European Parliament resolution on East Timor
Date: 2001-10-04
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: EU relations, East Timor, democratisation, development aid, national independence, peacekeeping

C 87 E/258

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.4.2002

Thursday 4 October 2001

Calls on the Commission, in the framework of ECHO, and on the Member States to provide adequate

1.
aid for the population of Uzbekistan, especially drinking water and food supplies;

2.
Considers that one of the priority programmes under TACIS should consist in limiting the ecological
deterioration of the Aral Sea, and invites the Uzbek authorities to make the improvement of the local
ecosystem a part of their policy;

Calls also for the adoption of more stringent measures for oil companies working in the area of the

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Aral Sea, so as to limit more devastating environmental damage in the future;

4.
Takes the view that the Commission must play a significant part in drawing up a plan to combat the
spread of infectious diseases affecting local populations and take such measures as appear necessary to deal
with the dramatic consequences of the increasing dilapidation of health facilities in the regions concerned;

Calls for steps to be taken to address and resolve the problem of the stocks of contaminated waste at

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former Soviet laboratories with the help of international specialists;

Instructs its President to forward the present resolution to the Council, the Commission and the

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government of Uzbekistan.

18. Human rights: East Timor

B5-0625, 0631, 0640, 0648 and 0652/2001

European Parliament resolution on East Timor

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on East Timor,

- having regard to the statement of 31 August 2001 on East Timor made by the Presidency on behalf of

the Council of the European Union,

- having regard to the report of the election observation mission in East Timor,

A. whereas the New York agreement on East Timor was signed on 5 May 1999 by Portugal and Indone-

sia under the aegis of the United Nations,

B. whereas the referendum of 30 August 1999, in which 98,5 % of the registered population partici-
pated, despite the threats and the climate of intimidation generated at that time by the anti-indepen-
dence militias, was universally regarded as free, and all have recognised as valid its outcome, which
showed that a majority of 78,5 % of the population was in favour of independence,

C. whereas it has very closely monitored developments in the situation in Timor, particularly by means
of the three delegations it sent, in August 1999 for the referendum, in April 2000 to support the
territory’s Administration in its task of reconstruction and in August 2001 for the first elections in
East Timor,

D. whereas elections to the Constituent Assembly were held in East Timor on 30 August 2001,

E. whereas the conduct of the elections was peaceful, the problems encountered do not detract from the
validity of the results and the elections have encouraged the process of transition towards democracy,

F. whereas the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (Untaet) has performed well
both in relation to the process of consulting the people of East Timor, in line with the New York
agreement, and in terms of making possible the elections to the Constituent Assembly,

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G. whereas the role played by the international community, and in particular the United Nations and its
Security Council, is of vital importance for the emergence of the state of East Timor and for the
process of consolidating democracy in that country,

H. whereas everything has to be created from scratch in the future state of East Timor, which is embark-
ing on independence at a time when 70 % of its infrastructure has been destroyed, and whereas the
majority of its population is poor and illiterate and East Timor is still highly dependent on inter-
national aid,

I. whereas East Timor has applied to join ASEAN,

J. whereas the European Union is commited to supporting the people of East Timor and the devel-

opment of democracy,

K. whereas there is great disparity between urban and rural areas,

L. whereas the Commission has adopted a new strategy in its relations with Asia,

1. Welcomes the emergence of East Timor as a new free, democratic and independent country;

2.
Congratulates the people of East Timor on the holding of these historic elections, which had a very
high turn-out, and on its determination to establish a sovereign State, which demonstrates its considerable
political maturity;

Congratulates Untaet on the work it has accomplished and stresses its importance in putting the

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democratic process into practice;

Congratulates the Independent Electoral Commission on its excellent work and its contribution to

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making the elections a success;

Calls for the democratic process to be continued and strengthened and calls on the political parties to

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continue to abide by the National Unity Pact;

