WRITTEN QUESTION E-1466/01 by Guido Podestà (PPE-DE) to the Council. Aggression against cultural traditions in Afghanistan.
Date: 2001-05-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Afghanistan, cease-fire, cultural heritage, heritage protection, the EU's international role

C 81 E/26

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

(2002/C 81 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1463/01

by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Council

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Illegal fishing in Mauritania(cid:146)s EEZ

I recently returned from a visit to Mauritania, where I met the country(cid:146)s Minister for Fisheries. Mr Zamel
complained bitterly that 30 to 40 boats regularly operate illegally inside the country(cid:146)s exclusive economic
zone. These vessels, most of which are from Asian countries, apparently use the Spanish port of Las
Palmas as a base, even to unload fish illegally caught in Mauritanian waters. These illegal fishermen would
therefore seem to be competing unfairly with European fishermen, who operate in the Mauritanian EEZ
within the framework of the existing fishery agreement.

Can the Council confirm this information received in Mauritania? What steps does it intend to take to stop
this illegal trade and hence contribute to sustainable protection of Mauritania(cid:146)s fishery resources?

Reply

(20 November 2001)

The Council is fully aware of the problem of illegal fishing in general and of that in the Mauritanian
exclusive economic zone in particular, and shares the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concerns on this issue.

Combating illegal fishing is a matter of constant concern to the Council, which actively supports the
initiatives taken in this area by international bodies and the various regional fisheries organisations.

In this context,
it is worth bearing in mind the forthcoming adoption by the FAO Council of the
international action plan to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, in the preparation of which
the Community played an active role. This action plan also contains a chapter on measures which are the
responsibility of port States to prevent the landing of illegally caught fish.

With specific regard to Mauritania, the Community has just begun negotiations with this country aimed at
renewing the current fisheries protocol which is due to expire on 31 July 2001.

As with the fisheries protocols recently concluded between the Community and other third countries, the
Community will endeavour,
in line with the Council conclusions of 30 October 1997 on European
Community Fisheries Agreements with Third Countries, to persuade the Mauritanian authorities to devote
a significant amount of the financial compensation received to measures enabling it to strengthen its
monitoring and control facilities.

(2002/C 81 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1466/01

by Guido Podest(cid:224) (PPE-DE) to the Council

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Aggression against cultural traditions in Afghanistan

The destruction of the pre-Islamic statues of Buddha dating back to the second century BC is not only an
attack on mankind(cid:146)s cultural heritage, perpetuating a cultural disaster which started with the damage
inflicted on the archaeological finds in the museum of Kabul, it is also a symptom of a form of fanaticism
which goes way beyond religious feeling and threatens to continue, regardless of the many appeals
launched from various parts of the world.

What action will the Council take to safeguard the artistic and cultural heritage threatened by the present
regime in Afghanistan?

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/27

What steps does it intend to take to stem this religious fanaticism?

What steps will it take to strengthen dialogue with the local authorities?

What cooperation measures does it intend to launch internationally, especially with countries such as
Pakistan, the Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have recognised the Taleban government, in order to
try to find scope for agreement?

Reply

(20 November 2001)

1. When the Taliban regime announced its intention to destroy cultural artefacts in Afghanistan, the
Council immediately reacted and tried to prevent the destruction of the rich cultural heritage. Several
demarches were carried out, including with the Taliban (cid:145)Foreign Minister(cid:146) Mutawakil, in Pakistan, in Saudi
Arabia and in Abu Dhabi. The Council also firmly condemned the ordered destruction in its declaration of
1 March 2001. Unfortunately, the Taliban, once again, turned out to be completely insensitive to the
combined international pressure and unanimous condemnation, including by other Islamic countries, of
their barbaric acts.

2.
The Council will obviously keep up efforts to prevent any further deterioration of the situation,
without, however, having unrealistic expectations as to the chances to influence the Taliban(cid:146)s unacceptable
behaviour. As set out in the Common Position of January 2001, the Council will also continue to promote
an end to the fighting in Afghanistan and a negotiated political settlement between the warring factions.
To this end, the Council will continue to raise the issue of Afghanistan during the regular political dialogue
meetings with neighbouring countries, inviting them to use whatever influence they have to bring about a
change in the country.

As to the other problems raised in the question, the Council has already repeatedly and extensively
3.
informed the European Parliament of
the situation in
Afghanistan. In the absence of particular new developments, the Council therefore invites the Honourable
MEP to revert to the replies given to questions O-0032/2001, O-0052/2001, H-0170/2001, H-0481/2001
and E-0088/2001.

its position concerning various aspects of

(2002/C 81 E/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1468/01

by Guido Podest(cid:224) (PPE-DE) to the Council

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Women and society in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan the Taleban introduced an ultra-fundamentalist regime based on religious fundamentalism
and sex discrimination.

The civil war, which has been raging in the country for years, has created more than 5 million refugees,
more than one million disabled people and widespread poverty.

Women are in a majority in a country which has more than 700 000 widows. Their families live in abject
poverty made worse by the edicts of the Taleban forbidding women to work outside the home.

The ban on even elementary education for women is aggravating the already high incidence of illiteracy
and subjugation.

Whilst women are certainly those most affected by restrictions which are tantamount to a continual
violation of human rights, the general state of civil society is also extremely bad.