Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- [Don't expect to read about a EU-NATO brokered autonomy arrangement - or the creation of a Corsica Protection Corps - any time in the near future. France is, after all, a member of the NATO Quint and as such not to be trifled with. For those so willfully blind as to (intentionally) miss the point, NATO makes the rules, breaks the rules and bombs those who don't play by their arbitrary guidelines.] August 6, 2001 Corsica Nationalists Urge Amnesty CORTE, Corsica (AP) -- Nationalists on the French island of Corsica urged the French government Sunday to agree to an amnesty for Corsican militants being held in Paris jails, saying peace efforts here will fail unless they are freed. Nationalist groups are demanding that France agree to transfer some 43 prisoners to Corsican jails and, in the longer term, to grant an unconditional amnesty, said Olivier Sauli, spokesman for Corsica's Anti-Repression Committee. The amnesty would also apply to other militants who are being sought by French authorities. Corsica has been part of France since 1768, but separatists have been waging a struggle for more autonomy for the Mediterranean island since the mid-1970s. Their call for the amnesty deal came at an annual meeting of nationalist groups from Corsica and other European regions. About 1,000 people attended, including members of Northern Ireland's Sinn Fein party and groups in France's Basque region. ''The No. 1 priority is to settle the question of the political prisoners,'' said Jean-Guy Talamoni, head of the Corsica Nazione nationalist group, who has led negotiations with the government for greater Corsican autonomy. In May, French lawmakers took a step toward granting the Mediterranean island more power, giving preliminary approval to legislation that would also make the Corsican language part of the school curriculum. The move was part of a peace effort launched last year by Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. It would give Corsica limited right to pass its own laws starting in 2004, provided that peace is restored on the island. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
