B3-0695, 0705, 0723, 0747 and 0762/93

Resolution on the coup in Guatemala

The European Parliament,

A.deeply disturbed at the recent actions of the President of Guatemala, Mr Jorge Serrano, suspending the Constitution, dissolving the Parliament, the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court and dismissing the Prosecutor for Human Rights and the Attorney-General,

B.having regard to the reply of the Constitutional Court declaring the President's decrees to be unconstitutional,

C.welcoming the decision by the Secretary-General of the OAS, Mr Soares, to call an urgent meeting on the basis of OAS resolution No. 1080, as occurred following earlier coups in Haiti and Peru,

1.Condemns unequivocally the coup engineered by the President of Guatemala, Mr Jorge Serrano;

2.Calls for the rapid and immediate restoration of constitutional order;

3.Calls for cast-iron guarantees that the physical integrity and freedom of the representatives of the people will be ensured and human rights respected;

4.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to suspend cooperation with the Guatemalan government forthwith;

5.Calls for the seat of the Central American Parliament to be moved from Guatemala to Honduras or El Salvador until constitutional order is restored;

6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, European Political Cooperation, the Government of Guatemala, the Central American Parliament and the Organization of American States.