22/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - The President of the EPP-ED group at the European Parliament, Joseph Daul, on Monday expressed his "great sadness" at the death of the Abbé Pierre, founder of Emmaüs International, member of the French resistance and a former French MP. The French and the Europeans "are not yet ready to forget this indefatigable and highly effective pilgrim on his one of the have-nots, the homeless and those with no rights (...), this great man at the service of the smallest", said Mr Daul in a press release (our translation). Pointing out that the Abbé Pierre had shaken up politics of all leanings, "astonished his interlocutors with his honesty, generosity and humanity", Joseph Daul states that the "collective duty of all national and European decision-makers is to continue his work". The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, René van der Linden, for his part paid tribute to the memory of the founding father of Emmaüs International, "who devoted his life to those with the least, working for human dignity and to fight injustice in all its forms", and sent his condolences to Emmaüs, on behalf of all members of the Parliamentary Assembly. (ol)