Brussels, 12/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission discussed the tragedy that occurred the day before in the United States and its implications for the Union and for the international community as a whole. At the end of "dense and in-depth" discussions, that lasted over two hours, President Romano Prodi read out the following Statement to the press:
"Please observe a minute's thoughtful silence in the memory of the victms of this dreadful and tragic event. This morning the Commission held an extraordinary meeting. We observed a minutes silence and then discussed various political aspects for which the Commission has particular responsibility. This afternoon I shall go to the European Parliament and the General Affairs Council. The Commission stressed, ad I shall reaffirm, the need to send the strongest possible signal of European solidarity with the American people and I will call for a common European approach to all aspects of this tragedy. The Commission expressed its horror at these acts of barbaric crime, its compassion for the victims and their families and its solidarity with the American people. We share their grief, mourn with them and commit ourselves to working together with President Bush and the U,S. Government to build a safe, democratic world for all our peoples. We have acted to protect our own staff and interests in Europe and in our overseas delegations. We stand ready to offer any practical assistance we can. I conveyed this message to the US Ambassador yesterday evening. Our economy and social structures are strong and resilient and we remain calm and confident. Our cooperation with the USA in the fight against terrorism is more necessary than ever and must be pursued with renewed vigour. This barbaric attack was directed against the free world and our common values. It is a watershed event and life will never be quite the same again. European Institutions and Governments will work closely together with our American friends and partners in the defence of freedom. We shall not allow terrorism to triumph. We shall not allow terrorism to divide the world, as its perpetrators intend it to. We shall deny them this victory. In the darkest hour of European history, the Americans stood by us. We stand by them now".
This "Collegial 100%" Statement is the Commission's main contribution to the debate of the General Affairs Council, that was to begin a few hours later, the spokesperson stressed. The members of the Community Executive almost all expressed themselves, each from the point of view of their competence, he said, mentioning additions to the Commission's reaction, the justice and home affairs aspect - raised by Mr. Vittorino, the humanitarian aspect - by Mr. Nielson, questions of a "practical" order like the protection of European officials throughout the world - by Mr. Patten, the control of air traffic and passenger safety, etc.
EUROPE has reason to believe that it is right, at this time of affliction and uncertainty, to stick to a message of solidarity and support vis-à-vis the American people. The traditional debate between those who take America to be the "policeman of the world" and partisans of isolationism, that the attacks in New York and Washington seems now to have raised, is up to the American people and it is hardly the right time for the Old Continent to place itself as provider of lessons, is what sources in Brussels are saying in substance. The message is also meant to be reassuring economically and for the financial markets that have already marked their concerns in the different stock markets throughout the world and no appeal has been sent out to try to contain any possible rise in the price of oil, the spokesperson simply referring to "OPEC intervention on the market". Legally, the Commission's two proposals aimed, among other things, at aligning the different definitions of terrorism that currently prevail in the Union, as well as possible sanctions and criminal sentences, and to ensure at Community level the other aspects of the fight against organised crime, are more than ever topical. At operational level, the Commission places special emphasis on strengthening transatlantic cooperation against terrorism, which, as we stand, is situated a expert diplomatic level with, according to the Americans, too little expertise in police and security matters (which France has so far refused to grant them). Europol has just set up a specific cell to coordinate the exchange of information on terrorism, but, at international level, the limits of the mandate handed to it by the Council in view of negotiating cooperation agreements with third countries in this field are being felt, sources in Brussels also observe. As for its own protection, the Commission has not called back any of its delegations in post throughout the world and has limited to providing them with instructions to ensure their safety. In Brussels, there is a security device and it was activated on Tuesday already, says the spokesperson. Mr. Prodi certainly did call on the members of the college that were abroad to return to Brussels as quickly as possible, but they "will continue work as usual", the spokesperson added. A transatlantic ministerial meeting should be held in Washington on 20 September.