WRITTEN QUESTION E-1109/02 by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE)and Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Council. Protection of human rights in Algeria.
Date: 2002-04-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Algeria, Association Council (EU), association agreement (EU), common foreign and security policy, human rights

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/85

Will the Council take measures against the Israeli Government for the crime it is committing against the
Palestinians, peace and humanity and, in more specific terms, will it suspend the cooperation agreement
between the European Union and Israel forthwith until the siege of President Arafat in Ramallah is ended
and Israeli troops have withdrawn from the autonomous territories of the Palestinian Authority?

Reply

(30 September 2002)

The Council does not share the analysis offered by the Honourable Member. Indeed,
it has, on the
contrary, actively pursued an end to the recent senseless confrontation in the Middle East in concert with
its partners, notably the United States, Russian Federation and United Nations. It is convinced that such
coordinated international action offers the best prospect for a political resolution of the conflict based on
UNSCRs 242 and 338, and the principle of land for peace. The Council does not intend to suspend the
Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement with Israel.

(2002/C 309 E/098)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1109/02

by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE)
and Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Council

(18 April 2002)

Subject: Protection of human rights in Algeria

In the light of the flagrant violations of human rights which have occurred in Algeria and of the new
framework for cooperation between the EU and the Mediterranean countries which, in accordance with
the Union’s decision, must be based on the principles of human rights, how will the Council ensure that
the human rights situation in Algeria is taken up as a specific topic for discussion at all meetings held in
the context of the EU-Algeria Association Council, in application of the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation
process (Barcelona process)?

Reply

(3 October 2002)

The Council is keeping a close watch on matters concerning respect for human rights in Algeria. In 1997
it instituted a political dialogue with Algeria at ministerial level. This is where the Council, represented by
the Troika, regularly raises issues relating to respect for human rights and strongly urges that any
departure from this or any abuse, even as part of the fight against terrorism, be avoided.

The Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement was signed with Algeria in Valencia on 22 April 2002
and will come into force following the assent of the European Parliament and ratification by the Member
States. Respect for human rights is an essential element of this Agreement which guides the Parties’
external and domestic policies. Moreover, it institutionalises regular political dialogue at various levels,
particularly within the Association Council, on all matters of mutual interest.

As long as respect for human rights poses a problem in Algeria, human rights questions will feature on the
agenda for the political dialogue, whether that established in 1997 or that to be institutionalised by the
Association Agreement, once it comes into force. At the political dialogue meeting in Brussels on
5 December 2001, the EU requested Algeria to provide it with information on the fate of a number of
missing persons and asked it to cooperate with UN mechanisms and with NGOs in the area of human
rights. A meeting of the same nature took place in Algiers on 5 June 2002, providing another opportunity
to continue discussion of these matters with the Algerian authorities.