European Parliament resolution on the situation in Lebanon
Date: 2005-03-10
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: EU relations, European neighbourhood policy, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine question, Syria, association agreement (EU), parliamentary election, political situation, terrorism

15.12.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 320 E/257

Thursday 10 March 2005

Believes that the EU should support renewed efforts to enable North Korea to renounce the further

38.
use of nuclear energy in exchange for guaranteed energy supplies;

39.
Calls on the Council and the Commission to offer financial support for heavy fuel oil supplies to
remedy North Korea's primary energy needs, and asks the Commission and the Council to make the necess-
ary approaches regarding EU participation in future six-party talks while at the same time making it clear
that ‘No Say, No Pay’ is a principle which the EU will follow in its dealings with the Korean Peninsula;

Is aware that central to the ongoing crisis are the claims that North Korea has a full fledged highly
40.
enriched uranium programme and has supplied uranium to Libya; considering, however, that neither of
these claims has been substantiated, asks for a public hearing in the European Parliament to evaluate the
claims;

*

*

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Calls on both the Council and the Commission to present a progress report to Parliament on the

41.
outcome of the 2005 NPT Review Conference in due time;

42.

Recommends that an official Parliament delegation attend the NPT Review Conference;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Presidency in office of the Council, the
43.
Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the UN Secretary-Gen-
eral, the governments and parliaments of Iran and North Korea, all States Parties to the NPT and the IAEA.

P6_TA(2005)0076

Situation in Lebanon

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Lebanon

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its resolution of 16 January 2003 on the conclusion of an Association Agreement

with the Republic of Lebanon (1),

— having regard to its previous resolutions on the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, particularly that of

23 February 2005 (2),

— having regard to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 of 2 September 2004 on Lebanon,

— having regard to the statement on Lebanon of 15 February 2005 by the President of the United Nations

Security Council,

— having regard to the Council's conclusions of 21 February 2005 on the Middle East Peace Process,

— having regard to its resolution of 20 November 2003 on ‘Wider Europe — Neighbourhood: A New

Framework for Relations with our Eastern and Southern Neighbours’ (3),

— having regard to its resolution of 12 February 2004 on reinvigorating EU actions on human rights and

democratisation with Mediterranean partners (4),

— having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

(1) OJ C 38 E, 12.2.2004, p. 307.
(2) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0046.
(3) OJ C 87 E, 7.4.2004, p. 506.
(4) OJ C 97 E, 22.4.2004, p. 656.

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Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.12.2005

Thursday 10 March 2005

A. deeply shocked by the attack in Beirut on 14 February 2005, which claimed the lives of the former

Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, and of other innocent civilians,

B. whereas Rafik Hariri was one of the most influential politicians and one of the most devoted to the
reconciliation process in Lebanon and a strong supporter of the withdrawal of foreign troops from his
country,

C. whereas Lebanon is a country with strong historical, cultural and economic links to Europe, an import-
ant partner of the European Union in the Middle East and a participant in the European Neighbour-
hood Policy, and whereas this tragedy is an assault on the democratic principles which are dear to
Lebanon and to the European Union,

D.

encouraged by the magnitude of the peaceful and democratic public demonstrations of recent days and
their reflection of a high degree of national unity among people of different political and religious
persuasions in the country,

E. welcoming the fact that the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has decided to send a fact-finding mis-
sion to ascertain ‘the circumstances, causes and consequences’ of the death of the former Prime Minister
of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri,

F. whereas on 28 February 2005 the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Omar Karami, resigned as an opposi-
tion-sponsored motion of no confidence in the government was being debated in Parliament and in
response to the public pressure exerted through demonstrations organised by the opposition calling for
the withdrawal of Syrian troops,

G. whereas parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place in Lebanon in May 2005 and having regard

to the will of the Lebanese people to determine their political future,

H. having regard to the decision of the Presidents of Syria and Lebanon to announce a withdrawal of
Syrian forces to the eastern Bekaa Valley before the end of March, even though the international com-
munity was calling for a complete and rapid withdrawal from Lebanon,

I. whereas the resumption of talks between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian National Authority
has made even more urgent the involvement of Syria and Lebanon in the process with a view to
reaching a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the Middle East conflict,

