Brussels, 19/02/2004 (Agence Europe) -Lista Bonino MEP Olivier Dupuis met President Prodi on Wednesday, the thirtieth day of his hunger strike for "Chechnya" (EUROPE 17 February, p.7). In a press statement, Dupuis affirmed: "obviously, I won't say anything on President Prodi's assessment of what's happening in Chechnya or the responsibilities of the different players and the different ways in which, what is increasingly appearing to be a genocide, could be brought to an end. But I do think that I could say that the simple fact that the President of the Commission (…) had taken the time to meet me, proves that he also considers what is happening in Chechnya is an absolute tragedy, to which, Europe should contribute to helping bring to an end". Romano Prodi's gesture, he said, "gives me the strength to continue this political and non-violent initiative", stressed Olivier Dupuis.