WRITTEN QUESTION E-1668/03 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Human rights abuses in the Western Sahara.
Date: 2003-05-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Morocco, Western Sahara, association agreement (EU), democratisation, human rights, political cooperation, territorial dispute

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/381

(cid:1) the panel of judges’ meetings in camera take place in the presence of counsel for the prosecution;

(cid:1) policemen armed with assault rifles stand facing the public and the accused in the courtroom, and

there are policemen armed with pistols in the public gallery;

(cid:1) the trial is not open to the public, but admission is allowed or refused at the discretion of the officials
in charge of the heavily manned police cordons posted at the entrances to the court. Finally, at the
end of both the first and the second sessions, the court refused to allow the accused to be released,
even though the fact that a new trial is being held constitutes an admission that the 1994 trial was
unfair.

the foregoing would the Commission provide an assessment of

In view of
these facts, which the
Community institutions represented at the trial can corroborate? Does the Commission agree that it should
draw the Turkish Government’s attention very firmly to the fact that the conduct of this trial is inimical to
any prospect of Turkey entering the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2003)

The Commission is closely monitoring the proceedings in the retrial of the Sadak, Zana, Dicle and Dogan
case. Commission staff have attended the two sessions held so far in Ankara’s State Security Court n.1.

The Commission takes note of
the concerns expressed by the Honourable Member regarding the
procedures and alleged shortcomings of this case. The Commission is aware that a number of these
concerns relate to aspects of judicial proceedings that appear to be common to all trials carried out under
State Security Courts in Turkey.

In its recently revised Accession Partnership with Turkey, the European Union stressed the need for Turkey
to strengthen the independence and efficiency of the judiciary and called for the alignment of the
functioning of State Security Courts with European standards.

The Commission will continue to monitor this case in the light of the above mentioned requirements and
will make its overall assessment of the proceedings in due time. The Commission will raise this case with
the Turkish authorities in the context of its regular dialogue with Turkey.

(2004/C 78 E/0403)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1668/03

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Human rights abuses in the Western Sahara

(19 May 2003)

What steps is the Commission taking to implement Article 2 of the Association Agreement between the
EC and the Kingdom of Morocco in the light of the alleged human rights violations against the people of
the Western Sahara and the disbanding of the Saharawi Human Rights non-governmental organisation
Forum for Truth and Justice: Sahara Section?

Will the Commission raise the case of Ali Salem Tamek, an Amnesty International prisoner of conscience,
sentenced to two years imprisonment based on confessions which Amnesty International believe were
extracted under torture?

Will the European Commission Delegation in Rabat send observers to the trials of human rights activists
from the Western Sahara?

Finally, what effect does this unresolved conflict on Morocco’s economic and social development, and what
efforts have been made by the Commission in assisting the Moroccan government to resolve this long-
standing dispute to the benefit of the peoples of Morocco and the Western Sahara?

C 78 E/382

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 June 2003)

Respect for human rights is a fundamental concern of the Union in its relations with all third countries.
Article 2 of the association agreements provides the Union with the basis for developing productive
dialogue and co-operation with the Mediterranean partners in the areas of human rights and fundamental
freedoms and the rule of law.

In order to structure this dialogue, on 22 May 2003 the Commission issued a Communication aimed at
reinvigorating Union actions on human rights and democratisation with the Mediterranean partners (1), on
the basis, among others, of the existing Euro-Med Association Agreements.

This Communication outlines guidelines for the best use of the instruments that are at the disposal of the
Union and its Mediterranean partners to effectively implement their common goal of the promotion of
democratisation and the promotion and protection of universal human rights and fundamental freedoms.
It proposes 10 concrete recommendations to improve the dialogue between the Union and its
Its
Mediterranean partners, as well as Community’s financial co-operation on human rights issues.
implementation will be enhanced by three levels of complementarity: between the political dialogue and
financial assistance, between the MEDA programme and assistance under the European Initiative for
Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), and finally between the national and regional dimensions.

The Communication should provide a concrete platform to engage the Mediterranean partners, such as
Morocco, on a continuous and substantial dialogue on all
the questions of human rights and
democratisation including, if appropriate, those dealing with specific cases.

In this respect the Commission would like to reassure the Honourable Member that it is following the
specific cases mentioned in his written question. The humanitarian and human rights aspects of the
Western Sahara conflict are a continuous and long-standing concern of the Commission and contacts have
been established with all parties in the region on this issue.

Clearly the unresolved conflict of Western Sahara places considerable demands on Morocco’s human and
financial resources that could otherwise be used for different purposes. In addition, it effects the Moroccan
political position (whose main objective is the safeguard of what they claim to be their territorial integrity)
as well as on the economic policies (the process of regional integration is the major victim).

Finally, the Commission fully supports the efforts deployed by the Secretary General of the United Nations
in order to find a mutually acceptable solution for the parties involved in the conflict of Western Sahara.

(1) COM(2003) 294 final.

(2004/C 78 E/0404)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1669/03

by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 May 2003)

Subject: Baku-Ceyhun oil pipeline

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline is a proposed pipeline that would span 1 760 kilometres from
the Azerbaijan capital of Baku to the Mediterranean city of Ceyhan, Turkey. A gas pipeline also is planned
to follow the same route. British Petroleum (BP) is the lead sponsor; there are nine other participants in the
consortium. The BTC consortium is seeking the political and financial support of their countries’ export
credit agencies, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Finance
Corporation of the World Bank Group.