Resolution on the catastrophic earthquake in Athens on 7 September 1999
Date: 1999-09-16
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Greece, earthquake, seismic monitoring

25.2.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 54/107

Thursday 16 September 1999

1.

Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC

2.
Treaty;

If the Council intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament, calls on the Council to notify

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Parliament;

4.

5.

Asks to be consulted again if the Council intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially;

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

14. Earthquakes in Turkey and Greece

(a) B5-0072, 0077, 0087, 0088, 0104 and 0109/1999

Resolution on the earthquake in Turkey

The European Parliament,

A. whereas in the early hours of 17 August 1999 a devastating earthquake, measuring 7,4 on the Richter

scale, struck the densely populated and heavily industrialised north-western part of Turkey,

B. whereas this earthquake has resulted in more than 15 000 dead, 25 000 injured, widespread material

destruction and many thousands of persons still missing,

C. whereas a lack of organisation during the days following the earthquake hampered the efforts of res-

cue workers,

D. whereas the EU is providing humanitarian aid to the areas most affected,

Expresses its sincere sympathy and solidarity with Turkey and with the relatives and friends of all

1.
those who have been killed or injured;

2.
Commends the efforts of the rescue teams from the Member States and calls on the Commission to
explore ways of improving the effectiveness of relief organisation in major humanitarian disasters inside or
outside the EU and to report to Parliament on its findings;

Believes that urgent consideration should be given to the creation of a European Research Institute

3.
for the systematic study and application of new methods for early warning of seismic activity;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Government

4.
and Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

(b) B5-0074, 0076, 0086, 0089 and 0102/1999

Resolution on the catastrophic earthquake in Athens on 7 September 1999

The European Parliament,

A. whereas a devastating earthquake, measuring 5,9 on the Richter scale, struck the Athens region on

7 September 1999,

B. whereas over 100 people were killed and several hundred injured, several thousand buildings and
houses were destroyed and hundreds of others were damaged, and over 60 000 people have been
affected by the disaster,

C. whereas considerable damage was caused to buildings in the city of Athens, including the historic

monuments, the archaeological museum, churches and hospitals,

C 54/108

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

25.2.2000

Thursday 16 September 1999

1.

2.

Expresses its profound sympathy with the victims’ families and everyone living in Attica;

Commends the efforts of the rescue teams involved in the search for survivors;

Calls on the Commission, the Council and other competent bodies to consider all possible ways of

3.
speedily helping the victims and rapidly repairing the damage;

Believes that urgent consideration should be given to the creation of a European Research Institute

4.
for the systematic study and application of new methods for early warning of seismic activity;

5.
Calls on the Commission to explore ways of improving the effectiveness of relief organisation in
major humanitarian disasters inside or outside the EU, such as the setting up of a civilian protection
corps to coordinate rescue units and equipment of the Member States, and to report to the Parliament
on its findings;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Greek Govern-

6.
ment and the authorities of the Attica region and the city of Athens.

15. Dagestan

B5-0071, 0078, 0085, 0090, 0095 and 0103/1999

Resolution on the armed conflict in the Dagestan Republic of Russia

The European Parliament,

; having regard to its assent of 30 November 1995 to the conclusion of an Agreement on Partnership
and Cooperation between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part,
and the Russian Federation, of the other part (1), and its assent of 11 June 1997 to the conclusion of
the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and
their Member States and the Russian Federation (2),

; having regard to the EU’s support to the continued development of cooperation within the Black Sea

Council,

; having regard to the Common Strategy of the European Union on Russia, adopted by the Council in

June 1999,

; having regard to the Declaration by the Presidency of the Council on behalf of the EU on the situation
in the Dagestan Republic of Russia and the Statement by the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE on the
Situation in Dagestan as of 13 August 1999,

A. whereas the European Union is committed to strengthening the strategic partnership with Russia in
terms of economic integration and of cooperation while maintaining stability and security in Europe
and beyond,

B.

stressing the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation,

C. whereas the Russian Federation is facing a serious economic, financial, social and institutional crisis,

D. deeply concerned about the violent attacks on the territory of the Dagestan Republic of the Russian

Federation perpetrated by extremist armed forces entering from Chechnya,

E. worried about the escalation in the armed conflict between the extremist armed forces and the Russian
military which is causing many victims and refugees among the civilian population in Dagestan and
the Chechen Republic,

(1) OJ C 339,18.12.1995, p. 45.
(2) OJ C 200, 30.6.1997, p. 66.