Brussels, 01/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - During a joint press conference, Spanish MEPs Gerardo Galeote (EPP-ED), Rosa Diez (PES), Pedro Marset Campos (GUE), Camilo Nogueira and Carlos Bautista (Greens/EFA) gave their support to the candidature of Xabier Markiegi as European Ombudsman. This candidature was also supported by MEPs from the Liberal Group, Carles-Alfred Gasoliba and Isidoro Sanchez. Mr Galeote recalled that Mr Markiegi had been ombudsman in the Basque Country, a place where "it is never easy to be on the victims' side". Ms Diez welcomed the fact that the Spanish had managed to overcome their political differences to support a single candidate. "Being a candidate with the support of all political groups is a real guarantee of independence", Mr Markiegi said, insisting on the fact that he had always been on the victims' side during the five and a half years of his mandate in the Basque Country. He stressed the importance of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights which provides "support and a framework" in which the Ombudsman may act, and which, in his view, should be incorporated in the Treaty. Mr Markiegi also spoke of the code of good administrative conduct and the suggestions of the current Ombudsman, Jacob Söderman, concerning the development of the network of European, national and regional ombudsmen. "I have worked in network a great deal as ombudsman in the Basque Country", he said, before answering a question on the risks incurred in the agreements with the United States on access to documents and the fight against terrorism. "We must be very careful that international agreements do not limit the recognised rights of citizens", he said. (See EUROPE of 28 September, p.13, on the subject of the latest report by Ombudsman Jacob Söderman).