Brussels, 16/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 15 January, the Irish Presidency issued the following declaration on behalf of the EU:
“The European Union is very concerned at current developments in the social and political situation in Haiti, along with the marked deterioration in the general security situation in that country. It deplores the fact that the Haitian Government has been unable to prevent the incidents which have resulted in serious human rights violations in various towns in recent weeks. It cannot remain indifferent to the reprisals which have been carried out or announced against members of civil society, the opposition, the universities and the press. In particular, the European Union condemns the violence committed by armed gangs against peaceful demonstrators. It urges the authorities to guarantee all Haitians the right to express themselves freely and to demonstrate peacefully, as laid down in Haiti's constitution. It again invites the Haitian authorities to take the necessary measures to promote the re-establishment of a climate of civil peace. Indeed, the European Union is convinced that a solution to the current political crisis must be achieved by dialogue and calls on all those involved in politics, without exception, to refrain from any form of violence.
In the situation of polarisation that currently prevails and which impedes any resolution of the political and institutional crisis, the European Union earnestly appeals to all parties to renew political dialogue immediately, either directly or by accepting the mediation of the local churches or any other helpful and credible form of mediation. At a time when Haiti no longer has a Legislative Assembly, such dialogue alone can restore civil peace, encourage the reestablishment of rights and freedoms and help reinstate the climate of security needed to organise free elections in compliance with the provisions set out in Resolutions 806 and 822, as well as Resolution 1959 of the General Assembly of the OAS adopted on 10 June 2003 in Santiago, Chile. The European Union recalls that implementation of these resolutions would pave the way for gradual resumption of the aid partially suspended pursuant to Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement.
The Acceding Countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, B Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.”