WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3602/97 by Sérgio RIBEIRO to the Council. East Timor refugees in the Austrian embassy in Jakarta
Date: 1997-11-07
Institutions: European Parliament, RIBEIRO
Subjects: Austria, EU visa policy, East Timor, Indonesia, Portugal, South-East Asia, embassy, political asylum, refugee, torture

25. 5. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 158/161

(98/C 158/215)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3602/97

by Se·rgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(7 November 1997)

Subject: East Timor refugees in the Austrian embassy in Jakarta

Since the middle of September 1997 a group of East Timorese, including a family of four, have been seeking
refuge  in  the  Austrian  embassy  in  Jakarta.  The  Portuguese  government  would  seem  to  have  expressed  its
willingness to receive them in Portugal, as they ask, but the Indonesian authorities have refused them exit visas.
This is on the grounds that they are suspected of actions relating to which twelve other Timorese have already
been imprisoned and, apparently › as is the usual practice of the Indonesian police, confirmed by a number of
reports-  tortured.  The  refugees  in  the  Austrian  embassy  are  trying  to  protect  themselves  against  such
imprisonment  and  torture.  The  Austrian  government  appears  to  be  under  pressure  from  the  Indonesian
authorities, and, in view of the reception accorded to the recent inter-Timorese meeting, there is reason to fear
that, the meeting being over, this pressure will be stepped up.

Can the Council state whether, given that both the Austrian and the Portuguese government are represented on it,
it could not extend its support to the Austrian government in its justified resistance to pressure and make every
effort to ensure that the Indonesian government allows the refugees to leave the Austrian embassy and enter
Portugal?

Answer

(12 February 1998)

The Council follows closely and with concern the situation in East-Timor. It is preoccupied with the situation of
those who have entered the Austrian Embassy and have asked to be transferred to Portugal.

The European Union takes every opportunity to make its position regarding East-Timor known to the Indonesian
government. It continues to support actions and measures aimed towards the solution of the East-Timor issue.
Only if such a solution can be found will incidents with people seeking refuge in foreign embassies in Jakarta be
avoided. The Union has also, specifically, expressed to the Indonesian government concerns with regard to the
situation of the East-Timorese who are still in the Austrian Embassy in Jakarta.

It is the wish of the Union that a way for a speedy solution will be found.

(98/C 158/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3612/97

by Mar(cid:14)·a Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Council

(7 November 1997)

Subject: European cultural capitals

On Tuesday 28 October 1997 the press in Granada published a report to the effect that the Spanish Government
will  submit  applications  from  four  Spanish  cities  for  selection  as  cultural  capitals  of  Europe,  saying  (cid:145)this
government decision has been adopted after the meeting on 23 October between the Minister for Education and
Culture,  Esperanza  Aguirre,  and  the  Luxembourg  Minister  for  Culture,  Erna  Hennicot-Schoepges,  as
President-in-Office of the Council of Ministers for Culture and the Media of the European Union. The position of
the European Commission regarding the criteria to be used to select the European cities of culture was also taken
into account(cid:146).

In the interests of the need for transparency and information and the participation of the European Institutions,
can the Council supply accurate and comprehensive information on the subject?

Answer

(26 January 1998)

Pending the adoption and implementation of the Commission(cid:146)s recent proposal for a European Parliament and
Council Decision establishing a Community initiative for (cid:145)The European City of Culture(cid:146) event, the matter is
dealt with on an intergovernmental basis, and the selection of the European City of Culture for 2001 has to follow
established practice.