On the ninth anniversary of the publication of the fatwa condemning the British author Salman Rushdie to death and calling for his assassination, the European Union recalls and repeats the affirmations it has made on previous anniversaries of the fatwa. These said that the fatwa remained null and void because it violated the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the principle of the sovereignty of States, who have responsibility for the protection of their nationals.

The European Union also expresses its grave concern over the continuing threats to the life of individuals associated with the work of Salman Rushdie.

Recalling previous resolutions of European Councils, the European Union calls upon Iran to abide by international law and urges the Iranian authorities to work with the EU to find a satisfactory solution in respect of Salman Rushdie.

The European Union welcomes the new Iranian Government's stated commitment to respect the rule of law and their emphasis on the need for a dialogue of civilisations. The European Union hopes that this will take us towards the assurances that we need to remove the threat to Salman Rushdie's life.

The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, the associated country Cyprus and the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this declaration.