Brussels, 22/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, told journalists after her speech to EU Heads of State (see EUROPE of 21 September, p.3) that she had taken a message from the Parliament to the Summit which can be summed up in three words: "solidarity, firmness and effectiveness". She explained that for the Parliament, any riposte that the EU was associated with in solidarity with the United States had to be well thought out, targeted and taken in concert with the Europeans. Solidarity in action means solidarity in decision-making, she pointed out. "Targeted" action meant that it had to reach its targets and be aimed not at vengeance, but stamping out terrorism. As President Bush said, commented Ms Fontaine, it will be a long-drawn ou affair.
Ms Fontaine added that it was an urgent matter to avoid Muslim communities being threatened. To date, she affirmed, there has been a great coming-together in Europe both in terms of expressions of solidarity with the United States, and in terms of the need to avoid any assimilation and making Europe an area of security and freedom.
Noting the progress made by the JHA Council on Thursday, Ms Fontaine stressed the need to strengthen judicial co-operation and therefore agree to club the different sovereignties together. Asked about the Parliament's responsibility in the delays in adopting the Money Laundering Directive, Ms Fontaine acknowledged that a "Head of State" (José Maria Aznar, Ed) had appealed to her over this issue, and she would be relaying his message back to those responsible for the dossier.
Mr Verhofstadt stressed at the final press conference that the Parliament also had "duties", mentioning the Money Laundering Directive and saying that the European Parliament should stop being influenced by pressure from lobby groups. EUROPE has been led to understand that things have changed at the EP and the rapporteur, Mr Lehne, will very soon be proposing a change of attitude to the EP delegation to the Conciliation Committee, which would be endorsed at a meeting on the margins of the next plenary session in Strasbourg. Parliament is also expected to drop its amendment on lawyers so that the draft Directive can be approved by the Conciliation Committee.