B3-0869, 0873 and 0881/93

Resolution on the situation in Somalia

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its earlier resolutions on the civil war and famine in Somalia and to the resolution adopted by the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly in Botswana on 1 April 1993,

A.stressing the need for UN intervention in Somalia, and having regard to the positive role played by the United Nations security forces in distributing humanitarian aid to the starving inhabitants, thereby saving hundreds of thousands of human lives,

B.deploring the belligerents' failure to respect the declaration of Addis Ababa of 10 January 1993, in which all the Somali factions agreed to an immediate cease-fire and the disarmament of their troops,

C.deeply shocked by the increased recent bloodshed in Somalia involving not only civilians and soldiers, but also the multinational peace-keeping force,

1.Deplores the death of 23 Pakistani blue berets killed in an ambush on 5 June 1993 by supporters of General Aidid, who is held to be responsible for the disastrous plight of Somalia;

2.Expresses its sympathy to the Pakistani Government and the families of the Pakistani and Somali victims;

3.Unreservedly condemns the fact that UN soldiers were deliberately attacked and killed when they were about to inspect five arms depots in the framework of UNOSOM II and reaffirms its total support for the United Nations' efforts to come to the aid of the Somali people and establish peace and stability in the region;

4.Deplores the large number of revenge killings which followed this ambush;

5.Urges the appointment of independent judges to preside over the inquiry into the death of the Somalis shot by UN Pakistani troops on 13 June;

6.Approves the principle of the response to the killing of the Pakistani soldiers but expresses its doubts as to the nature of the response and its deep concern that a humanitarian operation will be turned into a punitive mission; considers that these events are linked to the fact that the UN does not have its own military contingent, under independent command, prepared for this type of intervention;

7.Stresses that, if the people of Somalia are to have any hope of peace and reconstruction, the UN forces must end the armed anarchy; welcomes the statements made by EPC on 8 June and by the Security Council on 14 June;

8.Calls on all parties to respect the cease-fire agreed in Addis Ababa on 10 January 1993;

9.Calls on all parties to cooperate with UNOSOM, which is sponsoring - and financing - a constitutional committee to find a political solution to the conflict in which several Somali faction leaders are pitted against each other and which has already cost the lives of several hundreds of thousands of people;

10.Calls for a social and economic reconstruction and rehabilitation plan to be drawn up for Somalia;

11.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN, the Pakistani Government and the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EEC Joint Assembly.