Brussels, 14/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - As decided by the General Affairs Council, 14 September was a European Day of Mourning for the victims of the terrorist attacks of 11 September in the United States, and, on that occasion, both the personnel of the European Institutions and the citizens of Brussels shared three minutes silence, at midday. A little before midday, were gathered at the Point Schuman, in the area of the main European institutions in Brussels, the President of the European Council, Guy Verhofstadt, the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, the President of the EU Council, Louis Michel, the High Representative for Cfsp, Javier Solana and several members of the Commission.
At the European Parliament, MEPs gathered in the chamber in Brussels. Furthermore, as proposed by the President of the Liberal Group, Pat Cox, books of condolences in homage to the victims of the attacks were placed at the disposal of MEPs and EP personnel: placed in front of the chamber in Brussels, as well as Luxembourg and Strasbourg, Parliament will hand them to the American Congress.
In addition, a joint declaration was published by the EU Heads of State and Government , the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission and the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy. Here is the text in full:
"In Europe, and around the world, the horrific terrorist attacks on the United States have shocked our citizens. As an expression of solidarity with the American people, Europe has declared 14 September a day of mourning. We invite all European citizens to observe, at noon, a three-minute silence to express our sincere and deepest sympathy for the victims and their families. On 12 September, the EU condemned the perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of these terrorist attacks in the strongest possible terms. The EU announced that it would make every possible effort to ensure that those responsible for these acts of savagery are brought to justice and punished. The US Administration and the American people can count on our complete solidarity and full cooperation to ensure that justice is done. We will not, under any circumstances, allow those responsible to find refuge, wherever they may be. Those responsible for hiding, supporting or harbouring the perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of these acts will be held accountable. This assault on humanity struck at the heart of a close friend, a country with which the EU is striving to build a better world. But these terrible terrorist attacks were also directed against us all, against open, democratic, multicultural and tolerant societies. We call on all countries that share these universal ideals and values to join together in the battle against terrorist acts perpetrated by faceless killers who claim the lives of innocent victims. Nothing can justify the utter disregard for ethical values and human rights. Global solidarity is at stake. Together, irrespective of our origins, race or religion, we must work tirelessly to find solutions to the conflicts that all too often serve as a pretext for savagery. We call on all countries to redouble their efforts in the fight against terrorism. This is essential for security of our citizens and the stability of our societies. International organisations, and the UN in particular, must make this an absolute priority. We shall act with determination and ambition to overcome any obstacles in our path. To eliminate this evil, the police and judicial authorities of all our countries must, in the coming days, intensify their efforts. International law makes it possible to hunt the perpetrators, organizers and instigators of terrorism wherever they are. It is not tolerable for any country to harbour terrorists.
These tragic events oblige us to take urgent decisions on how the European Union should respond to these challenges:
The European Union must commit itself tirelessly to defend justice and democracy at a global
level, to promote an international framework of security and prosperity for all countries, and to
contribute towards the emergence of a strong, sustained and global action against terrorism.
We shall continue to develop the Common Foreign and Security Policy with a view to ensuring that the EU is genuinely capable of speaking out clearly and ding so with one voice.
We shall make the European Security and Defence Policy operational as soon as possible. We will make every effort to strengthen our intelligence efforts against terrorism.
The EU will accelerate the implementation of a genuine European judicial area, which will entail, among other things, the creation of a European warrant for arrest and extradition, in accordance with the Tampere conclusions, and the mutual recognition of legal decisions and verdicts.
Our citizens will not be intimidated. Our societies will continue to function undeterred. But today our thoughts are with the victims, their families and the American people.
Court of justice: message from Rodriguez Iglesias to Rehnquist
In Luxembourg, the flags of the Court of Justice of the European Communities were flown at half-mast, and will remain so until the end of the week. In addition, the President of the Court, Gil Carlos Rodriguez Iglesias, sent a message of sympathy and solidarity to the United States' Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, William H. Rehnquist, in which he stresses that, attached, like the Supreme Court, to the defence of fundamental values, the Court of Justice of the Communities is deeply preocuppied by the threat that these atrocities, like those that struck the United States, represent to the very foundations of our democratic societies.
Vergheugen: the attacks strengthen European cohesion
At a day of studies of the Federation of Belgian Businesses, the European Commissioner responsible for enlargement, Gunter Verheugen, for his part, declared that the attacks in fact secured a strengthening of European cohesion. We share the same values of freedoms and tolerance, and the Union's enlargement is the best guarantee of stability in Europe, is what he said in substance. Annemie Neyts, for the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council, considered that, following the attacks of 11 September, the political arguments pleading in favour of the Union's enlargement were better understood by people, as the idea that Europe provides peace and stability has regained its full sense.
Message from Lamy to Zoellick
Shortly before leaving Vietnam, where he cut short his trip to South East Asia, Commissioner Pascal Lamy sent a message of "sympathy, condolences and solidarity to the families of the victims" of the "tragic" events of last Tuesday, as well as a personal message to his "counterpart and friend, Robert Zoellick". "It is a time for reflection", he wrote. "This is not the time talks dollars and cents. We are dealing with life and death and nothing is more important than that", he told a journalist questioning him on the impact of these events on the financial markets. "If the intention of the perpetrators of this barbarous act is to bring the world to a halt, I don't believe we should give them that satisfaction", he added. The Commissioner also associated himself with the joint declaration of the European and Asian ministers of the Economy, "firmly condemning" these attacks, and stressing "the need to strengthen international cooperation to combat terrorism throughout the world"
Imelda Read recalls the words of Jefferson and Monnet
British Labour MEP Imelda Read, Chair o the EP/American Congress Delegation, once more expressed the EP's solidarity with its American colleagues (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.5). She did so recalling the words of President Jefferson, who said he had sworn upon the altar of God his "eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man", and those of Jean Monnet, who said that, "to organise the collective action of our civilisation", it was necessary to unite, in collective action, Europe and America, which share the same civilisation.