Kiev/Brussels, 11/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - Speaking in Kiev on behalf of the EU on Tuesday, Guy Verhofstadt and Louis Michel condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the attacks that had just been carried out in the USA. They described themselves as being "shocked and dismayed" by the barbarous act cowardly targeting innocent civilians. The two Belgian Ministers expressed "the EU's total solidarity with the American people at this difficult time" and reiterated both their firm condemnation of all kinds of terrorism and their determination to combat it with every means at their disposal.
President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, declared that Europeans were at one with the USA and all peace-loving people in condemning and resisting terrorism and, "the dreadful tragedies in New York and Washington". Commissioner Chris Patten declared that events in the USA were being followed with "absolute horror" and "our prayers and deepest sympathies" went out to our friends in the USA.
Nicole Fontaine, President of the European Parliament, declared that they did not know, at present, who had carried out these "barbarous acts" but hoped with all her heart that the international community, would react better than it had in the past, to the challenges it faced, and those who wanted to destroy every notion of civilisation.