Motion for a resolution

pursuant to the Article 47 of the Rules of Procedure

tabled by Olivier Dupuis, Gianfranco Dell'Alba, Jean-François Hory

on behalf of ARE Group

on the situation in the Republic of Ingushetia

The European Parliament,

- considering its previous resolutions and debates on the situation in the Northern Caucasus, and particularly in Chechenia and in the neighbouring Ingushetia;

A. considering that since 31 August 1997 the Russian Federation established a blockade of the Republic of Ingushetia along its administrative borders, preventing the entry and exit of citizens with Ingush nationality and the delivery of freight;

B. considering the neccesity to prevent serious suffering, in particular of the women and children by insufficient goods and food supply caused by the blockade of the Republic of Ingushetia on the eve of winter;

C. noting that the blockade constitutes a violation of Articles 6,8 and 27 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation;

D. alarmed by the reports on the serious situation of the people of Ingush nationality in Prigorodnij Region of North Ossetia;

E. noting that the Ingush refugees have not yet any real possibility to return to their places of former habitat in the Prigorodnij Region of North Ossetia, since the agreement from 4 September 1997 and the programme from 15 October 1997 concerning the Ossetian-Ingush conflict, agreed between the Republic of North Ossetia-Alaniya and the Republic of Ingushetia are not yet respected nor applied;

1. Calls on the Russian State Duma to suspend the blockade of the Republic of Ingushetia in order to enable the civilian population of Ingushetia to restore normal life and economic activities;

2. Urges the Governments of Russian Federation and North Ossetia-Alanyia to respect and apply the agreements concerning the return of the Ingush refugees back to Prigorodnij Region;

3. Appeals to the UN, the OSCE, and other international organizations to use all their influence and means to establish a process of normalization in Northern Caucasus without further delays;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Russian State Duma, the President of the Russian Federation, the Government of Ingushetia, the secretary general of the UN and the general secretary of the OSCE.