WRITTEN QUESTION E-2410/02 by Bob van den Bos (ELDR) to the Council. Peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
Date: 2002-08-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Democratic Republic of the Congo, EU aid, EU relations, Rwanda, bilateral agreement, establishment of peace

17.4.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 92 E/167

(2003/C 92 E/220)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2410/02

by Bob van den Bos (ELDR) to the Council

(7 August 2002)

Subject: Peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda

Earlier this week, representatives of Rwanda and of the Democratic Republic of the Congo concluded a
peace agreement in the South African capital, Pretoria. That agreement follows in the wake of a recent
agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

What is the Council’s assessment of the peace agreement concluded between the Democratic Republic of
the Congo and Rwanda?

What implications does the agreement have for relations between the European Union and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo?

Will the arrangements for EU assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo be strengthened
thereby? If so, how?

Reply

(19 December 2002)

The EU has congratulated the governments of the DRC and Rwanda for the signing of the Peace
Agreement between the DRC and Rwanda on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the territory of the
DRC as well as for the programme for its implementation. The EU also welcomed the dismantling of the
ex-FAR and Interahamwe forces in the DRC. The EU has at the same time, expressed the hope that the
Congolese Parties will make full use of the present momentum to promote an all-inclusive conclusion of
the Inter-Congolese Dialogue. It repeatedly reassured all Parties of its continued support to the ongoing
process of securing peace and security for all countries and people in the region of the Great Lakes.

The EU considers that progress in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue and the withdrawal of external troops in
the DRC are both necessary prerequisites for obtaining a lasting peace in the DRC. It therefore considers
the agreement between the DRC and Rwanda as a major step forward towards peace in the region.

The bilateral relations between the EU and the DRC are already normalised and the signing of the Peace
Agreement in itself is therefore not expected to have any immediate consequences in this respect. The new
National Indicative Programme with the DRC, opening up for resources under the European Development
Fund was signed in January. Whether the Peace Agreement and its implementation will have any
implications for EU assistance to the DRC will have to be examined in due course.

(2003/C 92 E/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2421/02

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(20 August 2002)

Subject: Possible execution of Mr Omori Katsuhisa in Japan

Mr Omori Katsuhisa, 53, who is under sentence of death, could be executed within the next few days.
As more than one execution is usually carried out at the same time in Japan, there are fears that other
executions will take place in August. Executions are carried out in secret; there is consequently no official
confirmation of the names of individuals scheduled to be executed.

Omori Katsuhisa was arrested on 10 August 1976 on charges of having planted and detonated a bomb in
prefectural government offices in Hokkaido in the north of Japan,
in March of that year. His death
sentence became final when his appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court in July 1994. It appears that
Omori Katsuhisa’s lawyer was preparing a fresh appeal when it emerged that his client’s execution was
imminent.