Over 80 signatures were collected in support of the resolution proposal on South Africa presented by European MP Marco Pannella

The firm, resolute appeal to the African national Congress and to Nelson Mandela, urging them to adjust their positions to the needs of non-violence, of dialogue, democracy and peace, turning them into instruments for the battle to overcome apartheid: the appeal to the European Community and to the member states to immediately begin the process of overcoming the sanctions, contained in a resolution project of the European Parliament, is receiving a vast consent which undoubtedly represents the new, political fact of the June session of the European Parliament, and as compared to the traditional positions concerning Austral Africa.

80 MPs have already signed the document, and more are signing it. The President of the Socialist Group, Jean Pierre Cot, immediately took measures, communicating to the press that his Group invites the adherents not to sign the document. The merit of the Italian Socialists who support it, Baget Bozzo, Mattina, Carniti, La Pergola and the Social-Democrat Ferri is even greater.

The whole of the PPE group (Popular-Christian Democrat) is now considering the document favourably: in addition to the leader of the group, Klepsh, it was signed by Arnaldo Forlani and Emilio Colombo.

Many other members of the Liberal Group followed the example given by Bruno Visentini, namely former European Community commissioner Willy de Clerc. Unfortunately, the Italian Communists seem to share the attitude of the other European Lefts, if we exclude some Italian Greens (Aglietta, Bettini, Taradash and autonomists Max Simeoni and Mario Melis).

Pannella said he hoped that the Italian parliament as well would follow the path opened by the European motion.

RESOLUTION PROPOSAL

The European Parliament

- considering the evolution of the Situation in Southern Africa and especially in South Africa;

- considering the great democratization effort shown by the South African government, its courageous tolerant and unilateral initiatives which dramatically oppose it to the historical heritage of the apartheid regime and to the forces which still refer to it;

- considering that the African National Congress, the main opposition force to this government, confirms its violent political and military options, thus becoming an indirect but very strong aid to the reactionary forces and to the maintenance of the "status quo";

- considering the entire African context, where dictatorial forces, one-party regimes, state violence and the complete absence of the legal state still triumph, additional but relevant causes for the death due to starvation, misery and violence of millions of people each year;

- considering that South Africa, in its current process of reform, must be helped in proving that the choice of a legal state, of a

democratic perspective, of non-violent methods to regulate and govern historical conflicts, and to overcome and cancel apartheid from a juridical, cultural, social point of view, has the complete support of the international community;

- asks the European Community and the member states to immediatly begin a process of complete revocation of the sanctions, of immediate aid to the development of the economy, the democratization and the stability of the South African Republic and society; a process which converges with the one already successfully started in the South African Republic, if this will be continued;

- addresses an urgent and strong appeal to the African National Congress and to its moral leader Nelson Mandela, Sakharov prize of the European Community, asking them to return to the non-violent historical and Gandhian roots of their movement, and to cancel any adhesion to a violent means for political struggle, from which only further tragedies for the South African people can arise;

- charges the President of the European Parliament to transmit the present resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments of the member states.

The first signers

PANNELLA, KLEPSH, VISENTINI, BAGET BOZZO, LATAILLED, HASBURG, JANSEN VAN RAY, MATTINA, SCOTT-HOPKINS, CHANTERIE, DEFRAIGNE, CARNITI, CASSIDY, ROBLES-PIQUER, WIJSENBEEK, FORMIGONI, HERMAN, VON WCHMAR, MELIS, TARADASH, SUAREZ GONZALEZ, CALVO ORTEGA, FERRI, PRAG, GAIBISSO, POETTERING, KELLET-BOWMAN, PESMAZOGLOU, CASSANMANGNAGO, NICHOLSON, MUSCARDINI, BAUR, BINDI, CHIABRANDO, THEATO, LAGAKOS, CASINI, MCMILLAN-SCOTT, VON STAUFFENBERG, O'HAGAN, PISONI, HADJIGEURGIU, BEAZLEY, TURNER, MICHELINI, VON WOGAU, DALSASS, SISO-CRUELLAS, REDING, MUNCH, MENRAD, AGLIETTA, BOURLANGES, QUISHOUDT, LULLING, HOPPENSTEDT, KEPPELHOSS, RINSCHE, BOEGE, PERSCHAU, STAVROU, PIRKL, ROMERA I ALCAZAR, VALVERDE-LOPEZ, MUELLER, FUNK, BETTINI, FERRER, MERZ, FRIEDERICH, LLORCA VILAPLANA, MOOREHOUSE, LA PERGOLA, COLOMBO, FORLANI, PISONI f., LUSTER.