Strasbourg, 21/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 21 May, MEPs were keen to give the Chinese population an assurance of their compassion after the terrible tragedy that has hit China. The European Parliament, the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission were unanimous in paying tribute to the way the Chinese authorities have managed the situation over recent days.
“The authorities took rapid and substantial action and crisis management has been effective”, European Development Cooperation Commissioner Louis Michel said, congratulating the authorities on their response to the crisis. They called for international assistance on 13 May and the Commission freed €2 million on 16 May, he pointed out, highlighting the fact that the total contribution from the EU is over €16 million. He noted, however, that the Chinese authorities were maintaining strict control over access to the devastated region and that aftershocks had brought a second humanitarian catastrophe.
German Social Democrat Georg Jarzembowski welcomed the will shown by the authorities to accept international aid and the possibility allowed to journalists to report on the terrible situation. He regretted the high number of school children among the victims of the earthquake. Czech Socialist Libor Roucek said that China had behaved in a totally different way to Burma/Myanmar. It had communicated the suffering of the people and difficulties faced by rescue teams, noted Belgian Liberal Dirk Sterckx, calling on the EU to continue to help the Chinese people, particularly through provision of technical assistance to design buildings better able to withstand earthquakes and putting in place an international early warning system. “The authorities have, for the first time, been transparent”, said French Green Hélène Flautre, highlighting the strong criticism in China of the poor quality of the buildings, especially the schools. The solidity of hydro-electric sites and plutonium enrichment sites was also a matter of great concern, Flautre said, suggesting that international expertise be used.
Responding to MEPs, Slovenian Secretary of State for European Affairs Janez Lenarcic welcomed the swift and effective reaction of the Chinese authorities, the fact that journalists had been able to work without hindrance and that experts, including Japanese experts, had been able to travel to the area. “The Council is ready to offer any assistance that might be needed,” he added. The Commission was also “ready to go beyond the aid already committed”, said Commissioner Michel, who also welcomed Flautre's idea of offering the Chinese authorities, should they wish it, assistance to assess the collateral damage, including to nuclear installations. (O.J.)