WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2944/97 by Graham WATSON to the Commission. International criminal court
Date: 1997-09-17
Institutions: European Parliament, WATSON
Subjects: crime against humanity, fundamental rights, human rights, international court, military intervention, offence, ruling, war crime

C 102/152

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3. 4. 98

(98/C 102/227)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2940/97

by Georges Berthu (I-EDN) to the Commission

(17 September 1997)

Subject: Statement by Mr Michel Rocard

In an article in Le Monde newspaper on 14 August 1997, Mr Michel Rocard, referring to his efforts to secure the
setting up of a voluntary international peacekeeping force between the armed factions in Congo, concluded with
the following words: (cid:145)The European Commission, replying to my inquiries, says that it still has some (cid:145)external
and security policy(cid:146) appropriations at its disposal. The plan can go ahead.(cid:146)

Can the Commission explain what procedure this initiative comes under?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 1997)

The  Commission  was  indeed  questioned  by  Mr  Rocard,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Cooperation  and
Development,  about  the  situation  regarding  appropriations  under  the  budget  heading  (cid:145)common  foreign  and
security policy(cid:146) (CFSP). It provided the information requested according to its usual practice and in line with the
principle of transparent management of budget resources.

(98/C 102/228)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2944/97

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 September 1997)

Subject: International criminal court

In view of the existing limitations of the International Court of Justice, what is the Commission(cid:146)s position on the
current  negotiations  to  create  an  International  Criminal  Court  which  would  be  empowered  to  prosecute  any
individual for genocide, aggression, war crimes and other crimes against humanity, without any veto by national
governments?

Does the Commission support giving individuals and citizen(cid:146)s groups, as well as national governments and the
Court(cid:146)s prosecutor, the right to bring cases before the court?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 1997)

The Commission is convinced of the need for an international criminal court because events of recent years have
shown the urgent need to set up a permanent institution which, by its very existence, may play a considerable part
in preventing serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights, and act as an important
means of preventing culprits from going unpunished.

The Commission is not involved in the current negotiations on the creation of the International Criminal Court
and does not consider it expedient to make any statement at this stage on the powers of that body.

(98/C 102/229)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2953/97

by Angela Sierra Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(10 September 1997)

Subject: Protection of the Montan(cid:152)a Tindaya and its surroundings (Canary Islands)

On the island of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) there is a mountain known as Montan(cid:152)a Tindaya. It is of major
cultural,  ethnographic,  archaeological,  natural  and  geological  interest  and  has  been  declared  a  (cid:145)national