ELDR expresses its condolences to all those who were hurt in the horrific terrorist attacks on Mumbai, the financial capital of India, the world’s largest democratic state. We express our support to the government of India to find the perpetrators of these attacks. It is of utmost importance for the two neighbouring states India and Pakistan to show political readiness to cooperate as closely as possible to investigate those that were behind these attacks on a vulnerable and open society.

ELDR is relieved that the MEPs who were in Mumbai as a delegation of the European Parliament International Trade Committee, led by liberal MEP Ignasi Guardans Cambó (CDC, Catalonia) remained unharmed.

For ELDR these attacks underline that also for Europeans it is important to take their appropriate role in contributing effectively to global security. We call for major new efforts to strengthen and extend the European Security and Defence Policy. Security and defence-related resources and capabilities should be brought together to prevent such attacks in our open European society. The liberal manifesto for the European elections of 2009 underlines this approach.