The European Parliament adopted by 533 votes to 43 with 26 abstentions a resolution on Iraq.

The resolution had been tabled by the EPP-ED, PES, Greens/ALE, UEN and ALDE groups.

Noting that the political and security situation in Iraq remains unstable, causing numerous deaths and injuries among Europeans, the Iraqi people and international military personnel, Parliament strongly condemns all indiscriminate violence and in particular all the terrorist attacks against civilians, religious minorities, police forces and soldiers of the multinational force, the taking of hostages, including journalists and NGO personnel, and the atrocious murders which have been committed and remain unpunished. It affirms that every effort must be made to stop such attempts to weaken, through the use of violence, the determination of the Iraqi Government and the international community to proceed with the democratic process.

It particularly condemns in the strongest terms the abduction of French journalists Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, as well as Italian aid workers Simona Torretta and Simona Pari and of a British citizen, and demands their immediate unconditional release, as well as that of all other hostages, whatever their national origin. Members welcome the many expressions of solidarity by Iraqi citizens and in the Islamic world with the hostages. They call on the Iraqi authorities and all the official bodies concerned to make every effort to secure the release of the hostages and not to create any obstacles to this endeavour. Furthermore, everything possible mustbe done to repatriate the mortal remains of the Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni.

Parliament urges the Presidency of the Council, the High Representative for CFSP and the Commission to support initiatives to this end by the Member States concerned. It reaffirms the determination of the European Union to assist the transformation of Iraq and its reintegration into the international community as a sovereign, independent and democratic partner country. It strongly supports the medium-term strategy issued by the Commission in line with these principles. The resolution supports the Commission proposal to allocate a further EUR 200 million EU contribution towards Iraq's reconstruction in 2005, and urges the Council to use the flexibility instrument to implement that commitment without reducing expenditure in other areas of EU external action. Parliament insists that the reconstruction process should be transparent in all its aspects, in particular political, economic and financial. It recommends that its Foreign Affairs Committee prepare a comprehensive report on the situation in Iraq, taking into account the consequences of the war and all problems related to the rehabilitation, reconstruction and stabilisation of that country.

Members go on to call on the new Iraqi government authorities and the religious communities in the country, in particular all the religious authorities, to condemn strongly, clearly and unequivocally every form of terrorism. They also demand that the elections to the transitional National Assembly, which are scheduled to be held by January 2005 and are considered a major step towards the establishment of a democratic Iraq, be free and fair and with the full participation of women.

The European Parliament adopted by 533 votes to 43 with 26 abstentions a resolution on Iraq.

The resolution had been tabled by the EPP-ED, PES, Greens/ALE, UEN and ALDE groups.

Noting that the political and security situation in Iraq remains unstable, causing numerous deaths and injuries among Europeans, the Iraqi people and international military personnel, Parliament strongly condemns all indiscriminate violence and in particular all the terrorist attacks against civilians, religious minorities, police forces and soldiers of the multinational force, the taking of hostages, including journalists and NGO personnel, and the atrocious murders which have been committed and remain unpunished. It affirms that every effort must be made to stop such attempts to weaken, through the use of violence, the determination of the Iraqi Government and the international community to proceed with the democratic process.

It particularly condemns in the strongest terms the abduction of French journalists Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, as well as Italian aid workers Simona Torretta and Simona Pari and of a British citizen, and demands their immediate unconditional release, as well as that of all other hostages, whatever their national origin. Members welcome the many expressions of solidarity by Iraqi citizens and in the Islamic world with the hostages. They call on the Iraqi authorities and all the official bodies concerned to make every effort to secure the release of the hostages and not to create any obstacles to this endeavour. Furthermore, everything possible mustbe done to repatriate the mortal remains of the Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni.

Parliament urges the Presidency of the Council, the High Representative for CFSP and the Commission to support initiatives to this end by the Member States concerned. It reaffirms the determination of the European Union to assist the transformation of Iraq and its reintegration into the international community as a sovereign, independent and democratic partner country. It strongly supports the medium-term strategy issued by the Commission in line with these principles. The resolution supports the Commission proposal to allocate a further EUR 200 million EU contribution towards Iraq's reconstruction in 2005, and urges the Council to use the flexibility instrument to implement that commitment without reducing expenditure in other areas of EU external action. Parliament insists that the reconstruction process should be transparent in all its aspects, in particular political, economic and financial. It recommends that its Foreign Affairs Committee prepare a comprehensive report on the situation in Iraq, taking into account the consequences of the war and all problems related to the rehabilitation, reconstruction and stabilisation of that country.

Members go on to call on the new Iraqi government authorities and the religious communities in the country, in particular all the religious authorities, to condemn strongly, clearly and unequivocally every form of terrorism. They also demand that the elections to the transitional National Assembly, which are scheduled to be held by January 2005 and are considered a major step towards the establishment of a democratic Iraq, be free and fair and with the full participation of women.