WRITTEN QUESTION E-0699/01 by Eurig Wyn (Verts/ALE) to the Council. UK involvement in the bombing of Baghdad.
Date: 2001-03-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Iraq, United Kingdom, international sanctions, military intervention, the EU's international role

C 340 E/72

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

is currently under
This proposal, on which the European Parliament
examination at the Council. It would therefore be premature for the Council to state its position on the
matters raised by the Honourable Member.

to deliver its opinion,

is yet

The Council will in any case take account of the opinion of the European Parliament before acting on the
proposal.

(2001/C 340 E/084)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0699/01

by Eurig Wyn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(14 March 2001)

Subject: UK involvement in the bombing of Baghdad

Will the Council be supporting UK involvement in the bombing of Baghdad?

Would the Council not agree that the citizens of Iraq have already suffered enough following the economic
embargo, and that further air attacks by the USA and Britain will only add to their suffering, and that in
the name of democracy and human rights these attacks should be condemned?

Reply

(13 July 2001)

The Council has no common position on the issue of the (cid:145)no-fly zones(cid:146) in Iraq, including the bombings
referred to in the question.

The Council considers it important to prevent the Iraqi Government from again acquiring weapons of
mass destruction and recalls its full support for the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on Iraq,
including resolution 1284/99. The Council agrees, however, that there is a need to alleviate the suffering
of the Iraqi people resulting from the implementation of these sanctions. The (cid:145)oil-for-food(cid:146) program is of
crucial importance in this context and the Council hopes that the implementation of the program could be
streamlined in accordance with the recommendations by the UN Secretary-General. Within the framework
of the UNSC resolutions, the Council is examining possibilities for further EU action in the humanitarian
and cultural fields.

The Council also notes that the full cooperation of the Iraqi Government with the UN would lead to
a suspension and eventual lifting of sanctions in accordance with the provisions of UNSC resolution 1284.
The Council hopes that the recent contacts between the UN Secretary-General and representatives of the
Iraqi Government will promote such cooperation in the future.

The Council has also noted with interest the discussions in the UN Security Council about improving the
effectiveness of
including better targeting, and thereby avoiding unnecessary human
suffering.

the sanctions,

(2001/C 340 E/085)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0702/01

by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Council

(14 March 2001)

Subject: The Serbian government(cid:146)s commitment to human rights and accountability

In view of the appointment of Colonel Sreten Lukic as Chief of Public Security and Deputy Interior
Minister, is the Council aware that this raises concerns regarding the Serbian government(cid:146)s commitment to
human rights and accountability?