WRITTEN QUESTION E-0068/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council. The Spanish presidency's priorities and the issue of the self-determination of the former Spanish Sahara.
Date: 2002-01-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Morocco, Western Sahara, aid to refugees, international issue, self-determination, settlement of disputes

C 205 E/66

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

In conclusion, the Spanish Presidency reaffirms the importance it attaches to relations with Mercosur.
4.
The Presidency will do all that is necessary to secure progress in the negotiations progress with a view to
establishing an Association Agreement between the EU and Mercosur as swiftly as possible. In addition, it
will continue to follow closely the situation in Argentina and its possible repercussions in Latin America.

(2002/C 205 E/072)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0068/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(25 January 2002)

Subject: The Spanish presidency’s priorities and the issue of the self-determination of the former Spanish

Sahara

The Spanish presidency’s priorities presented by the Spanish Foreign Minister,
include
worldwide issues, but not the settling of the problem of self-determination for the former Spanish Sahara,
approved by the UN and demanded by the Sahrawi people and the Sahrawi Republic.

Josep Piqué,

What is the Council’s position on this important issue, still unresolved in the context of the decolonisation
of the African continent?

Reply

(21 May 2002)

Without any doubt, a stable and lasting solution to the conflict in Western Sahara will be an essential
factor for the stability of the region and also for the inter-Maghreb cooperation which the EU has always
supported. In order to find a solution to the conflict in Western Sahara, successive Presidencies of the
Council have been in regular contact with James Baker and are ready to help create a climate of trust
which might facilitate a solution acceptable to the parties concerned. It is clear, however, that the leading
role in seeking a solution belongs to the UN, and this is the approach being followed by the Spanish
Presidency.

Consequently, the European Union fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal
Envoy, James Baker. In Resolution 1359 (2001) of 29 June 2001 the Security Council clearly indicated the
way forward: it invited all the parties to meet under the auspices of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy
to discuss the draft Framework Agreement and to negotiate any changes they would like to see in the
proposal, as well as to discuss any other proposal for a political solution that might be put forward by the
parties in order to arrive at a mutually acceptable agreement.

Resolution 1359 (2001) also stated that, in parallel with these discussions, the official proposals submitted
by the Polisario Front to overcome the obstacles preventing implementation of the Settlement Plan would
be considered.

The Council hopes that the talks between the parties will bring significant progress towards a stable and
just solution in the interests of everyone and of strengthened cooperation in the Maghreb. In this context,
due note has been taken of the fact that the Minurso mandate has been extended = by Resolution 1380
(2001) = to enable the current efforts to continue, and of the UN Secretary-General’s interim report of
10 January 2002 in which he says that he ‘intends to provide, before … 28 February 2002, an assessment
the situation and, as appropriate, recommendations on the future mandate and composition of
of
Minurso’.

The Council considers, however, that there is no need to wait until the talks between the parties are
concluded in order to settle certain pressing humanitarian questions, such as the exchange of family visits.
It remains deeply concerned at the situation of more than 1 350 prisoners of war still being held = after
20 years in most cases = which requires an urgent solution in accordance with the obligations of the
Geneva Conventions. The Council welcomes the recent freeing of 115 prisoners of war but regrets that no
more substantial progress has been made. Another matter of growing concern is the situation of the
Sahrawi refugees in the camps at Tindouf. In this context, the Council will continue its efforts on the
humanitarian issues arising from the conflict in Western Sahara.

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/67

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that, through its humanitarian aid office, ECHO, the
European Union is the largest provider of humanitarian aid to refugees: humanitarian aid worth EUR 56,4
million was supplied to refugees in the Tindouf camps between 1996 and 2001.

(2002/C 205 E/073)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0069/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(25 January 2002)

Subject: The Barcelona process and the fisheries agreements with Morocco

The Spanish presidency’s priorities include the Euro-Mediterranean association, based on the Barcelona
process started in 1995. At the meeting in Barcelona the fisheries agreement between Morocco and the
European Union, which had just been signed, was seen as an example of the path to be followed in
seeking better collaboration between the two shores of the Mediterranean. In this context, is the Spanish
presidency willing to re-establish this climate of cooperation in order to facilitate the signing of a new
fisheries agreement between the EU and Morocco?

Reply

(21 May 2002)

As the Honourable Member pointed out, the 1995 Barcelona Conference created a new framework for
relations between the countries of the European Union and the countries of the Mediterranean through
global cooperation based on political dialogue, the development of economic and financial cooperation
and the inclusion of the social, cultural and human dimension.

In this spirit, the Council, aware that fisheries have always been a particularly important aspect of relations
between the Kingdom of Morocco and the European Union will do all it can to ensure that this close
relationship is maintained in the context of fruitful cooperation between both Parties.

(2002/C 205 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0082/02

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 January 2002)

Subject: Disposal of fridges = EC Regulation 2037/2000

In a House of Lords debate on 20 December 2001 the UK Government position was stated as being that,
following the Environment Council in February 1999, there were different views between member states in
respect of the need to recover CFCs and HCFCs from insulating foam in domestic refrigeration, and that
between 1999 and mid-2001 the UK Government sought a definitive legal
interpretation from the
Commission.

Further, it claimed that it was not until June 2001 that the Commission provided a final interpretation of
Regulation (EC) 2037/2000 (1) which made clear that it did require the recovery of controlled substances
from the insulating foam of domestic refrigerators.

What representations did the Commission receive from the UK Government during the period prior to
January 2002 regarding the difficulties which Britain would face in meeting the requirements of the
Regulation because no dedicated plant to enable the removal of CFCs from fridges exists in that Member
State?

(1) OJ L 244, 29.9.2000, p. 1.