Doc. 8838 2^nd edition
10 October 2000

Appeal to the G7 countries and the Heads of State and Government of the donor countries to step up financing to the Chornobyl fund

Written Declaration No. 306

2^nd edition, originally tabled on 26 September 2000

This written declaration commits only the members who have signed it

      On 26 April 1986 the Chornobyl nuclear power station was the scene of a technological accident unprecedented in scale and impact, condemning millions of people to suffer, physically and psychologically, leaving them fearful for their children’s future and causing untold damage to the environment.

      The international community was faced with the huge cost of dealing with the after-effects of the worst technological disaster of the 20^th century. Substantial further expense must be incurred before the last traces of the disaster are completely erased.

      The scale of the scientific and technical problems involved in eliminating the consequences of the disaster demonstrates the need for the developed countries to pool their efforts in order to eradicate the nuclear and radiological danger that still persists in the Chornobyl area.

In its documents 8089 of 22 April 1998, 8386 of 26 April 1999 and 8722 of 15 April 2000, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe urged the G7 countries to step up efforts to finance the work to eliminate the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster.

      The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe welcomed the decision of donor countries to contribute US$ 721 million of the US$ 768 million needed by the Chornobyl “Shelter” fund.

      The undersigned, members of the Assembly, hope that the international organisations and the international community will take the necessary steps to contribute the remaining US$ 47 million to the “Shelter” fund so that practical steps can rapidly be taken by the “Shelter” project, in conjunction with the EBRD, to restore the environment and make the area a completely danger-free zone.

Signed : ¹

Rakhansky, Ukraine, UEL

Bulic, Croatia, EPP/CD

Cherribi, Netherlands, LDR

Dolazza, Italy, LDR

Duka-Zólyomi, Slovakia, EPP/CD

Fernandez Aguilar, Spain, EPP/CD

Frey, Switzerland, LDR

Ivanov, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Khunov, Ukraine, UEL

Kjaer, Denmark, EDG

Laakso, Finland, UEL

Luczak, Poland, EPP/CD

Manchulenko, Ukraine, EDG

Marmazov, Ukraine, UEL

Ragnarsdottir, Iceland, EDG

Rapson, United Kingdom, SOC

Steolea, Roumania, EDG

Stepova, Czech Rep., SOC

Tanik, Turkey, EDG

Torrado, Spain, SOC

Turini, Italy, EDG

Wurm, Austria, SOC

Holovaty, Ukraine, LDR

___________________

Total = 23

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group