WRITTEN QUESTION E-3053/01 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission. Release of hostages.
Date: 2001-11-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Israel, Lebanon, human rights, illegal restraint, international human rights law

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/57

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(13 February 2002)

The Commission does not have the information needed to make a valid cost price per kilometre
comparison between motorways
similar geophysical
characteristics. Numerous factors affect this price and the research needed to distinguish them would be
disproportionate to the result sought. The same goes for comparison of the percentages by which major
road works in the Member States during the period of the 1994-1999 Community support framework
(CSF) overshot their initial budgets.

in Greece and in other Member States of

We can however provide the Honourable Member with the following indications based on information
from the national authorities. The cost price per kilometre of a motorway with two lanes in both
directions varies in Greece from € 3 million under favourable geophysical conditions to € 30 million or
more where a tunnel is needed. For Germany and France the estimated cost price range is from € 6 million
to € 35 million in densely populated urban zones or where major engineering works are involved.

As regards the overshoot on initial budget for major road works in Greece during the 2nd CSF, it is
Member States that are responsible for compliance with national and Community law in the execution of
public works contracts. The Commission is not systematically sent performance data for all contracts under
this CSF, some of which are still in execution. It examines the conformity of management of contracts of
this type only if a complaint or a check indicates the possibility of irregularity.

(2002/C 160 E/064)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3053/01

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(5 November 2001)

Subject: Release of hostages

Amnesty International has announced that the Israeli Government and the Hizbollah in Lebanon are
holding hostages in defiance of the rules of international law and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.

What measures does the Commission intend to take to put an end to the use of hostages as a negotiating
chip, to give hostages access to the International Red Cross (which is a fundamental right of anyone
its commitments under the Geneva
arrested during an armed conflict),
Convention and, finally, to release all the hostages?

to oblige Israel

to respect

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 2001)

The European Commission strongly supports the upholding of the rule of law, and finds completely
unacceptable the taking of hostages by any country or organisation. The taking of hostages is against law,
and contravenes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Member of the Commission responsible for External Relations received the families of the four Israelis
on 21 June 2001 at which he stated that ‘hostage-taking was unacceptable, to withhold information about
the well-being of the detained Israelis was wicked, and to deny access to them by the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was indefensible’.

C 160 E/58

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

The Commission has raised the subject of the four Israeli citizens held by Hizbollah since 7 October 2000
with the Lebanese, Syrian and Iranian authorities, expressing its serious concern, and seeking information
regarding their well-being. The Israeli authorities have recently indicated that three soldiers abducted at the
Syria-Lebanon border (in the Shebaa farms area) are understood to be no longer alive.

With regard to the 19 Lebanese hostages abducted from Lebanon and held in Israeli prisons under
administrative detention, the Supreme Court of Israel recently ruled ? after a lengthy legal procedure ?
that this practice was to be ended for all hostages except two: Messrs Obeid and Dirani. As a result of this
ruling, the Israeli authorities have announced the gradual release of 17 Lebanese held under this form of
detention. Messrs Obeid and Dirani, after much international pressure, and following an order of the
Supreme Court, were recently allowed visits by the ICRC. The Commission and the Member States have
raised their serious concern, through the appropriate channels, on the new legislative attempts in Israel to
alter the status of Messrs Obeid and Dirani (from civilian to ‘illegal combatant’) so as to allow their
continued detention in terms of the Fourth Geneva Convention. This legislative procedure is currently
suspended.

The Commission insists on the right of all those arrested or detained in circumstances of conflict to have
access to the ICRC, and that international law be respected. The Commission will continue to use its
contacts with the authorities of the concerned countries to bring an end to this illegal practice.

(2002/C 160 E/065)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3107/01

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(5 November 2001)

Subject: Destruction of natural environment in eastern Europe as a result of EU transport aid

the development of

The EU supports numerous beneficial projects in eastern and central Europe. However, some NGOs and
Infrastructure Needs
experts are concerned that
Assessment), modelled on the trans-European networks (TEN), may destroy a number of important bird
habitats in those areas of Europe. If this is the case, it is also incompatible with existing EU legislation on
nature conservation. These problems arise partly because money is granted for various projects before
proper environmental
impact assessments have been carried out. The EU supports TINA through the
European Central Bank and ISPA.

the TINA network (Transport

Will the Commission ensure that a strategic environmental impact assessment in respect of the TINA
network is carried out before any further aid is given for the development of infrastructure? Can the
Commission also guarantee that EU-assisted transport projects do not destroy bird habitats?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(5 December 2001)

The TINA transport network is the outcome of a technical thinking exercise conducted at the initiative of
the Commission between 1995 and 1999 with the countries applying for accession in order to identify the
components of the future trans-European transport network (TETN) which will cover these countries on
their accession. The TINA network has been developed in accordance with the objectives and priorities of
the Community guidelines concerning the TETN which are set out in Decision No 1692/96/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development of
the trans-European transport network (1), recently amended by Decision No 1346/2001/EC of
the
European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001 (2). These guidelines explicitly incorporate
environmental protection and the taking into account of existing Community legislation on the
environment as essential elements in the setting up of the network.