WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1469/97 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Council. Activities of non-governmental organizations in Belarus
Date: 1997-04-30
Institutions: European Parliament, MUSCARDINI
Subjects: EU aid, USSR, aid to disaster victims, humanitarian aid, non-governmental organisation, non-tariff barrier, nuclear accident, the EU's international role

11. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 76/35

Furthermore, Article 16 of Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 defines the information which may be placed on a
label. This information includes, in particular, the country of origin, the identification number and sex of the
animal, methods of fattening or other information related to feeding and a reference number or code to ensure the
link between the meat and the animals from which this meat is derived.

The  Commission  agrees  with  the  technical  provision  of  the  Regulation  and  takes  the  view  that  the  burdens
imposed on the sector concerned are no more than absolutely necessary.

(1)  OJ L 117, 7.5.1997.

(98/C 76/104)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1403/97

by Concepcio· Ferrer (PPE) to the Council

(22 April 1997)

Subject: (cid:145)Fatwa(cid:146) pronounced against Salman Rushdie

On the eighth anniversary of the Iranian (cid:145)fatwa(cid:146) pronounced against Salman Rushdie the Khordad-15 Foundation
increased reward for his assassination from $2 to 2.5 million dollars.

Given  that  the  Iranian  Government  has  failed  to  response  to  the  EU(cid:146)s  call  for  a  solution  to  be  found  to  the
problem, and in view of the fact that the (cid:145)fatwa(cid:146) contravenes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
principle of sovereignty of states is the Council intending to take further action to find a way of cancelling the
(cid:145)fatwa(cid:146) pronounced against Mr Rushdie?

Answer

(25 September 1997)

The  attention  of  the  Honourable  Member  is  drawn  to  the  declaration  made  on  13  February  1997  by  the
Presidency on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the (cid:147)fatwa(cid:148) against Salman Rushdie.

The Council(cid:146)s views on Iranian behaviour remain unchanged; and although, under the present circumstances,
there is no basis for the continuation of the Critical Dialogue with Iran, it will continue to demand that Iran abide
by international law.

(98/C 76/105)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1469/97

by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Council

(30 April 1997)

Subject: Activities of non-governmental organizations in Belarus

In view of the precarious food and health situation facing the population of the Republic of Belarus following the
Chernobyl nuclear accident;

Whereas by Law No 1710/12 of 9 January 1997, the Government of Belarus practically closed the borders to any
type of humanitarian convoy, introducing extremely strict rules on entry, supervision, storage and distribution of
medical products and equipment and food supplies in Belarus;

Whereas every year NGOs organizing holidays for over 50 000 children from the contaminated Chernobyl area
during the summer period in various EU Member States are finding it more difficult to carry out their work;

Does the Council intend to bring pressure to bear on the Belarus authorities to ensure that measures are taken to
facilitate and not to hinder humanitarian action in Belarus and prevent the political disruption in the country from
affecting the population, which has already been hard-hit by the nuclear accident, and in particular children and
innocent victims?