B4-1113 and 1150/95

Resolution on support for the Network of Cities of Asylum

The European Parliament,

A.recalling its positions in the struggle for freedom of expression and against racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, political and religious persecution and all forms of intolerance,

B.having regard to the initiative of the International Parliament of Writers to set up a Network of Cities of Asylum for threatened and persecuted writers, supported notably by the Council of Europe and the Council of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe,

C.having regard to resolution no 5 of the Plenary Assembly of the 11th Congress of the World Poets' Organization, meeting in Sintra on 29 March 1995,

D.having regard to the growth of new forms of intolerance throughout the world, directed, in particular, against the faculty of thought and freedom of creation and reflected in numerous attacks resulting in full-blown censorship,

1.Expresses its support for the initiative to set up a Network of Cities of Asylum in the European Union;

2.Believes that this support forms part of its support for human rights and its opposition to the recrudescence of intolerance in both old and new forms which threatens, often by violence, freedom of thought, creativity and expression;

3.Welcomes the decision already taken by such European cities as Almería, Amsterdam, Berlin, Helsinki, Strasbourg, Venice and Sintra to join the Network of Cities of Asylum;

4.Calls on European cities to subscribe to the commitments provided for by the Charter and join the Network of Cities of Asylum;

5.Calls on the Commission to take action to fund programmes and instructs its Committee on Budgets to ensure that measures are taken under the 1996 budget;

6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, the Council of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and the 'International Parliament of Writers'.