European Parliament resolution on the dialogue between the Chinese Government and Envoys of the Dalai Lama
Date: 2007-02-15
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: China, Tibetan question, autonomy, international negotiations, the EU's international role

C 287 E/554

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

29.11.2007

Thursday 15 February 2007

45.
Calls on the Commission to investigate measures to reduce the impact of peak oil on the citizens of
the EU, including an analysis of policy proposals such as an oil depletion protocol, which would help ease
the transition towards the elimination of the use of fossil fuels;

46. Welcomes the role played by the EU Emission Trading Scheme in providing incentives to reduce
energy consumption; calls for the scheme to be extended to include the aviation sector; and calls for the
Commission to play its part in building a global emission trading scheme;

47.
Recognises that sustained higher energy prices will put pressure on production processes that rely on
raw materials from a variety of geographically distant locations; calls on the Commission to provide a full
analysis of the implications of higher energy prices and peak oil for trade flows as part of its work on trade
and competitiveness;

48.
Stresses the importance of fostering a well-functioning world market in oil and gas, in particular
through WTO rules and guidelines; considers that such an approach would make it possible to make an
important contribution to energy efficiency and thus reduce upward pressure on energy prices;

49.
Stresses the necessity for more active involvement of the World Trade Organisation in energy policy
and the need to work towards an agreement between the EU and the members of the Organisation of
Petroleum Exporting Countries with a view to keeping the increase of energy prices under control;

50.
Calls for the establishment of a genuine Euro-Mediterranean energy market to be given a central role;
notes with interest the desire expressed by the Commission, on the occasion of the conference on external
energy policy held on 20 and 21 November 2006, to ensure that North Africa and the Middle East occupy
an important position in its external energy policy, and hopes that these statements will be followed up by
concrete action;

51.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

*

*

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P6_TA(2007)0055

Dialogue between the Chinese Government and Envoys of the Dalai Lama

European Parliament resolution on the dialogue between the Chinese Government and Envoys of
the Dalai Lama

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its resolution of 26 October 2006 on Tibet (1),

— having regard to its resolution of 7 September 2006 on EU-China relations (2),

— having regard to the statement made by the Presidency on 22 February 2006 that the European Union
strongly supports the dialogue between the Government of the People's Republic of China and Envoys
of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and hopes that both parties will be willing to address, in good faith,
substantive issues in order to find pragmatic solutions which can contribute to a peaceful and sustain-
able settlement for Tibet that both sides can agree upon,

(1) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0465.
(2) OJ C 305 E, 14.12.2006, p. 219.

29.11.2007

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Thursday 15 February 2007

— having regard to the 15 December 2005 statement by Günter Verheugen, Vice-President of the Com-
mission, on behalf of the Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, that the Com-
mission hopes that a solution to the Tibet question will soon be found that is compatible with Chinese
sovereignty and respects the Tibetan population, and that the only way of attaining this ultimate goal is
to any
by means of a peaceful process based on open and direct dialogue that
precondition,

is not subject

— having regard to the previous five rounds of dialogue between the Government of the People's Republic

of China and Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, launched in September 2002,

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

A. welcoming the commitment of the Government of the People's Republic of China and His Holiness the

Dalai Lama to resolve the Tibet question through a process of dialogue,

B. whereas there are differences on substantive issues, and whereas in particular the two parties have been
unable to reach a common understanding on the historical relationship between Tibet and China,

C. having regard to the concerns of the Government of the People's Republic of China for the unity and

stability of China and to the European Union's adherence to a ‘one China’ policy,

D. having regard to the Dalai Lama's consistent statements that he is not seeking independence but genu-

ine devolved autonomy for Tibet,

E.

reaffirming that the common ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural identity of the Tibetan people is to
be respected and that and the aspirations of the Tibetan people towards a unified administrative system
are to be encouraged,

F. whereas on 17 January 2007 in Beijing the negotiations on a new EU-China Partnership and Coopera-

tion Framework Agreement officially began,

G. whereas the Dalai Lama has expressed the wish to make a pilgrimage to China and whereas the Tibetan
Parliament in Exile has requested a meeting between the President of China and His Holiness the Dalai
Lama which would build confidence between the peoples of Tibet and China as well as in the interna-
tional community,

Urges the Government of the People's Republic of China and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, notwith-
1.
standing their differences on certain substantive issues, to resume and continue their dialogue, without
preconditions and in a forward-looking manner that allows for pragmatic solutions to be reached which
respect the territorial integrity of China and fulfil the aspirations of the Tibetan people;

2. Welcomes the laws and regulations on regional ethnic autonomy adopted by the Government of the
People's Republic of China, but is concerned that many of these laws contain conditions that impede or
undermine their implementation;

3.
Calls on the Council, the Commission and the Member States to actively support the strengthening of
the dialogue and, in the absence of tangible results on substantive issues and in consultation with both
parties, assess what further role the European Union could play to facilitate a negotiated solution for
Tibet, including through the appointment of an EU Special Representative for Tibet;

4.
Calls on the High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Secretary-
General of the Council of the European Union to include in the annual CFSP report to Parliament informa-
tion on the development of the dialogue between the Government of the People's Republic of China and
Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2007 and thereafter;

C 287 E/556

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29.11.2007

Thursday 15 February 2007

5.
Calls on the Commission to raise the question of Tibet and the resumption of talks between the two
sides during the negotiations on the new EU-China Partnership and Cooperation Framework Agreement and
report to Parliament on the development of the dialogue between the Government of the People's Republic
of China and the Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2007 and thereafter;

Calls on the Council Presidency to adopt a declaration indicating how the EU could facilitate progress

6.
towards a peaceful and negotiated solution for Tibet;

Calls on the Council, the Commission, and the governments of the Member States to collaborate with
7.
the United States and other non-EU countries on efforts to facilitate the dialogue between the Government
of the People's Republic of China and the Dalai Lama;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and
8.
parliaments of the Member States, the President, Government and Parliament of the People's Republic of
China and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

P6_TA(2007)0056

Humanitarian situation of refugees from Iraq

European Parliament resolution on refugees from Iraq

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on the right of refugees to international protection,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Iraq,

— having regard to the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 (the Refugee Conven-

tion) and to the UN Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1967,

— having regard to the urgent appeal by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of 7 February
2007 to increase international support for those countries hosting refugees fleeing Iraq, as well as to
the UNHCR Return Advisory and Position on International Protection Needs of Iraqis outside Iraq of
18 December 2006 and to the UNHCR document of 8 January 2007 entitled ‘Supplementary Appeal
— Iraq Situation Response’,

— having regard to the Guiding Principles of Internal Displacement issued by the UN Secretary General's

Special Representative on Internally Displaced Persons on 11 February 1998,

— having regard to Directive 2004/83/EC of 29 April 2004 on minimum standards for the qualification
and status of third-country nationals or stateless persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise need
international protection and the content of the protection granted (1) (the Qualification Directive),

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

A. whereas violence and criminal activities in Iraq include armed robberies, kidnappings for ransom, har-
assment, the killing of persons involved in the political process or reconstruction activities, ethnic
cleansing, sabotage attacks against civilian infrastructure such as electricity or oil pipelines and full-
scale attacks involving indiscriminate bombs and/or other explosives against civilians, and whereas, as
a result, hundreds of thousands of people are being forcibly displaced within the country and abroad,
primarily to Jordan and Syria but also to Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran and further afield, in an upheaval
unprecedented in the Middle East,

(1) OJ L 304, 30.9.2004, p. 12.