WRITTEN QUESTION P-3202/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Subject: American obstacles to European humanitarian initiatives on Iraq and the flight to Iraq

1. Is the Commission aware of the initiative of 126 prominent Europeans, including members of the parliaments of France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, to visit Iraq on 29 September as part of the flight to Iraq fact-finding mission regarding the plight of the people of that country as a result of the long-term boycott of the Saddam Hussein regime?

2. Is the Commission aware that the flight to Iraq had to be postponed because at the last moment the Belgian carrier, Bruxelles International, refused to perform the flight from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle (Paris) which had been agreed with, and reported to, the United Nations sanctions commission in good time?

3. Those taking part in the mission believe that the flight did not go ahead because the US Administration informed the Belgian government that the Belgian carrier would be punished by having its American landing rights withdrawn. Does the Commission have any information to confirm or deny this and, if not, is the Commission prepared to launch an inquiry into what happened?

4. Was the Commission informed or consulted about this issue in any way in advance? If so, what was the Commission's attitude?

5. Does the Commission agree that the fact that the US Administration applies a more stringent boycott of Iraq than agreed by the United Nations should not result in it demanding that other countries including the Member States of the European Union accept the American view?

6. Does the Commission also agree that any pressure on European companies including transport companies to fall in line with the views of the USA, as referred to in question 5, is unacceptable?

7. In the light of Parliament's resolutions on Iraq (B5-0342, 0349, 0365 and 374/00) of April 2000 which, in the light of the drastic effect on the civilian population and the lack of any impact on the Iraqi regime called for an immediate end to the embargo, how does the Commission intend to ensure that from now on no obstacles are placed in the way of humanitarian contacts with the population of Iraq which are not based on decisions taken by the national authorities, the European Union or the United Nations?

8. Given the opinion of the European Parliament referred to in question 7, is the Commission prepared in future to lend active support to initiatives for human contacts with the people of Iraq and to ensure that the alternative flight to Iraq planned for the near future can actually go ahead?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(27 October 2000)

Referring to the intitiative of 126 Europeans to visit Iraq by a chartered airplane on 29 September 2000 and the cancellation of this flight from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport at the last moment, the Commission is aware of this incident from various reports. The reports are not clear on the reasons for the cancellation of the flight. This is a matter between the airline company and the aviation authorities of Belgium and France (the countries of departures of the flight).

The sanction regime, which governs Iraq's relations with the rest of the world, has been subject to intensive debate and different interpretation, especially the conditions for clearance of flights to Iraq. As far as flights between the Community and Iraq are concerned, Council Regulation (EC) No 2465/96(1) provides that flights are only allowed if the Iraq Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council has given an authorisation. Requests for such authorisations are usually routed to the Iraq Sanctions Committee through the authorities of the Member States. Therefore, the Commission is normally not involved in decisions on individual flights.

Since 1991, the Community has been the major donor of humanitarian aid to Iraq with a total of 242 million. The Community has continued this assistance with an allocation of 8,5 million in 2000. The assistance is implemented by European non-governmental organisations and the United Nations (UN) agencies in the framework of the sanction regime adopted by the UN. The Community supports any humanitarian assistance initiatives benefiting the Iraq population within this framework, including allowing humanitarian flights to Iraq.

(1) OJ L 337, 27.12.1996.