Europe rules out Bin Laden truce
Showing some spine finally! From
The Guardian comes an article with European leaders reactions to the purported tape from O.B.L. offering a truce to European nations who disengaged from the war against Islamofacism.
bq.
Europeans rule out al-Qaida talks
European countries, including Britain, today ruled out talks with al-Qaida after a tape recording from a man claiming to be Osama bin Laden offered a truce to any of them if they stopped "attacking Muslims or interfering in their affairs".
England's Foreign Office:
bq. "The right response is to continue to confront terrorism, not give in to its demands."
French president, Jacques Chirac:
bq. "Terrorism is a barbarous act that attacks innocent people. One cannot lean on religion or any other motivation to perpetrate terrorist acts. No discussion with terrorism."
Spain's incoming foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos:
bq. "What we want is peace, democracy and freedom. We don't have to listen to or answer the tape."
An unnamed German Government spokesman:
bq. "The international community must pursue the fight against international terrorism together," he added. "Germany will continue to make its contribution."
European commision president, Romano Prodi:
bq. "There is no possibility for negotiation under terrorist threat."
Italian foreign minister, Franco Frattini:
bq. ...talks with al-Qaida were "unthinkable".
This is good beyond words - now let us hope that they will act as well as talk.
Posted by DaveH at April 15, 2004 11:19 AM