WRITTEN QUESTION E-0894/97 by Johanna Maij-Weggen (PPE) to the Council (11 March 1997)

Subject: UN Commission on Human Rights

The UN Commission on Human Rights will be meeting from 10 March to 18 April 1997 in Geneva.

Can the Council say what contributions it has made with regard to Turkey, Algeria, Colombia, Indonesia/East Timor, Nigeria and Burma, and how it has taken account in its contributions of the views of the European Parliament?

Answer (25 September 1997)

The Honourable Member of the European Parliament can be assured that, in the preparation for this year's 53rd session of the Commission on Human Rights, the Council took note and made use of the European Parliament's resolution adopted at its session of 17-21 February 1997.

This year the European Union has taken the lead on country specific resolutions on East Timor, Iran, Iraq, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria and Zaire. All resolutions sponsored by the European Union were adopted. It should also be mentioned that a UN Committee of Inquiry into the killings in East-Zaire was created with the help of the Member States.

Additionally, under item 10 ("Questions of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world¨) the Council has addressed its concern about the human rights situation in a large number of countries, among which Algeria, Colombia, Indonesia and Turkey are mentioned by the Honourable Parliamentarian.

The case of Turkey was taken up under part four (countries in transition towards democratization) of the intervention by the Netherlands on behalf of the EU, in which mention was made of the fact that despite certain good intentions on the side of the Government, the human rights situation in Turkey continues to be cause for great concern.

On Algeria, a paragraph in the statement on country situations, demands that human rights be fully respected and earnestly calls upon the Algerian Government to create conditions conducive to the establishment of a democratic process and of peace and stability in the country.

On Colombia, the European Union expressed its concern about the serious situation of human rights and humanitarian law in that country and called on the Colombian authorities to commit themselves to improving their human rights record, inter alia to cooperate with international organizations. The Union equally contributed to the statement of the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights which inter alia welcomed the opening (in April 1997) of the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Columbia.

In the EU co-sponsored resolution on Indonesia/East Timor and in its statement on Indonesia, the Union expressed its deep concern about the limited progress on the commitments made by the Government of Indonesia to promote human rights in East Timor and in line with the views of the European Parliament , the Government of Indonesia was again called upon to ensure full respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of East Timor and inter alia to ensure early release of East Timorese detainees.

The European Union remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Nigeria. The Honourable Member of the European Parliament will have noticed that the resolution on Nigeria demands the release of all political prisoners, and defines the brief for the appointment of a special rapporteur on human rights in Nigeria.

Like last year, the EU resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar was adopted without a vote. The human rights situation remains of great concern to the European Union, as is well known to the European Parliament. It is worth nothing also that the European Union - outside the framework of the Commission on Human Rights - in referring to the human rights clause - cancelled the GSP status of Myanmar.