Strasbourg, 22/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - Four members of the European Parliament, the Green, Danielle Auroi, Socialists Olivier Duhamel and Bernard Poignant, as well as Fode Sylla (European United Left) have launched a protest campaign against the policy of the new American Administration. They propose sending more aggressive postcards to the President of the United States with drawings by Alain Le Quernec directly aimed at George W. Bush (one of the them is presented in the form of a play on words: "BULLSHIT"). Numbering six, these cards denounce different aspects of American policy. One may read: (1) "The new directions of the USA's policies are worrying and dangerous for the future of the world"; (2) "In the USA in 2000, 354 people were executed, 151 of whom in Texas"; (3) "The USA is among the last countries to manufacture and sell anti-personnel landmines and to push forward with nuclear tests"; (4) "Relaunching the Star Wars project, the weapons industry has nothing to fear. Bush is making sure of that"; (5) "The USA denounces the Kyoto Protocol limiting greenhouse gases and deciding on the control of CO2 emissions"; (6) "Putting an end to subsidies to humanitarian organizations practicing the voluntary termination of pregnancy". Information: Marie-Pierre Renson, (32) 2.284.54.05; e-mail: bpoingnant@europarl.eu.int.
In an open letter to the American President, the four MEPs claim they are acting "on behalf of our friendship for the American people because we are your ally". "We are aware of practicing a form of right of democratic interference", they stress, stating: "your country is now the only world hyper-power and that means duties of solidarity and fraternity". They then add: "Finally, you will understand that globalization cannot only be economic and financial. It has to concern ideas and policies themselves".
Socialist Group disassociates itself from this campaign
In a press release, the EP's Socialist Group disassociated itself from this campaign. The Group's President, Spain's Enrique Baron stipulated that "although the initiators of this campaign use the logo of the Socialist Group, it has to be known that it is an initiative of only a few MEPs. This campaign was not discussed in a meeting with all the members of the Group and thus does not have our support".
Messrs. Poignant and Duhamel answered their president through another press release in which they say that they launched this campaign "in compliance with the rules of the Socialist Group". They declare themselves "convinced that European Socialists defend the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases, remain attached to the right of abortion, are concerned by the re-launch of the arms race, condemn anti-personnel landmines and absolutely reject the death penalty". They then conclude: "It is the responsibility of the European Left to galvanize against the American Right".