WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3521/97 by Carlos ROBLES PIQUER to the Commission. Panama Canal
Date: 1997-11-12
Institutions: European Parliament, ROBLES PIQUER
Subjects: EU aid, European Union, Panama, economic cooperation, international conference, network of navigable waterways, public works, technical cooperation

25. 5. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 158/139

Following  the  latest  contacts  with  the  Cuban  authorities,  the  European  Union  is  studying  the  possibility  of
opening a dialogue with Cuba in stages, which would start at the technical level and, depending on reactions from
the Cuban side, could continue with cooperation in the field of human rights.

It should be pointed out that this approach is based on the premise that the Union will not abandon the means at
its disposal if the human rights situation in Cuba fails to improve. The Union will in particular reserve the right to
intervene publicly, including in international fora, in the event of a clear breach of human rights.

Furthermore, the Union will continue to appeal to the Cuban government to release those dissidents currently in
prison.

(98/C 158/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3520/97

by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Council

(14 November 1997)

Subject: Hong Kong and Tibet

In closely following developments in Hong Kong after it was handed over by the United Kingdom to the People(cid:146)s
Republic of China, is the Council taking account, with a view to drawing possible comparisons, of what occurred
in the case of the (cid:145)17-point agreement(cid:146) which was signed by the People(cid:146)s Republic of China on 23 May 1951 and
which, following the defeat of the small Tibetan army, promised in its title the (cid:145)Peaceful Liberation of Tibet(cid:146)?

In the light of its monitoring of the situation, does the Council consider that the successive authorities in the
People(cid:146)s Republic of China during these 46 years have respected or violated the 17 points of the agreement, and
can any lessons be drawn from its behaviour for the future of the former British colony?

Answer

(12 February 1998)

The issue of human rights in Tibet is traditionally given prominent attention in contacts between the European
Union  and  Chinese  authorities.  The  Heads  of  Mission  of  member  countries(cid:146)  embassies  in  Beijing  are
continuously following the human rights situation of the population of Tibet.

As regards Hong Kong, the Union has repeatedly supported future stability and prosperity for the Hong Kong
Special  Administrative  Region  of  the  People(cid:146)s  Republic  of  China.  The  Union  has  also  emphasized  the
importance it attaches to full respect for the rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong people and the high degree of
autonomy accorded to the Special Administrative Region under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic
Law. Implementation of these, including the holding of free and fair elections to take place within the period
promised by China, offers the best assurance for Hong Kong(cid:146)s future.

(98/C 158/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3521/97

by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission

(12 November 1997)

Subject: Panama Canal

In the year 2000, the United States are to hand over the Panama Canal to the republic of the same name, restoring
to it full sovereignty. An international conference was held there in the past month to consider the future of this
important waterway, which owes its existence to the inventiveness of the French engineer Lesseps.

What part did the European Union play at the conference, and how does the Commission consider that the EU
might cooperate in the future to ensure that the Panama Canal continues to perform the function played by it
since it was opened?