European Parliament resolution on The Olympic Truce - Turin Winter Olympics 2006
Date: 2005-12-01
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Italy, Olympic games, cease-fire, peace

22.11.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 285 E/133

Thursday 1 December 2005

— undertake political and institutional reforms leading to democracy and the rule of law, starting by
allowing a multi-party system and guaranteeing the right of all currents of opinion to express their
views;

— apply the Legal System Development Strategy in accordance with the recommendations made by the
UN Human Rights Committee and with the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights;

— end all forms of repression of members of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam and officially

recognise its existence and that of other non-recognised Churches in the country;

— release all Vietnamese political prisoners and prisoners of conscience detained for having legitimately
and peacefully exercised their rights to freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press
and freedom of religion, in particular Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do, who are regarded by
the United Nations as victims of arbitrary detention (1);

— guarantee full enjoyment of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Vietnamese Constitution and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in particular by allowing the creation of a genu-
inely free press;

— ensure the safe repatriation, under the Cambodia-Vietnam-UNHCR agreement, of the Montagnards who
fled Vietnam, and allow proper monitoring of the situation of the returnees by the UNHCR and inter-
national NGOs.

GENERAL

8.
Supports the projects to be funded by the Commission to promote the development of journalism
and to support capacity-building programmes at the National Assembly in Laos as well as the activities in
Vietnam that emerge from the Working Group on Institution Building, Administrative Reform, Governance
and Human Rights;

9.
Calls on the Council and Commission to fully involve Parliament in the work of the EU-Vietnam and
EU-Laos Working Groups on Institution Building, Administrative Reform, Governance and Human Rights;

10.
Calls on the Council and the Commission to make a detailed assessment of the implementation
policies conducted in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam since the signing of the association and cooperation
agreements, mindful of Article 1 of these agreements, which reiterates that respect for democratic principles
and fundamental rights is an essential element of the agreements, and to report back to Parliament;

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Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Secretary-Gen-

11.
eral of the United Nations and the governments and parliaments of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

(1) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Opinion 18/2005, 26 May 2005.

P6_TA(2005)0463

Olympic truce

European Parliament resolution on The Olympic Truce — Turin Winter Olympics 2006

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its resolution of 1 April 2004 on the Olympic Truce (1),

— having regard to the resolution adopted unanimously by the UN in 2003 entitled ‘Building a peaceful

and better world through sport and the Olympic ideals’,

(1) OJ C 103 E, 29.4.2004, p. 816.

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Official Journal of the European Union

EN

22.11.2006

Thursday 1 December 2005

— having regard to the inclusion in the Millennium Declaration of an appeal for the observance of the

Olympic Truce,

— having regard to the joint statement issued in July 2005 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC),
the Organising Committee for the Turin Games and the Italian authorities with a commitment to the
Olympic Truce, to the security of the Games and to a large programme of events enabling people
across the world to reflect upon and promote the Olympic Truce and its values,

— having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the 20th Winter Olympics and Paralympics will take place in Europe, in Turin from 10 to

26 February 2006,

B. whereas the idea of the Olympic Truce (ekecheiria) dates back to an ancient Hellenic tradition: in keeping

with this tradition all hostilities would cease during the Olympic Games,

C. whereas in the modern era, the Olympic Truce expresses mankind's wish to build a world based on the
principles of fair competition, humanity, fraternity and tolerance, thus forming a bridge between
ancient tradition and the major challenges of the contemporary world such as the preservation of
global peace, dialogue between different cultures, and mutual understanding and cooperation between
peoples,

D. whereas the Olympic Truce is symbolised by the dove of peace with the traditional Olympic flame in
the background: the dove represents one of the ideals of the Olympic movement — to use sport to
build a peaceful and better world — and the flame symbolises the warmth that the Olympics brings to
all the people of the world,

E. whereas the Olympic Games, Winter Olympics and Paralympics, with young people as pioneers, pre-
serve the sporting ideal and reflect the spirit of the legacy constituted by our cultural heritage and
civilisation, and whereas the Olympic Truce is a sign of respect for the ideal of peaceful coexistence
between peoples,

1. Welcomes the work of the United Nations Task Force on Sport for Development and Peace, which
reflects the ideals of the Olympic Truce in concrete work around the globe;

2. Welcomes the efforts by the United Nations to secure a ceasefire in areas where there is conflict, and
urges the countries concerned to observe a truce during the Olympic Games;

Urges the Commission to place a greater emphasis on the potential of sport in its development and

3.
peacekeeping work and in the achievement of the Millennium Goals;

4. Welcomes the work of the International Olympic Truce Foundation and believes that the European
Union should be involved in this work,

5.
Asks the Council to urge all Member States, accession, candidate and neighbouring countries and all
the countries participating in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Turin to respect and observe the
Olympic Truce during the Games and beyond;

Urges the Council and the Commission to support the IOC in its efforts to promote peace and under-

6.
standing through sport;

Reminds the Council of its commitment to consider this matter every two years and to reconfirm its

7.
support for the Olympic Truce for the 2006 Turin Games;

Urges the Council and Commission to assist in the observance of the Truce during the Winter Olym-

8.
pics in Turin by holding a special event, possibly at the Parliament;

Pledges to do everything in its power to ensure observance of the Olympic Truce and the attainment

9.
of world peace;

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Thursday 1 December 2005

Calls on the Council and Commission to send a delegation to Turin for the opening and closing

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ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics;

Calls on the Council and Commission to urge the IOC and the Organising Committee of the Turin
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Games to agree that the EU flag should be displayed prominently on the signs put up by the organising city
for the Games and at the sports venues where the Games will take place;

Believes that the Olympic Truce is about more than a call for a brief cessation of conflicts and, in

12.
this regard, welcomes the interfaith and educational initiatives in Turin, Jerusalem and Sarajevo;

13.
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of
the Member States and the countries participating in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Turin, and to
the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the International Olympic Committee.

P6_TA(2005)0464

Development and sport

European Parliament resolution on development and sport

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Resolution 58/5 adopted by the UN General Assembly on 17 November 2003 entitled

‘Sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace’,

— having regard to the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,

— having regard to the Magglingen Declaration of 18 February 2003 issued by the International Confer-

ence on Sport and Development,

— having regard to the report on the Next Step Conference held on 13-14 November 2003, Amsterdam,

— having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas 2005 is the United Nations International Year of Sport and Physical Education,

B. whereas one of the goals of the International Year is to create the right conditions for more sports-

based development programmes and projects,

C. whereas physical education and sports projects may help to attain the Millennium Development Goals,
especially with regard to themes such as health, education, social mobilisation, gender equality, environ-
ment and peace among people,

D. whereas sport can play a positive role in social inclusion and cohesion, intercultural dialogue, environ-
mental understanding and the reintegration of children in post-conflict situations, for example child
soldiers,

E. whereas sports projects in development are ‘low-cost, high impact’ projects,

F. whereas, according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to play,