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Brussels, 12 October 2001 |
PRESS RELEASE
Subject :
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Declaration by the Presidency, on behalf of the European Union, in the light of the natural disaster – Hurricane Iris – which struck Belize |
Following Hurricane Iris, which caused the death of some twenty persons, many injuries and substantial damage to property and economic loss, the European Union presents its sincere condolences to the Government and people of Belize, in particular the families of the victims.
The European Union wishes to express its solidarity with the population of Belize in these difficult times. It stands ready to assist the Government of Belize immediately through humanitarian aid measures and is prepared to consider ways of supporting reconstruction within the framework of the financial resources available.
The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the EFTA countries Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this declaration.
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