Scarbonchi (GUE/NGL). – (FR) Mr President, my comments relate to Côte d'Ivoire. You gave permission to send a parliamentary mission on 9 December on the basis of a resolution adopted on 10 October. I would like to thank you for this. This mission has not been able to take place, however, due to the fact that neither of Parliament’s two main groups, the PPE-DE Group and the PSE Group, was able to provide two MEPs. In my view, it is a matter of regret, and particularly damaging, that Parliament, which is in fact contributing to the development policy, is unable to intervene in a country at war, and is therefore content with observation missions or investigations into the massacres and does not take part in the prevention and the management of a conflict with such important implications as that affecting Côte d'Ivoire, one of the most strategic countries in the whole of West Africa.

I therefore call on you, Mr President, as I know that you are concerned by this matter, to enable a European Parliament mission to visit Côte d'Ivoire before the end of the year, since this is what President Gbagbo, France and the West African Development Community countries have requested. This is a question of honour and dignity for this House.