Joint Motion for a Resolution on Guinea

JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

pursuant to Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure, by

– Jürgen Schröder, Charles Tannock, Bernd Posselt and Eija-Riitta Korhola, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group

– Pasqualina Napoletano, Harlem Désir, Marie-Arlette Carlotti, Pierre Moscovici, Catherine Trautmann and Alain Hutchinson, on behalf of the PSE Group

– Marco Cappato and Marios Matsakis, on behalf of the ALDE Group

– Eoin Ryan, on behalf of the UEN Group

– Marie-Hélène Aubert, Margrete Auken and Frithjof Schmidt, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

– Luisa Morgantini and Feleknas Uca, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group

replacing the motions by the following groups:

– UEN (B6 0049/2007)

– GUE/NGL (B6 0050/2007)

– Verts/ALE (B6 0055/2007)

– ALDE (B6 0062/2007)

– PSE (B6 0063/2007)

– PPE-DE (B6 0064/2007)

on Guinea

European Parliament resolution on Guinea

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. gravely concerned by President Conté's declaration of a state of emergency on 13 February 2007 following the general strike launched on 10 January by Guinea's trade unions and civil society concerning economic and social claims and the violent repression by security forces of a peaceful demonstration held on 17 January 2007 in Conakry,

B. concerned by the recent violence during which security forces clashed with protestors asking president Conte, who took power in a 1984 coup d'état, to appoint an independent Prime Minister and hand over all his presidential powers,

C. whereas President Conté has declared a 'state of siege', which includes a 20-hour-a-day curfew, a ban on processions, marches and demonstrations, as well as public and private meetings, and which authorises day and night searches, giving the army extensive powers to take 'all the necessary measures',

D. whereas violent repression by the army's special forces, in particular the 'Mobile Company for Intervention and Security' and the 'Autonomous Battalion for Presidential Security', has caused a large number of victims,

E. whereas President Conté's appointment of Mr Eugène Camara as Prime Minister on 9 February was not in accordance with the January 27 agreement signed between the government and the unions, which called for a 'consensus Prime Minister' with extensive executive powers for a three-year transition period during which parliamentary and presidential elections would be organised, and has consequently led to continued violence and lawlessness through out Guinea,

F. whereas since 2005 there have been several incidents in which Guinean security forces have fired on unarmed demonstrators, notably in June 2006, when the government responded to demonstrations against the rising prices of basic commodities with a brutal crackdown, during which the police and soldiers gunned down at least 13 unarmed demonstrators,

G. whereas Guinea is endowed with gold, iron and bauxite, as well as fertile land and water resources, including fish stocks, which could have contributed to improving the population's living standards if democratic accountability had prevailed in the country,

1. Strongly condemns the disproportionate and excessive use of force by the Guinean security forces during the recent demonstrations in various parts of the country, which resulted in the death of many civilians, the wounding of several demonstrators and the detention of trade union leaders, among others;

2. Stresses the importance of appointing a consensus Prime Minister, in accordance with the