WRITTEN QUESTION No. 215/98 by Iñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO to the Council. Emergency aid for North Korea
Date: 1998-02-11
Institutions: European Parliament, MENDEZ DE VIGO
Subjects: North Korea, UN Development Programme, World Food Programme, emergency aid, flood, food aid, humanitarian aid, hunger, malnutrition

C 223/138

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 7. 98

Answer

(11 May 1998)

The  Council  hopes  that  Cypriot  airspace  will  become  more  peaceful  in  the  future  and  that  provocations  will
cease. It will continue to call on the parties concerned to refrain from any action that might increase tension in the
region.  The  Union  has  emphasized  to  Turkey  that  aspiration  to  join  the  EU  implies  sharing  the  EU(cid:146)s  major
objectives, of which the establishment of good neighbourly relations is one.

In the event of unauthorized military overflying of British bases in Cyprus, the United Kingdom Government
will bring the matter to the attention of the authorities concerned, as it has done in the past.

Regarding the negotiations for the accession of Cyprus to the European Union, the Council believes that the
accession  of  Cyprus  will  help  to  bring  about  civil  peace  and  reconciliation  in  the  island.  Progress  towards
accession and an equitable and viable solution will clearly further assist that process. The Council reaffirms its
full support for the search for a solution through the talks currently being conducted under the aegis of the United
Nations.

(98/C 223/180)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0212/98

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Council

(11 February 1998)

Subject: Delays in ratifying the Agreement amending the Fourth Convention of Lome·

Could all European Member States who have not done so make a commitment to ratify, without any further
delay, the Agreement amending the Fourth Convention of Lome·, given that continued delays threaten to interfere
with the operation of the Centre for the Development of Industry (CDI) and the ACP-EU Joint Assembly?

Answer

(11 May 1998)

The Council is happy to be able to announce to the Honourable Member that all the Member States have now
ratified the Fourth Convention of Lome·, as revised by the Mauritius Agreement of 4 November 1995.

Pursuant to Article 360(1) of the revised Convention, the latter will enter into force on the first day of the second
month  following  the  date  of  deposit  of  the  instruments  of  ratification  of  the  Member  States  and  of  at  least
two  thirds  of  the  ACP  States,  and  of  the  act  of  notification  of  the  conclusion  of  the  Convention  by  the
Community. This condition has now been fulfilled both by the ACP States and by the fifteen Member States. At
its meeting on 27 April 1998, the Council adopted the Decision concerning the conclusion of the Agreement
amending  the  Fourth  Convention  of  Lome·.  That  revised  Convention  will  therefore  enter  into  force  on
1 June 1998.

With  regard  to  the  Centre  for  the  Development  of  Industry  (CDI)  and  the  ACP-EU  Joint  Assembly,  on
19  December  1997  the  ACP-EC  Council  of  Ministers  adopted  the  necessary  provisions  for  their  functioning
pending entry into force of the Second Financial Protocol to the Convention.

(98/C 223/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0215/98

by In(cid:152) igo Me·ndez de Vigo (PPE) to the Council

(11 February 1998)

Subject: Emergency aid for North Korea

North Korea is currently facing one of the worst famines in its history. The country has food reserves sufficient
only for three days and millions of citizens are in a very precarious situation, receiving only 180 grammes of