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Letter from the Coordination of the Strasbourg Manifesto

to the Palestine Delegation of the European Parliament

samedi 8 octobre 2005

Palestine Delegation
European Parliament
Strasbourg

Strasbourg, 13 September 2005

Dear delegates,

The Coordination of the Strasbourg Manifesto (CSM) is contacting you following recent discussions, meetings and events between different representatives of Palestinian civil society which have taken place in the Occupied Territories, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. During these contacts, the CSM was asked to ensure that the “Framework Programme””, drawn up by representatives of Palestinian civil society both inside and outside the territories, is personally transmitted to you.

The document provides a summary of the basic and vital needs requested by our partners ; it is not for material or direct support from the European Parliament, but it is for intervention by the European Parliament as an official institution which has been democratically elected by Europeans. The request is for the European Parliament to undertake the steps necessary to establish rapid and efficient interventions of different types. These action plans would enable the populations of the Occupied Territories and the refugee camps to move away from the current situation of quasi total dependence due to the omnipresence of a paralysing and destructive occupation and an unfavourable environment.

The CSM and its 800 members - made up of NGOs and associations from 22 member states of the EU - is committed to offering the European Parliament all the cooperation and support it needs in order to fulfil the Palestinians’ demands. Furthermore, where necessary, the CSM could work with the European Parliament or other European institutions to undertake work in situ to examine in more detail the actions to be carried out under the different items of the”Framework Programme”.

Furthermore, the different components of the CSM will keep their national politicians informed of the steps being taken in order to guard against any attempt to prevent the European Parliament from responding favourably to all or some of the requests.

For the Parliamentary session of January 2006, the CSM and our Palestinian partners will be sending a large Palestinian delegation made up of a wide range of people from different key sectors. The delegation will meet with qualified representatives of the European Parliament and review progress made on the steps undertaken and, possibly, the action plans already in place.

For its part, the CSM, with its delegates from its 22 member countries, will also be present during these events. This will underline our solidarity with the process underway and enable us to follow closely, thanks to our geographical proximity, the progress which we hope will be positive relating to the positions, actions or decisions already undertaken or carried out.

This joint and supportive action towards the European Parliament highlights the interest and importance which our partners and we have for this Institution which we consider to be the only one capable of exerting the influence necessary to convince the European structures concerned to carry out, without delay and in a concrete and efficient manner, the necessary process of reconstruction, reorganisation and support.

Yours faithfully,

Michel Flament,
Coordinator