WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1778/97 by Angela SIERRA GONZÁLEZ , Laura GONZÁLEZ ÁLVAREZ , María SORNOSA MARTÍNEZ , Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ to the Council. Negotiations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Saharauri Arab Republic
Date: 1997-05-27
Institutions: CARNERO GONZALEZ, European Parliament, GONZALEZ ALVAREZ, SIERRA GONZALEZ, SORNOSA MARTINEZ
Subjects: European political cooperation, Morocco, UN Security Council, Western Sahara, border war, human rights, peacekeeping, referendum, self-determination, the EU's international role

11. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 76/55

(98/C 76/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1778/97

by Angela Sierra Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL), Laura Gonza·lez A· lvarez (GUE/NGL),
Mar(cid:14)·a Sornosa Mart(cid:14)·nez (GUE/NGL) and Carlos Carnero Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(27 May 1997)

Subject: Negotiations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Saharauri Arab Republic

At the end of April 1997 Mr Baker, the UN Secretary-General(cid:146)s envoy to the Western Sahara, made a tour of
North Africa in order to assess the future development of the conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front.
In connection with this tour the Polisario Front released 85 Moroccan prisoners as a gesture of goodwill.

What action is the Council planning to take in order to rescue the peace plan, to induce the conflicting parties to
engage in serious negotiations, to allow a referendum to be held on self-determination for the Sahauri people and
to  ensure  that  Morocco  respects  human  rights  in  the  occupied  areas  and  releases  the  600  Sahauris  who  are
considered to have (cid:145)disappeared(cid:146)?

Answer

(25 September 1997)

The  Council  welcomes  the  exploratory  mission  to  the  region  that  the  UN  Secretary-General  Personal  Envoy
James Baker undertook from 23 to 28 April.  It also welcomes the report of the UN Secretary-General on the
situation concerning Western Sahara of 5 May and the adoption of the Security Council Resolution 1108(97) on
22 May extending the mandate of Minurso until 30 September 1997.

The  Council  continues  to  support  the  efforts  aimed  at  holding  a  free,  fair  and  impartial  referendum  for  the
self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in accordance with the Settlement Plan agreed between the
two parties and approved by the United Nations Security Council.

The Council fully supports the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy in their efforts to achieve a just and
equitable solution to this dispute.  In that context the Council welcomes the preliminary negotiations held in
London on 11 and 12 June 1997, which enabled an initial round of direct talks to be held between the two sides in
Lisbon on 23 and 24 June 1997.  The Council urges the parties to cooperate with the Personal Envoy and looks
forward to the Secretary-General(cid:146)s recommendations.

(98/C 76/138)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1793/97

by Heidi Hautala (V) to the Commission

(16 May 1997)

Subject: Health risks of silicone implants

According to recent research silicone implants, generally inserted to increase the size of women(cid:146)s breasts, may
leak silicone into the body, which can result in very serious damage to health. Silicone is also thought to migrate
to the foetus in pregnant women, with serious consequences.

In the USA a number of court cases with far-reaching implications are under way against the manufacturers of
silicone implants, which may result in the authorities banning such implants.

Is the Commission aware of the serious damage to health caused by silicone, and in particular of the claims that
silicone may migrate to other parts of the body and to the foetus? Is the Commission considering measures to
tighten the product liability of silicone implant manufacturers? Does the Commission intend to ban them?