WRITTEN QUESTION P-1568/02 by Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) to the Council. The EU and the risk of war between India and Pakistan.
Date: 2002-05-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: India, Pakistan, common foreign and security policy, international affairs, international security, nuclear weapon, terrorism, the EU's international role, war

C 52 E/80

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2002)

The Commission is aware of press reports regarding an explosion at the end of April 2002, in a Syrian
arms factory located near Homs. The same press reports quote Western intelligence services stating that
the weapons complex in question was not a missile facility.

The Commission would like to suggest that the question regarding Syria’s membership in the Security
Council be redirected to the Council.

the objectives

to work for the
The Commission reiterates that a dialogue on human rights is an effective tool
implementation of
laid down in the Barcelona Declaration (adopted on 27 and
28 November 1995). In this respect the Commission would like to refer to the latest round of association
negotiations with Syria where substantial progress was made on the political chapter; in that context, the
Commission took the opportunity of again clarifying the Union’s approach to human rights issues and the
central role they play in the Association Agreement.

(2003/C 52 E/090)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1568/02

by Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(28 May 2002)

Subject: The EU and the risk of war between India and Pakistan

The extremely serious developments of recent days would appear to point towards the possibility of an
all-out war between India and Pakistan, which would have a disastrous effect on the entire region given
that both countries have nuclear weapons. Would the Council not agree that it should take urgent
diplomatic action, using all the means at its disposal, including a mission by High Representative Javier
Solana, to avert such a tragedy?

(2003/C 52 E/091)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1641/02

by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Council

Subject: Deterioration of Indo-Pakistani relations

(3 June 2002)

In view of the recent deterioration in Indo-Pakistani relations, which could pose a significant threat to the
people of the region and to the region’s political and strategic stability in particular, will the Council,
through the High Representative for the CFSP, take the lead in attempting to defuse the tension and
re-establish constructive dialogue between the two countries?

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-1568/02 and P-1641/02

(5 November 2002)

1.
The Council shares the Honourable MEPs’ preoccupation over the state of Indo-Pakistani relations,
and in particular over the continuing military stand-off at the Line of Control (LoC) over the past few
months. The Council also agrees that an all-out war between the two countries would have disastrous
effects on the entire region and beyond.

2.
The European Council in Seville on 21 and 22 June 2002 discussed the tensions between India and
Pakistan and issued a declaration, calling on Pakistan to take further concrete action to stop infiltration
across the Line of Control and to prevent terrorist groups from operating from territory under its control.
The European Council encouraged India to be ready to respond with further de-escalatory steps, and