European Parliament resolution on relations between the EU, China and Taiwan and security in the Far East
Date: 2005-07-07
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Asia, China, EU relations, Taiwan, international cooperation, international security, multilateral relations, peace, peaceful co-existence

6.7.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 157 E/471

Thursday 7 July 2005

16.
Notes that the Dayton agreement has been an important instrument for bringing peace to the region
but is aware that Dayton is no longer an appropriate framework also with respect to future integration with
the EU; urges the Council and all parties concerned, therefore, to support initiatives aimed at adapting the
agreement by consensus; stresses that the citizens of all the country's entities and ethnicities must assume
their responsibility in order to reach a new constitutional settlement and create a viable state for all;

Expresses its serious concern at the economic and social situation; stresses that the solution to this
17.
crucial
issue is the key to stable development in the region; calls on the governments and the EU to
recognise that economic and social development is the top priority for the peoples of the region and to
act accordingly; underlines the importance of enhancing regional and crossborder cooperation and recon-
ciliation between the peoples of the western Balkan countries as well as with their neighbours;

18.
Stresses the importance of policies of reconciliation, and emphasises the important role of the relig-
ious authorities, the media and the educational systems in this difficult process, so that civilians of all
ethnicities may overcome the tensions of the past and begin a peaceful and sincere coexistence fit for endur-
ing stability and economic growth; in this respect asks for consideration to be given to establishing a truth
and reconciliation commission in Bosnia-Herzegovina;

Stresses that the lessons learned from Srebrenica and the wars in former Yugoslavia must serve as the

19.
basis for a strengthening of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy;

20.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the governments of
the Member States, the Government and Parliament of Bosnia-Herzegovina and its entities, and the govern-
ments and parliaments of the countries of the western Balkans.

P6_TA(2005)0297

Relations between the EU, China and Taiwan and security in the Far East

European Parliament resolution on relations between the EU, China and Taiwan and security in the
Far East

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its resolution of 14 April 2005 on the annual report from the Council to the Euro-
pean Parliament on the main aspects and basic choices of CFSP, including the financial implications for
the general budget of the European Communities — 2003 (1),

— having regard to its resolution of 28 April 2005 on the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World

2004 and the EU's policy on the matter (2),

— having regard to the Commission Communication on ‘Europe and Asia: A Strategic Framework for

Enhanced Partnerships’ (COM(2001)0469),

— having regard to its resolution of 13 April 2000 on Taiwan (3),

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

A. whereas relations between China and Taiwan are continuing to deteriorate owing to recent threats by
China against Taiwan and the ongoing stationing of hundreds of missiles in the southern provinces of
China facing Taiwan,

B. whereas tensions have arisen in relations between Japan and China, caused by Chinese riots against

Japanese interests and calls to boycott Japanese products,

(1) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0132.
(2) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0150.
(3) OJ C 40, 7.2.2001, p. 428.

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Thursday 7 July 2005

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.7.2006

C.

reiterating that Taiwan has in recent years expressed a willingness to assist financially and technically in
international aid and health activities supported by the WHO,

D. whereas the fifth Asia-Europe meeting — the ASEM 5 Summit — in Hanoi on 7-9 October 2004 and
the seventh meeting of Foreign Ministers of the ASEM countries on 6-7 May 2005 in Kyoto raise hopes
that the ASEM process will be further strengthened on all levels, including the Asia-Europe Parliament-
ary Partnership, with a view to fostering peace and stability in the Far East,

E.

noting that, with the burgeoning economic and trade relationship between Europe and the Far East,
peace and security in the region are increasingly vital for the EU,

Deplores the tensions among various countries in the Far East and expresses its willingness to support

1.
all endeavours to support peace and stability in the Far East;

Underlines the basic principles of multi-party democracy, the rule of law and compliance with univer-

2.
sal human rights as preconditions for lasting peace and stability in the Far East;

3.
Calls on China and Taiwan to establish mutual trust and respect and to seek common ground while
setting aside differences, to put in place the necessary political basis for a peaceful and steady development
of cross-Straits relations and to resume dialogue on those relations, to strengthen economic exchange and
cooperation, particularly pushing forward the ‘three direct links’ across the Taiwan Strait (mail, transport
and trade);

4.
Points out that any arrangement between China and Taiwan can only be achieved on a mutually
acceptable basis; expresses the view that the future of cross-Straits relations will depend on both sides'
willingness to demonstrate flexibility; supports Taiwan's achievements as regards the establishment of a
fully-fledged democratic system, social pluralism, and respect for human rights and the rule of law, and
takes the view that the will and approval of the 23 million people in Taiwan must be respected and taken
into account with a view to a hopefully peaceful solution between the parties;

5.
Objects to the anti-secession law because it does not comply with international law and is a tool that
cannot successfully lead to ‘peaceful national reunification’, which was its declared goal, and it therefore
undermines the fragile security balance in the Far East;

6.
Strongly recommends to the Council and the Commission that the arms embargo remain intact until
greater progress is made on human rights issues in China and on cross-Straits relations, as well as until the
EU makes its code of conduct on arms sales legally binding;

Calls on China gradually to implement universal human rights and especially to ratify promptly the

7.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

8. Welcomes the resumption of the first session of the fourth round of talks in the framework of the
Sino-Tibetan dialogue which took place in Bern (Switzerland) from 30 June to 1 July 2005, and calls for it
to continue;

9.
Calls for a better representation of Taiwan in international organisations and reiterates its call on the
Commission and the Member States to support Taiwan's application for observer status in the World Health
Organisation;

10.
Is deeply concerned that North Korea declared on 10 February 2005 that it possesses nuclear
weapons and suspended its participation in the six-party talks on its nuclear programme for an indefinite
period;

11.
Urges North Korea to rejoin the Nuclear non-proliferation Treaty, to revoke its decision to withdraw
from the six-party talks and to allow the resumption of negotiations in order to find a peaceful solution to
the crisis in the Korean peninsula;

6.7.2006

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 157 E/473

Thursday 7 July 2005

12.
Calls on the Council and the Commission to offer financial support for heavy fuel oil supplies to
meet North Korea's primary energy needs, subject to a verified freezing of the Yongbyon plant; welcomes
the EU participation in the Korean Energy Development Organisation (KEDO); regrets the blocking of
Charles Kartman's reappointment as head of KEDO; asks the Commission and the Council to make the
necessary approaches regarding full EU participation in future six-party talks;

13.
Calls on the governments of Japan, China and the Korean peninsula to stop any adversary action
against each other, to facilitate dialogue among the nations at official and unofficial level with a view to
reaching a common understanding of history, and to achieve a final reconciliation between their govern-
ments and peoples as an important basis for peace and stability in the Far East;

Notes Japan's understandable wish to revise its constitution drafted in the aftermath of World War II

14.
and notes the symbolic importance of retaining a commitment to refrain from aggressive military action;

Urges all countries in the Far East to seek bilateral agreements to resolve the outstanding territorial

15.
disputes in the region, in particular:

(a)

the return to Japan of the ‘Northern territories’ that were occupied by the then Soviet Union at the end
of World War II and are currently occupied by Russia,

(b)

the dispute over the ownership of the Dokdo/Takeshima Islands between South Korea and Japan,

(c)

the dispute over the ownership of Senkaku–Daioyutai between Japan and Taiwan;

16.
Calls on all countries in the Far East to seek reconciliation among themselves sixty years after the end
of World War II and to establish a system of mutual understanding and cooperation in order to secure
lasting peace and stability in the Far East, and declares its willingness to support these endeavours;

17.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments
and parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the governments
and parliaments of the countries mentioned herein.

P6_TA(2005)0298

A world without landmines

European Parliament resolution on a mine-free world

The European Parliament,

— having regard to and confirming its previous resolutions on landmines, cluster munitions and unex-

ploded ordnance,

— having regard to the EU Mine Action Strategy 2005-2007,

— having regard to the report of the Ad Hoc Delegation from the European Parliament to the First Review
Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Produc-
tion and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on their Destruction, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from
28 November to 3 December 2004,

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

A.

reaffirming its determination to contribute to a truly mine-free world as expressed at the joint hearing
of 16 June 2005 held by the Committees on development and international trade,