Written declaration No. 411 | Doc. 11661 | 25 June 2008

Appeal on behalf of the Burmese population

Signatories: Mr Jean-Claude MIGNON, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Fátima ABURTO BASELGA, Spain, SOC ; Mr Pedro AGRAMUNT, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Denis BADRÉ, France, ALDE ; Ms Marie-Louise BEMELMANS-VIDEC, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Jaime BLANCO GARCÍA, Spain ; Mr Jean-Guy BRANGER, France ; Ms Karmela CAPARIN, Croatia, EPP/CD ; Mr Georges COLOMBIER, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Elvira CORTAJARENA ITURRIOZ, Spain ; Mr Alain COUSIN, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Miljenko DORIĆ, Croatia, ALDE ; Mr Michel DREYFUS-SCHMIDT, France ; Ms Josette DURRIEU, France, SOC ; Mr Tuur ELZINGA, Netherlands, UEL ; Ms Lydie ERR, Luxembourg, SOC ; Ms Blanca FERNÁNDEZ-CAPEL BAÑOS, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Jean-Charles GARDETTO, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Ms Claude GREFF, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Arlette GROSSKOST, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Andres HERKEL, Estonia, EPP/CD ; Mr Michel HUNAULT, France ; Mr Jean HUSS, Luxembourg, SOC ; Mr Tadeusz IWIŃSKI, Poland, SOC ; Mr Denis JACQUAT, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Corien W.A. JONKER, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr Andros KYPRIANOU, Cyprus ; Mr Geert LAMBERT, Belgium ; Mr Jean-Paul LECOQ, France ; Mr Dariusz LIPIŃSKI, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr François LONCLE, France, SOC ; Mr Frano MATUŠIĆ, Croatia, EPP/CD ; Mr Philippe MONFILS, Belgium ; Mr Pieter OMTZIGT, Netherlands ; Ms Marija PEJČINOVIĆ-BURIĆ, Croatia, EPP/CD ; Mr Azis POLLOZHANI, ''The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia'' ; Mr Christos POURGOURIDES, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Ms Mailis REPS, Estonia, ALDE ; Mr François ROCHEBLOINE, France, EPP/CD ; Mr René ROUQUET, France ; Mr Indrek SAAR, Estonia, SOC ; Mr Fidias SARIKAS, Cyprus, SOC ; Mr André SCHNEIDER, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Tineke STRIK, Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Michał STULIGROSZ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Klaas de VRIES, Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Marek WIKIŃSKI, Poland, SOC ; Mr Blagoj ZAŠOV, ''The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia''

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

For the last few weeks, hundreds of thousands of Burmese citizens have been enduring the terrible consequences of cyclone Nargis. Their destitution is extreme and their suffering unbearable.

Massive and rapid international aid is clearly needed to come to the relief of the victims and avert an impending health disaster.

Despite the promising results of the negotiations carried out by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, the mistrust of the current Burmese authorities concerning the aid supplied by humanitarian organisations continues.

In addition, the disaster did not prevent the junta from holding a sham referendum for the purpose of consolidating its own power. Nor has it stemmed the repression of the opposition, whose main leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains under solitary house arrest.

This cynical attitude needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. It also demands complete solidarity on the part of the international community.

It is for this reason that we wish to appeal to the Council of Europe resolutely to join in the international pressure to ensure that the Burmese population are helped effectively and that the opponents of the junta are released at last.