J.

stressing that the forthcoming signature of the Association Agreement with the EU will commit Syria
to a political dialogue based on support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law and respect
for international law,

K. underlining the need to prevent Lebanon from descending into a new period of turbulence and to
support and consolidate its fragile democratic institutions and to continue the reconstruction process,

L.

highlighting the role that a fully democratic and sovereign Lebanon can play in the development of the
Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy,

1.
Condemns unequivocally the bomb attack in Beirut on 14 February 2005 which killed the former
Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri, and other innocent civilians, expresses its horror and indignation
at this barbarous act and conveys its sincerest condolences to the families of Mr Hariri and of the other
victims;

2.
Calls, pursuant to the statement made by the UN Security Council President on 15 February 2005, for
every effort to be made to ascertain the causes, circumstances and consequences of this attack; calls on the
Lebanese authorities to continue to cooperate with the UN's fact-finding mission;

3.
Believes that this crime must not thwart the electoral process in Lebanon, and stresses the importance
of free, democratic and transparent parliamentary elections in that country; reiterates its call for consider-
ation to be given to a European Union observer mission to monitor the parliamentary elections in Lebanon,
and calls on the Commission to take all necessary measures in this regard;

4.
Calls on the Commission to initiate immediate cooperation by supporting civil society and indepen-
dent NGOs through the MEDA programme and the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights;

15.12.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 320 E/259

Thursday 10 March 2005

5.
Urges the Commission to finalise the action plan for Lebanon, addressing all the questions concerning
the political stability of the country, the consolidation of its democratic institutions and the speeding-up of
the reconstruction process;

6. Warmly welcomes the positive developments in the Middle East region in recent weeks, including
revitalisation of the negotiation process between Israel and Palestine, and calls on Syria not to tolerate any
form of terrorism, including support for the operations of Hezbollah and other armed groups;

Considers that clear evidence exists of terrorist activities on the part of Hezbollah and that the Council

7.
should take all necessary steps to curtail them;

8.
Considers it important, to that end, that a direct dialogue be re-established between Syria and Israel
with a view to ensuring peace and security for those countries and guaranteeing their sovereignty and
integrity, in compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions;

9.
Calls on Syria to fully cooperate with the European Union in the framework of the European Neigh-
bourhood Policy to ensure peace and stability in the region; recalls the great significance of implementing
Resolution 1559 affirming the international community's support for Lebanon's territorial integrity, sover-
eignty and independence; calls on Syria to refrain from all interference in Lebanon's internal affairs; notes
the decision to withdraw Syrian forces before the end of March, but calls for the complete withdrawal of
Syrian troops and of its intelligence services from Lebanon, as indicated in the resolutions of the United
Nations Security Council; considers that the conclusion of the Association Agreement with Syria and further
development of the European Neighbourhood Policy towards that country will be possible only on the basis
of a clear commitment by Syria in that regard;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission and to the Govern-

10.
ment and Parliament of Lebanon.

P6_TA(2005)0077

Guidelines for future European Union policy to support research

European Parliament resolution on science and technology — Guidelines for future European Union
policy to support research (2004/2150(INI))

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission's Communication ‘Science and technology, the key to Europe's future

— Guidelines for future European Union policy to support research’ (COM(2004)0353),

— having regard to the Presidency's conclusions on future European policy to support research endorsed
by a substantial majority of the delegations at the Competitiveness Council meeting of 25/26 Nov-
ember 2004 (1),

— having regard to Decision No 1513/2002/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 27 June
2002 concerning the sixth framework programme of the European Community for research, tech-
nological development and demonstration activities, contributing to the creation of the European
Research Area and to innovation (2002 to 2006) (2),

— having regard to the Commission's action plan aimed at increasing investment in research (COM(2003)

0226),

— having regard to its resolution of 18 November 2003 on investing in research: an action plan for

Europe (3),

(1) Council of the European Union, 26/11/2004 (English) — 14687/04 (Press: 323).
(2) OJ L 232, 29.8.2002, p. 1.
(3) OJ C 87 E, 7.4.2004, p. 60.