Motion for a resolution - B6-0059/2005Motion for a resolution
B6-0059/2005

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

10.1.2005

to wind up the debate on statements by the Council and Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Brian Crowley and Cristiana Muscardini
on behalf of the UEN Group
on the recent tsunami disaster in Asia

Procedure : 2005/2500(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B6-0059/2005
Texts tabled :
B6-0059/2005
Texts adopted :

B6‑0059/2005

European Parliament resolution on the recent tsunami disaster in Asia

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the recent tsunami disaster, which took place on 26 December 2004,

–  having regard to the commitments of the Millennium Development Goals,

–  having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas this disaster affected many areas, stretching from Indonesia to Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Somalia and many neighbouring territories,

B.  whereas 150 000 people have died, with many more thousands missing,

C.  whereas the humanitarian aid effort should be intensified to help the affected areas and the two million displaced persons,

D.  whereas food aid should be provided to two million people in the affected regions,

E.  whereas this aid is necessary because, otherwise, more people will lose their lives over the coming days and weeks,

F.  whereas the local economic infrastructure in the affected areas has been utterly destroyed,

G.  welcoming the G7 decision to agree to a debt moratorium for the countries hit by the tsunami,

H.  welcoming the EU Foreign Ministers' decision of 7 January 2005 to develop a new rapid response capability to deal with future humanitarian disasters,

I.  welcoming the EU Foreign Ministers' decision of 7 January 2005 to ask Javier Solano, the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, to examine how best to improve the coordination of the military resources of EU Member States to deal with such humanitarian situations,

J.  welcoming the introduction of an international Convention on emergency telecommunications assistance, which came into force on 8 January 2005 under the auspices of the United Nations,

K.  welcoming the EU Foreign Ministers' decision of 7 January 2005 to support sending EU military resources to offer logistical support to regions affected by the tsunami disaster,

L.  welcoming the fact that EU Member States and the Commission have pledged more than € 1.5 billion in official aid for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affected region,

M.  welcoming the financial support given to charitable organisations by the people of Europe and around the world for the relief effort,

1.  Calls for an intensification of humanitarian aid support to the affected regions over the coming weeks;

2.  Calls for the European Union to look carefully at creating a European Civil Protection Agency which can coordinate the response of the European Union when natural disasters arise,

3.  Calls for a greater level of coordination between international agencies and local authorities in all affected areas to protect children;

4.  Calls on the European Union and the United Nations to work with countries affected to develop early warning systems;

5.  Calls on the international community to ensure that financial assistance that is presently being contributed is additional to commitments given under former development aid programmes;

6.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council Presidency, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the World Bank, the President of the International Monetary Fund and the governments of the affected regions.