Notes the decision taken by all the political parties to support Xanana Gusmão as candidate for the

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presidency of the republic;

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Calls for the drawing up of a constitution that enshrines the values of peace, democracy, freedom
and respect for human rights, without excluding any section of the political spectrum, particularly in the
case of minority opinions, while respecting the will of all Timorese;

8.
Recognises East Timor’s need for political, technical and financial support in rebuilding the infra-
structure and administrative structures that are essential for its development and calls on the international
community to maintain and step up the support required to consolidate democracy in East Timor;

Expresses the hope that it will be possible to find a permanent solution to the problem of refugees

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wishing to return to East Timor which takes into account the interests of the Timorese people;

Restates its conviction that those responsible for human rights abuses who are in East Timor or

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neighbouring countries must not go unpunished;

11.

Calls for local administrators to receive training in preparation for the next elections;

Calls for an election observation mission consisting of European observers, including representatives

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of the European Parliament, to be sent for the presidential elections in 2002;

13.
Calls on the Commission to continue existing development programmes, to make provision for the
introduction of new programmes at the appropriate time and to pay particular attention to the pro-
grammes relating to rural society;

14.

Calls on the ASEAN countries to be favourably disposed to East Timor’s accession;

Calls on the Commission to support East Timor’s admission to the ACP group of states, should this

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be desired;

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Thursday 4 October 2001

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Calls on the Member States to take action in the UN to ensure that the UN’s mandate is extended
and that peacekeeping units and civilian police units remain in that country until East Timor’s own armed
forces and police can take over a large proportion of these tasks themselves;

Calls on the Commission and the Council, together with the second transitional government in East
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Timor and the other donors, to work out a master plan for the aid for the development of the country, to
ensure that aid reaches its intended destination and is used for the benefit of the population;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the elected Constituent Assembly and the future
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government of East Timor, the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Secretary-General, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Nobel Peace laureates Mr Ximenes Belo and
Mr Ramos-Horta, the Timorese Resistance leader, Mr Xanana Gusmão, the Council, the Commission and
the parliaments of the Member States.

19. Human rights: Colombia

B5-0632, 0642, 0645, 0655 and 0659/2001

European Parliament resolution on Colombia

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Colombia,

- having regard to the statement on Colombia made on 17 April 2001 by the United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights,

A. deeply dismayed by the murder of former Minister Consuelo Araujo Noguera, who was kidnapped by
the FARC along with several others on 24 September 2001, and by the murder of Yolanda Cerón,
human rights activist and head of the Social Pastoral Office in Tumaco, at the hands of paramilitaries
on 19 September 2001,

B.

also dismayed at the murder of Octavio Sarmiento, member of the National Congress and founder of
the ‘Unión Patriótica’ political party on 2 October 2001,

C. whereas Colombia continues to be plagued by a widespread climate of violence despite the efforts

made to end the 30-year-old conflict,

D. having regard to the scale of the violence that has occurred in the country in recent months, involving
systematic human rights violations: extortion, kidnappings, murders, drug-trafficking and the suffering
and displacement of the civilian population,

E.

F.

having regard to the conditions governing European cooperation with Colombia and in particular the
decision taken by the Council of Ministers a year ago to submit a report to the European Parliament
every six months on the peace process, the progress made with its programmes and the Colombian
Government’s compliance with international human rights recommendations,

having regard to the recent visit to Colombia in June 2001 by a European Parliament delegation,
which was able to hold talks with the legitimate authorities of the Colombian Government, including
President Pastrana, with the leaders of the ELN and the FARC, who were asked to put an immediate
stop to the practice of kidnapping, and to release the two Colombian members of parliament and the
European Union citizens being held by the guerrillas,

G. noting that 7 October 2001 will see the legal expiration of the 42 000 km2 demilitarised zone in the

south of the country which Mr Pastrana handed over to the FARC,

H. having regard to the clearly expressed will of the vast majority of Colombian society who want peace,