Brussels, 27/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - As it undertook to do on 20 October (see EUROPE 100003), the European Commission, on Friday 27 November, put a formal proposal to the Council to denounce the fisheries agreement between the EU and the Republic of Guinea. This agreement has been applied provisionally since 1 January 2009. The Commission decided, too, to suspend payment of €1.5 million that should have been paid to Guinea under the provisional application of the protocol to this agreement. The agreement allows Community vessels to fish for tuna in Guinean waters.
The Commission is refusing to hand over payments to the ruling junta, responsible for the bloody repression of an opposition demonstration at the end of September in which 150 people were killed.
The Commission says in a press release that it cannot make the financial transfer to the Guinean authorities until these authorities can guarantee that European funding will be put to proper use.
The EU has already suspended its development aid to Guinea (while keeping in place its humanitarian aid assistance direct to the people). The EU has also imposed targeted sanctions against the members of the junta responsible for the massacre of 28 September. (L.C./transl.rt)