Brussels, 19/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on 19 April at the initiative of MEP José Ignacio Salafranco (EPP-ED, Spain) and with the sponsorship of the Embassy of Colombia in the EU, the European Parliament rallied in favour of eliminating landmines that each year kill around 20,000 persons, mainly civilians. The appeal was launched with a view to the fourth EU/Latin America summit to be held in Vienna on 11 and 12 May (for which Mr Salafranca is Parliament rapporteur), during a ceremony attended by EP President Josep Borrell and Colombian singer Juanes, who gave an exceptional concert in the Parliament hemicycle.
Colombia, as a Parliament press release recalls, has for some time had the sad privilege of having the highest number of landmine victims ahead of Afghanistan and Cambodia, over half of whom are civilians. “We need the support of the international community to help the victims and to prevent more deaths and mutilations”, Juanes said. In his opinion, people, including the media, are not well informed about the situation. The EU is one of the main contributors to combating anti-personnel mines. In April, the Commission adopted a €17.5 million programme to provide assistance for victims. The EP for its part adopted in July 2005 a resolution inviting the United States, Russia, China and India to sign up to the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines.