European Parliament resolution on Burma
Date: 2005-05-12
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Myanmar/Burma, ethnic cleansing, human rights, political violence, slavery, the EU's international role

C 92 E/410

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.4.2006

Thursday 12 May 2005

C. whereas several opposition newspapers can only be printed outside the Mari Republic,

D. whereas the Government of Mari El has threatened to close down schools in regions that voted over-
whelmingly for the opposition candidate during the presidential elections, and forced a dozen school
directors in these areas to resign,

E. whereas individuals belonging to the Mari minority face considerable difficulties in obtaining education
in their native language since there is no secondary or higher education in Mari, and the publication of
Mari textbooks has severely declined in recent years,

1.
Is convinced that the multi-ethnic character of the Russian Federation greatly contributes to the cultu-
ral and linguistic diversity of Europe, and is a phenomenon that all citizens of the Russian Federation are
justifiably proud of and that should be preserved for the benefit of all Europeans;

2.
Strongly condemns the harassment of and assaults on independent journalists in Mari El, and calls on
the federal and local authorities to bring the perpetrators of such acts to justice, and ensure respect for
freedom of expression;

Calls for a speedy, comprehensive and independent inquiry by federal and local authorities into the

3.
allegations of irregularities before and during the presidential elections in Mari El on 19 December 2004;

Calls on the Government of Mari El to immediately stop political retribution and intimidation directed
4.
at dissenting public servants, and refrain from undue political interference in the affairs of educational and
cultural institutions;

Calls on the local and federal authorities to respect their obligations under international law, and to
5.
take adequate steps to facilitate the practical implementation of the provisions of the State Constitution and
other legislation relating to the maintenance and development of minority languages and cultures, with
particular emphasis on providing quality education in people's native language at all levels, thus ensuring
that the Mari language and Russian are placed on the same footing throughout the republic;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Governments

6.
of the Russian Federation and Mari El.

P6_TA(2005)0186

Human rights in Burma/Myanmar

European Parliament resolution on Burma

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its resolution of 13 June 2001 on the Commission working document: ‘Perspectives

and Priorities for the ASEM Process (Asia-Europe Meeting) into the new decade’ (1),

— having regard to its resolution of 5 September 2002 on the Commission Communication on ‘Europe

and Asia: A Strategic Framework for Enhanced Partnerships’ (2),

— having regard to its previous resolutions on Burma, in particular those of 11 April 2002 (3), 13 March

2003 (4), 5 June 2003 (5), 4 September 2003 (6), 11 March 2004 (7) and 16 September 2004 (8),

(1) OJ C 53 E, 28.2.2002, p. 227.
(2) OJ C 272 E, 13.11.2003, p. 476.
(3) OJ C 127 E, 29.5.2003, p. 681.
(4) OJ C 61 E, 10.3.2004, p. 420.
(5) OJ C 68 E, 18.3.2004, p. 620.
(6) OJ C 76 E, 25.3.2004, p. 470.
(7) OJ C 102 E, 28.4.2004, p. 874.
(8) P6_TA(2004)0015.

20.4.2006

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 92 E/411

Thursday 12 May 2005

— having regard to the Chairman's statement of the fourth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM IV) held in Copen-

hagen from 23 to 24 September 2002,

— having regard to the Chairman's statement of the 10th Meeting of ASEAN (Association of South East

Asian Nations) Regional Forum of 18 June 2003,

— having regard to the Declaration of the third Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP III),

held in Hue City from 25 to 26 March 2004,

— having regard to Burma's membership of ASEAN, and its presidency of ASEAN in 2006,

— having regard to the Chairman's Statement of the sixth ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting, held in Kil-

dare from 17 to 18 April 2004,

— having regard to the Chairman's statement of the 11th Meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum of 2 July

2004,

— _ having regard to Council Common Position 96/635/CFSP of 28 October 1996 defined by the Council
on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union, on Burma/Myanmar (1), renewed and
extended by Council Common Position 2003/297/CFSP of 28 April 2003 on Burma (2), and Council
Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004 of 25 October 2004 (3),

— having regard to the outcome of discussions at the Gymnich Meeting of EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs

of 3 and 4 September 2004,

— having regard to the conclusions adopted by the Council on 13 September 2004,

— having regard to Council Common Position 2004/730/CFSP of 25 October 2004 (4), amended on

21 February 2005, and Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004,

— having regard to the Declaration of the Presidency on behalf of the European Union at the reconvening

of the National Convention in Burma on 15 February 2005,

— having regard to the joint statement of the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian

Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta on 10 March 2005,

— having regard to the resolution on the human rights situation in Burma adopted at the 61st session of

the United Nations Commission on Human Rights,

— having regard to the Chairman's Statement of the seventh ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in

Kyoto from 6 to 7 May 2005,

— having regard to Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the people of Burma are subject to human rights abuses including forced labour, persecution of
dissidents, conscription of child soldiers, rape of ethnic minority women and children by government
troops, and forced relocation,

B.

deeply worried by the allegations of use of chemical weapons by the military junta against Karenni
rebels,

C. worried by the three bomb attacks in Rangoon on 7 May 2005, killing 11 and wounding 162 civilians

in the most deadly attacks since the military seized power 40 years ago,

D. whereas the sixth ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Kildare in April 2004 laid down clear
conditions for Burma's entry into ASEM, including the release of Aung San Suu Kyi as a minimum
condition, allowing the National League for Democracy (NLD) to operate freely, and starting genuine
political dialogue with pro-democracy and ethnic groups in Burma,

(1) OJ L 287, 8.11.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 106, 29.4.2003, p. 36.
(3) OJ L 323, 26.10.2004, p. 11.
(4) OJ L 323, 26.10.2004, p. 17.

C 92 E/412

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.4.2006

Thursday 12 May 2005

E. whereas none of these conditions has been fulfilled by the Burmese regime,

F. whereas the National Convention in Burma has been reconvened without the participation of the NLD,

other political parties and all ethnic nationality ceasefire groups,

G. whereas, since November 2004, ASEAN parliamentarians — from Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand — have been calling on their respective governments not to allow Burma to
assume the chair of ASEAN in 2006,

H. whereas the United Nations Special Envoy for Burma, Ambassador Razali, who has been barred by the
Burmese regime from visiting Burma for over a year, has voiced his support for the efforts being made
by ASEAN lawmakers,

I. whereas the USA has officially stated that it will not participate in any ASEAN meeting should Burma

assume the chair of ASEAN in 2006,

J. whereas,

in February 2005, the Burmese regime arrested Hkun Htun Oo, Chairman of the Shan

Nationalities League for Democracy, and other ethnic leaders,

K. whereas, on 15 March 2005, the Burmese regime charged Hkun Htun Oo, General Hso Hten, President
of the Shan State Peace Council, and eight other Shan leaders with conspiracy against the state, which
carries the death penalty,

L. whereas the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur for Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, has said that the
Burmese regime is stifling any hope of democratic transition by arresting and jailing political and ethnic
opposition leaders,

M. whereas Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004 does not include the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE)
in the list of prohibited companies, and whereas, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit, gas
exports from Burma were worth USD 987 million in 2003/4,

N. whereas the Commission organised and provided full funding for a meeting, held on 5 April 2005,
with a panel consisting solely of those critical of the current EU measures against Burma, with none of
Europe's pro-democracy group allowed to attend,

O. whereas, on 24 March 2005, the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
decided to ‘reactivate’ the measures that it had adopted in June 2000 calling for members to review
their relations (under Article 33 of the ILO Constitution) with Burma because of its continuing large-
scale use of forced labour,

1.
Points out that any meeting with senior members of the Burmese regime cannot be taken as an
indicator of a relaxation of EU opposition to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) dictatorship;

2.

Condemns the total disregard of the Burma junta for the welfare of the people of Burma;

3.
Strongly condemns the bomb attacks that took place in Rangoon on 7 May 2005, killing 11 people
and wounding 162 others; asks for a policy of peaceful solution of political problems, and expresses its
condolences to the victims and the families of those who died in the 7 May bomb attacks;

Deplores the Burmese regime's campaign of ethnic cleansing against several major ethnic groups

4.
fighting for autonomy;

Condemns the use of chemical weapons and urges the government of Burma immediately to stop any

5.
new attack using chemical arms;

6.
Demands the immediate release of and full freedom of movement and expression for Aung San Suu
Kyi, Hkun Htun Oo, General Hso Hten, other political leaders and all political prisoners held by the SPDC;

20.4.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 92 E/413

Thursday 12 May 2005

7.
Calls on the SPDC to initiate immediately a meaningful dialogue with the National League for Democ-
racy (NLD) and ethnic groups to bring about a return to democracy and respect for human rights, including
ethnic minorities' rights and state rights in Burma;

Calls on the Burmese regime to rescind SPDC Law No 5/96, which carries a 20-year sentence for any

8.
discussion of constitutional matters outside the National Convention;

Calls on the SPDC to modify National Convention procedures which currently do not allow delegates
9.
to discuss issues outside the set agenda and consider all matters within the Convention to be state secrets;

Insists that the SPDC respect the will of the people of Burma as expressed in the results of the 1990

10.
elections;

11.

Insists that the EU's Common Policy on Burma be strengthened immediately by

(a) officially stating that the EU will not consider accepting any outcome of the current National Conven-
tion unless the minimum conditions laid down at the sixth ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kildare
in April 2004 are met,

(b) officially stating that the EU will not participate in the ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN Post
Ministerial Meeting and other ASEAN meetings and events should Burma become the chair of ASEAN
in 2006 without meeting any of the minimum conditions,

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

re-defining the prohibition on EU-registered companies in Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004 from ‘invest-
ing in or extending loans to named Burmese state-owned enterprises’ to ‘entering into business con-
tracts with named Burmese state-owned enterprises’,

re-defining the prohibition on EU-registered companies in Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004 from ‘named
Burmese state-owned enterprises’ to ‘all Burmese state-owned enterprises’,

alternatively, adding the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) to the list of prohibited companies in
Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004,

amending Article 5 of the Common Position 2004/370/CFSP on Burma to read: ‘Non-humanitarian aid
or development programmes, including those funded by the World Bank, the Asian Development bank,
and or any other international financial institutions in which Member States participate, shall be sus-
pended’,

(g) calling on travel agencies and independent tour operators in the EU to stop promoting and selling

tourist visits to Burma;

Calls for an investigation to be carried out into the decision to hold the ‘Burma Day’ and the
12.
selection process of the panelists, and for a full report to be published in order to ensure that such a use
of public funding cannot be repeated;

Regrets the presentation on the occasion of Burma Day 2005 of a report, financed by the Commis-
13.
sion, that has indicated the possibility of widening economic and social cooperation with the Burmese
authorities;

Calls for a high-ranking EU envoy to be appointed to work towards securing the release of Aung San

14.
Suu Kyi, and developing a comprehensive EU strategy on Burma;

15.
Deeply regrets the fact that the Government of Burma has not yet undertaken all the relevant
measures to allow the Joint Government of the Union of Myanmar — International Labour Organization
Plan of Action for the elimination of Forced Labour Practices in Myanmar to come into force;

Urges all members of the ILO within the EU to seriously review their relations, under Article 33 of

16.
the ILO Constitution, with Burma as called for by the ILO Governing Body;

C 92 E/414

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.4.2006

Thursday 12 May 2005

Commends the efforts of the ASEAN parliamentarians to exercise their influence with their respective

17.
governments so as to bring about change for the better in Burma;

18.

Urges the ASEAN states to reconsider the assumption that Burma should chair ASEAN in 2006;

19.
Calls on the UN Security Council to address the situation in Burma as a matter of urgency and to
empower the UN Secretary-General and his Special Envoy to mediate in Burma in order to bring about
national reconciliation and a transition to democracy;

20.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of
the ASEAN and ASEM member states, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus, Aung San Suu Kyi,
the NLD, the SPDC, the UN Secretary-General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN
Human Rights Special Rapporteur for Burma.

P6_TA(2005)0187

Drought in Spain

European Parliament resolution on the drought in Spain

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Articles 2 and 6 of the EC Treaty, under which environmental protection requirements
must be integrated into Community policies in various areas, with a view to fostering environmentally
sustainable economic development,

— having regard to Article 174 of the EC Treaty,

— having regard to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
of 11 December 1997 and the Community's approval of the Kyoto Protocol by means of the Council
Decision of 25 April 2002 (1),

— having regard to Commission report No 21553 of March 2005 on ‘Climate change and the European

water dimension’,

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

A. whereas southern Europe, and particularly the Iberian Peninsula, has suffered many severe droughts and
frosts which have led to the destruction of numerous crops including fruit trees, olive groves, herba-
ceous plants and horticultural products and flowers, as well as causing substantial losses to stockbreed-
ing and the processing industry,

B. whereas the period from November 2004 to March 2005 was the driest Spain had seen since 1947, and
as at 31 March 2005 the volume of water accumulated in the previous seven months was 37 % less
than the normal average for the same period; whereas water reserves in Spain are at just 60 % of their
normal capacity,

C. whereas the period from January to March 2005 witnessed the lowest temperatures of frost recorded in
Spain in 20 years, with the destruction of millions of olive trees and fruit trees, as well as major losses
in other agricultural sectors,

D. whereas after the frost had ended the drought persisted in Spain and this extreme drought has resulted
in an alarming rise in the risk of forest fires; whereas in some autonomous communities the fire-risk
level is fast approaching the maximum and high temperatures and no rain are forecast for the coming
months,

(1) OJ L 130, 15.5.2002, p. 1.