Resolution on the political situation in Algeria

B4-0726, 0805, 0806, 0810 and 0811/97

The European Parliament,

A. appalled at the escalation of violence in Algeria, which has caused thousands of deaths since 1992, including hundreds in the last two months,

B. noting that the establishment of the national legislative assembly which came to power following the elections on 5 June this year, in which the country's democratic political forces took part, has neither interrupted nor curbed the brutal violence committed by the terrorists,

C. stressing the need to reach a political solution in order to put an end to the violence in which the country has been plunged for several years,

D. stressing that the barbaric violence of the terrorist organizations over the last few months has struck indiscriminately and has also been directed against the most vulnerable sections of society, children, women and the elderly, and calling on the Algerian government to take severe measures to tackle these terrorist groups, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, in order to guarantee the safety of the population,

E. whereas the Algerian authorities, supported by the results of several elections, now have the political and institutional means at their disposal to allow them to lead the country out of the spiral of violence by means of political dialogue, with the backing of all the political forces who reject the use of violence;F.whereas, while avoiding any direct interference, the European Union cannot ignore any situation in which human rights are under attack, nor can it ignore events in the Maghreb and the whole of Africa - with particularly regard to Algeria - at a time when it is vital to avert any risk of destabilization in the countries of the region,

1. Roundly condemns the terrorist attacks and massacres carried out against the civilian population in Algeria and expresses its solidarity with the Algerian people;

2. Calls on all Algerian political and religious leaders with any hold or influence over the perpetrators of the massacres to undertake to do their utmost to have the violence in Algeria stopped;

3. Calls on the Algerian Government to deepen the dialogue with all the political forces and democratic elements in the country who reject the use of violence, so as to release the country from the tragic situation into which it has plunged and allow the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the freedom of the press and the right to demonstrate, to be reestablished;

4. Calls for an ad hoc delegation to be set up to enable a dialogue to be launched without delay, in both Strasbourg and Algiers, with the new Algerian Parliament on the current critical situation in Algeria;

5. Calls on the Member States of the European Union not to repatriate Algerian nationals residing in their territory whose safety would be endangered if they were compelled to return to Algeria;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States and the Algerian Government and National Legislative Assembly.