WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2407/98 by Leonie van BLADEL , James JANSSEN van RAAY to the Commission. Trinidad & Tobago's refusal with regard to the Vienna Convention
Date: 1998-07-27
Institutions: European Parliament, JANSSEN VAN RAAY, VAN BLADEL
Subjects: EU Member State, European Commission, Netherlands, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, cooperation policy, dictatorship, drug traffic, extradition, international agreement

C 118/72

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.4.1999

3. What economic sanctions will be proposed by the Council of Ministers against Trinidad & Tobago
as a result of Trinidad & Tobago(cid:146)s refusal to arrest and deport, under Article 6 of the international Vienna
Convention, the former Surinamese dictator and current government adviser Desi Bouterse, who is
suspected of large-scale international drug trafficking?

Reply

(7 December 1998)

Questions concerning the relationship between a Member State and third States in the field of extradition
do not fall within the competence of the Council.

(1999/C 118/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2407/98

by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) and James Janssen van Raay (UPE) to the Commission

Subject: Trinidad & Tobago(cid:146)s refusal with regard to the Vienna Convention

(27 July 1998)

1.
Is the Commission aware of the Trinidad & Tobago Government(cid:146)s refusal to comply with the
Netherlands Government(cid:146)s request to arrest and deport, under Article 6 of the Vienna Convention, the
former Surinamese dictator and current government adviser Desi Bouterse, who is suspected of large-
scale international drug trafficking?

2. What political action will the Commission take as a result of Trinidad &Tobago(cid:146)s refusal to arrest
and deport, under the international Vienna Convention, the former Surinamese dictator and current
government adviser Desi Bouterse, who is suspected of large-scale international drug trafficking?

3. What economic sanctions will be proposed by the Commission against Trinidad & Tobago as a result
of Trinidad &Tobago(cid:146)s refusal to arrest and deport, under Article 6 of the international Vienna
Convention, the former Surinamese dictator and current government adviser Desi Bouterse, who is
suspected of large-scale international drug trafficking?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 1998)

The Commission is aware of the decision of the government of Trinidad and Tobago not to accede to the
Dutch government(cid:146)s recent request for the arrest and extradition of Mr Bouterse, who is wanted on
international drugs trafficking charges. The Commission regrets that the Trinidadian authorities have
chosen not to apply the provisions of Article 6 of the Vienna Convention in this case.

Apparently the Trinidad and Tobago government considers that the United Nations Treaty does not
provide the basis for individual extradition demands, and that such demands must be covered by an
additional bilateral treaty. The Commission has been informed that the Dutch government, while not
accepting this interpretation, is nevertheless in the process of finalising an individual extradition treaty
with Trinidad and Tobago with the aim of avoiding this difficulty in the future.

The Commission hopes that this outcome will enable the Trinidad and Tobago Government to exercise its
responsibilities in this matter more convincingly. The Commission does not consider that a proposal to
introduce sanctions would be appropriate in present circumstances, but will continue to monitor the
situation closely, in cooperation with Member States.