WRITTEN QUESTION E-1300/02 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. US National Missile Defence Programme.
Date: 2002-05-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union, United States, anti-missile defence, defence policy, disarmament, international security, non-proliferation of arms

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/95

to Israelis, Palestinians and foreign tourists. The Samaritans themselves have been fired at on several
occasions when travelling to Mount Gerizim and passage takes place in conditions of partial security.

It is the intention of the Samaritans to establish Mount Gerazim as a ‘Zone of Peace’ which can serve as a
much-needed model for good intercommunal relations in the region, an idea which has received warm
support from the UK Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ben Bradshaw. This,
however, would involve the purchase of land (senior representatives of the Palestinian authority have
apparently said that they would not prevent
the
development of access roads and the building of a Peace Centre. Money is also needed to build a sewage
system and a medical centre. Unfortunately, the Palestinian Authority has so far felt it necessary to reject
all of the Samaritan applications for regional development on the grounds that it is short of funds, whilst
appeals to Israel have met with a strictly limited response.

local Arabs from selling land to the Samaritans),

Does the Commission support the proposal for a ‘Zone of Peace’ and will it consider providing direct
assistance to the Samaritans if only to help ensure the survival of this beleaguered community?

Will it also discuss with Israel the unblocking of the roadblock to Mount Gerizim?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(7 June 2002)

The Commission fully recognises that civil society activities are important and effective means for
promoting dialogue and co-operation at the regional level in the Middle East and elsewhere. In particular
the Commission’s view is that the traditions of culture and civilisation throughout the Mediterranean
region, and dialogue and respect between cultures and religions are necessary pre-conditions for bringing
the peoples closer to each other. Civil society activities are considered as particularly useful tools in the
context of the Middle East peace process.

In order to continue its support to civil society in the Middle East acting in support of peace, the
Commission decided to set up the ‘EU Partnership for Peace’ programme. A call for proposals will be
issued shortly. Within the framework and conditions of this call for proposals the Samaritan community
may apply for support.

Regarding access to Mount Gerizim the Commission would like to note that in meetings with Israeli
officials, the Commission has always maintained that a policy of roadblocks and checkpoints is harmful for
the development of the economy and counterproductive in the search for peace in the Middle East.

(2003/C 28 E/105)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1300/02

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(7 May 2002)

Subject: US National Missile Defence Programme

Have any consultations been held between the Commission and the Member States on the US National
Missile Defence Programme, with a view to adopting an EU position? If not, are there any plans to
schedule discussions on this matter?

C 28 E/96

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 2002)

The US National Missile Defence Programme is not designed to prevent missile proliferation as such, but
rather to protect the United States territory against its potential consequences. However, in this capacity, it
may have an impact on strategies implemented at international level to fight missile proliferation.

is a matter of
The proliferation of missiles, that can be the carriers of weapons of mass destruction,
concern for the international community as a whole and needs to be analysed from the perspective of the
consequences of its development on global security. There is broad consensus over the necessity to fight
missile proliferation, mainly by the development of multilateral legally binding frameworks and by export
controls.

The Union plays a leading role in this effort, notably through its strong support of the adoption of the
International Code of Conduct for Ballistic Missiles drafted in the framework of the Missile Technology
Control Regime (MTCR). The Union is now promoting its wider adherence also by non MTCR Members.

The CONOP/CODUN (Council Working Groups on Non Proliferation and Disarmament) are the fora
where proliferation-related matters are discussed at Union expert level, and where proposals for common
positions to be adopted by the Council are prepared. So far, there is no Union Common Position on the
United States’s National Missile Defence Programme.

(2003/C 28 E/106)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1302/02

by Miquel Mayol i Raynal (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(7 May 2002)

Subject: National census in Poland

A national census will start in May this year in Poland. Among a number of questions to be asked, two are
related to ‘national’ considerations: nationality and language.

Officially the Polish authorities say that everyone has the right to declare his or her own nationality and
they corroborate that all the answers must be put down in application forms by census collectors as given
by individuals, according to the self-definition of the respondent. But the Main Office for Statistics (Glowny
Urzad Statystyczny-GUS) has already announced that only eleven nationalities will be officially recognised
during the census (Silesian nationality, for example, will not be considered).

In an Upper Silesian regional paper called ‘Dzien’ (‘A Day’) of 4 March 2002 the officials of the GUS gave
the information that the census collectors will
induce Silesians not to declare Silesian nationality but
Polish. In the same report GUS officials have suggested that even though Silesian nationality is declared
and put in an application form, it will not be considered during the electronic preparation of data collected
during the census.

Has the Commission any information about the national census in Poland? Is the Commission aware of the
problem of non-respect of the self-definition of the nationality as given by the respondent? Is the
Commission going to ask for further information from the Polish authorities?

Does the Commission share the opinion that the only democratic and transparent way of proceeding is to
publish the results of the national census reflecting exactly the answers given by citizens, with no
manipulation?