For the attention of:

Mr Khamtay SIPHANDONE, President of Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Mr Boungnang VORACHIT, Prime Minister of Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Mr Samane VIGNAKETH, President of the National Assembly of Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Mr Somsavat LENGSAVAD, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Strasbourg, 9 April 2003


We are writing to you once again to ask you to release Thongpaseuth KEUAKOUN, Seng-aloun PHENGPHANH, Bouavanh CHANMANIVONG, Khamphouvieng SISA-AT, and KEOCHAY, the leaders of the “26 October 1999 Movement”, as well as Latsami KHAMPHOUI, Feng SACKCHITTAPHONG and all prisoners of opinion and conscience in Lao PDR.

As you know, the Laos-European Union Co-operation Agreement of April 1997, in the first article of the “human rights clause”, stipulates explicitly full “respect of the principles of democracy and of the fundamental human rights” by the two signatory parties. These requirements have also been reiterated on several occasions by the European Parliament, in particular in two resolutions on Laos adopted unanimously on 15 February and 15 November 2001.

We are convinced that only a process of rapid, ambitious reform in favour of the establishment of democracy and the Rule of Law and founded on a genuine process of national reconciliation can allow your wonderful country and all the people of Laos to create real development in the country.

It is our firm belief that the release of the students, politicians and other prisoners of opinion would be a gesture of strength and wisdom on your part, and that it would be interpreted by the authorities of the European Union and its member states as a spur to reinforce relations between your country and the European Union. It is our sincere hope that you will take steps in this direction.

Respectfully,

M. Niall ANDREWS (UEN, Irland), M. Paolo BARTOLOZZI (PPE-DE, Italy), M. John BOWIS (PPE-DE, United Kingdom), M. Renato BRUNETTA (PPE-DE, Italy), M. Marco CAPPATO (Radical, Italy), Mme Maria CARRILHO (PSE, Portugal), M. Paulo CASACA (PSE, Portugal), M. Michael CASHMAN (PSE, United Kingdom), M. Richard CORBETT (PSE, United Kingdom), M. Gianfranco DELL'ALBA (Radical, Italy), M. Benedetto DELLA VEDOVA (Radical, Italy)
Mme Marielle DE SARNEZ (PPE-DE, France), M. Harlem DÉSIR (PSE, France)
M. Giuseppe DI LELLO FINUOLI (GUE/NGL, Italy), M. Olivier DUPUIS (Radical, Italy), M. Francesco FIORI (PPE-DE, Italy), M. James FITZSIMONS (UEN, Irland), Mme Monica FRASSONI (co-president of the Greens/ALE, Belgium), M. Christopher HUHNE (ELDR, United Kingdom), M. Jules MAATEN (ELDR, Netherlands), M. Miquel MAYOL i RAYNAL (Verts/ALE, Spain), M. Reinhold MESSNER (Verts/ALE, Italy), Mme Pasqualina NAPOLETANO (PSE, Italy), M. Jean-Thomas NORDMANN (ELDR, France), M. Gérard ONESTA (Verts/ALE, France), M. José Ignacio SALAFRANCA SÁNCHEZ-NEYRA (vice-president of the EPP-DE, Spain), Mme Nicole THOMAS-MAURO (UEN, France), Mme Astrid THORS (ELDR, Finland); M. Maurizio TURCO (Radical, Italy), M. Demetrio VOLCIC (PSE, Italy), M. François ZIMERAY (PSE, France)