WRITTEN QUESTION E-1732/02 by Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR) to the Council. Expulsion of a delegation of politicians and journalists from El Aaiun (Western Sahara).
Date: 2002-06-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Morocco, Spain, Western Sahara, common foreign and security policy, diplomatic representation, human rights, removal

C 92 E/86

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

17.4.2003

(2003/C 92 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1732/02

by Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR) to the Council

(17 June 2002)

Subject: Expulsion of a delegation of politicians and journalists from El Aaiun (Western Sahara)

On Saturday 1 June a Spanish delegation, duly accredited and consisting of politicians and journalists,
arrived at the airport of El Aaiun in Western Sahara, on a flight from the Canaries. They were surprised
when, no sooner had they landed, than they were expelled from the airport on the order of the Moroccan
authorities, after being treated in an insulting and humiliating manner. The reason for the visit was to find
out about the situation in the Sahara, via interviews arranged beforehand with Minurso representatives and
with the authorities of El Aaiun and Smara, which unfortunately could not take place.

In view of the serious nature of the incident it is appropriate that the questioner, a member of the ad hoc
European Parliament delegation to the Sahara, should denounce this kind of anomaly and lack of
parliamentary courtesy on the part of the Moroccan Government towards a delegation consisting of
elected Community citizens, such as a female member of Parliament, a female senator, two members of
parliament of an autonomous region, a regional government minister, a mayor, two female councillors and
seven journalists who were going to cover the meeting.

In view of this and in accordance with Article 21 of the EU Treaty, which deals with the EU’s foreign and
security policy, the questioner wishes to denounce this outrageous behaviour to the Council and ask what
steps it intends to take vis-à-vis the Moroccan Government in connection with this serious incident?

Reply

(19 December 2002)

1.

The Council takes note of the incident reported by the Honourable Member.

2.
In general, the Council fully supports the UN’s efforts towards resolving the Western Sahara conflict,
whether undertaken at its New York headquarters or in the field through Minurso. In this connection, it
encourages any confidence-building contacts between the Parties, including at the human level, aimed at
reaching a lasting solution that fully respects human rights. It recently called upon Morocco to ensure full
respect for civil guarantees and human rights in Western Sahara and to continue cooperating with the
ICRC in order to clear up the issue of locating ‘disappeared’ Sahrawis.

Likewise, the Council has also called upon the Polisario to release the 1 260 Moroccan prisoners still
3.
being held in the Tindouf camps and to cooperate with the ICRC in order to clear up the issue of locating
Moroccan nationals who have disappeared.
It has further appealed to both Parties to allow, as a
humanitarian measure under the aegis of the HCR, refugees, prisoners and their families living in Western
Sahara freely to exchange letters and have telephone contacts, and has invited them to encourage family
visits bringing together Western Saharan residents and persons in the Tindouf refugee camps.

(2003/C 92 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1733/02

by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Greater security over bankcard payments

(17 June 2002)

Despite the constant efforts of banking establishments, bankcard fraud is still on the increase.

At the same time, the number of cardholders increased by 6 % in 2001. It therefore comes as no surprise
that over ten years the number of card transactions has almost doubled, reaching a figure of 4,8 billion by
2001.