WRITTEN QUESTION P-2694/99

by Jas Gawronski (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 January 2000)

Subject: Measures to resolve the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea

Can the Commission indicate what measures it intends to take with regard to the conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia?

At the Joint Assembly with representatives of the ACP countries last October in Nassau the Members of the European Parliament requested the Council to take all the necessary measures to ensure that Ethiopia accepts and implements the peace plan proposed by the OAU. Up to now, Ethiopia has still not committed itself to the agreement and is still violating the fundamental rights of the Eritrean citizens resident on its territory.

Article 5 of the Lomé Convention provides for the suspension of cooperation between the European Union and the ACP States in cases of violation of human rights. Can the Commission indicate the reasons why it continues to cooperate with Ethiopia?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(31 January 2000)

The Commission has expressed to both governments and on various occasions its grave concern about the conflict. It has called on both sides to cease all hostilities and stop the fighting. The Commission has used all diplomatic means at its disposal to underline to both governments the need to resolve and settle the conflict by peaceful means only. Moreover, the Union Presidency has addressed various letters to both governments while a number of Union declarations have been issued on this matter. Regular contacts have been established between the Commission delegations and the respective governments and between the Commission and the respective embassies in Brussels. Furthermore, the Commissioner responsible for development has held meetings with both parties where he underlined the position of the Commission.

The Commission has expressed its unequivocal support to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) efforts aiming at a peaceful resolution of the conflict. It has strongly supported the OAU framework agreement as the only basis for a peaceful solution. In this respect, the Commission fully supports the nomination of the Italian deputy Minister of foreign affairs, Senator Serri, as the Union Presidency's special representative to assist the OAU in its mediating efforts. The Commission is examining ways, together with the OAU Secretariat, in which the Commission could assist the OAU, in particular in relation to the implementation of the framework agreement.

The Commission has presented a communication to the Council on co-operation with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries involved in armed conflicts. The Presidency is presently preparing draft Council conclusions on the basis of this Commission document. In the meantime and in the absence of a Union position on the matter, the Commission does not consider appropriate to take unilateral and isolated measures in the case of the Ethiopia Eritrea conflict. However, the Commission has already decided for structural adjustment programmes to allocate funds in smaller tranches and link further disbursements to a periodic review of the conflict and its possible impact on the public spending, particularly in the social sectors. As a consequence disbursement of structural adjustment funds to Ethiopia has been halted since January 1999.