue are met, to send a delegation to Mexico to support this process. Mr Baron, who examined a report established by European elected member of the French Socialist Party, Sami Naïr (who met Comandante Marcos in Mexico), also launched an appeal to the Mexican Congress inviting it to establish dialogue with the Zapatistas.
Co-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Heidi Hautala MEP, said she hoped the leader of the Zapatistas movement would visit the Parliament. "There is no reason why a delegation of the Zapatistas should not visit the European Parliament to discuss rights for Mexico's indigenous people", said British Green member Caroline Lucas, EP rapporteur on EU/Mexico relations. She said there was a need to ensure that the rights of "Mexico's ten million strong indigenous population, not only in Chiapas but throughout Mexico", are now guaranteed.