Strasbourg, 20/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - When, on 12 August 1949, 63 countries signed the four Geneva Conventions that form the basis of international humanitarian law applicable in times of armed conflict, these countries were emerging from a devastating conflict that had pushed them to seek international rules for new ethical conduct, said Frncisco Seixas da Costa, on behalf of the Presidency of the EU Council, in a debate the European Parliament had last week on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of these Conventions. Unfortunately, implementation of these Conventions has not been satisfactory, and we continue to witness barbarous acts and total negation of the laws both by he military and civilians, the Portuguese Minister of state for European Affairs noted regarding the latest wars which, he stressed, have affected civilians more than the military and that have been marked by "scorched earth policy" and the search for "victory at any price, even at the price of genocide"
However, Mr. Seixas da Costa did consider that "a new international order based on these values" was beginning to emerge, and assured MEPs that the European Union would do all it could to "render life more difficult" for those who, be it in former Yugoslavia or Rwanda, violate these values.
The conflict in Yugoslavia demonstrated that Europe remains vulnerable, said Mrs. Maij-Weggen who, speaking for the EPP Group, stressed that Europe had also to look far from its own frontiers, in Asia (she mentioned East Timor, and the Moluccas Islands), Africa (she spoke of Eritrea and the conflict between Hutus and Tutsis): yet the Geneva Convention, which was "written in our blood", was adopted to prevent all that, she exclaimed. Turning to the issue of child soldiers, German Christian-Democrat Brok noted in particular that, without the respect of human rights there could not be, in the long term, prosperity and progress. Irish Christian-Democrat Cushnahan, for his part, raised the Pinochet affair, stating that, even though it had been a "semi-fiasco", it had no doubt been useful for the affirmation of humanitarian law. For the Socialist Group, Martinez Martinez placed emphasis on the importance of education: we must educate the young, the armed forces, and develop "the love of peace", said the Spanish MEP, for whom the European Union could be a "great agent for peace". Mr. Martinez Martinez, moreover, regretted the Commission's "bureaucratic attitude" which, he noted, recently said that it did not have sufficient resources to promote humanitarian law. Noting that the Geneva Convention was a "magnificent text" but had not to remain simple "literature", Greek Socialist Mrs. Karamanou turned to the conflict in Kosovo, stating that, "under the pretext of a humanitarian intervention, we carried out bombings that struck hospitals, embassies and civilians". Also stressing the role of education and the media, British Liberal Democrat Mr. Watson considered that "we failed in our role of educating against the glorification of combat", and Lady Nicholson, also British Liberal Democrat (who recalled that her ancestors were one of the founders of the Red Cross) turned in particular to the problem of prisoners of war, recalling that, years after the Iraq/Kuwait conflict, Iraq was still holding many prisoners in detention. Belgian Green MEP, Staes recalled the case of Kosovar prisoners in Serbia, whereas, speaking for the Green/EFA Group, Finland's Matti Wuori, recalled the need not only to respect the Geneva Convention but also other international texts like the Ottawa Convention. Mr. Segni, for the Union of a Europe of Nations, turned to Chechnya, saying he had seen with "displeasure" Tony Blair, on his recent visit to Moscow, "give acting President Putin a great accolade", having made "weak protests" against Russia's intervention in Chechnya: a delegation from the Council of Europe has gone to Chechnya, and we should now send a delegation from the European Parliament, said the member of Alleanza Nazionale.
Mr. Nielson: the Geneva Convention needs reviewing
Noting that "war evolves" constantly, the European Commissioner for humanitarian assistance, Mr. Nielson said that the Geneva Convention had to have its contents reviewed (so as, notably, to ensure access for humanitarian organisations in areas of conflict) as well as its respect (obligations that ensure its implementation exist already, but are not sufficient). The Convention does not cover certain important problems, said Mr. Nielson, recalling that, over the past ten years, military conflicts have led to ten times as many victims among the civilian populations as among soldiers.
At the end of the debate, the EP adopted a resolution urging States that may not yet have ratified the four Conventions and the two additional protocols of 1977, as well as other treaties on international humanitarian law, notably the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines and the statute of the International Criminal Tribunal to do so.
The EP also calls on the Council and Commission to ensure that cooperation with third countries is in line with the respect of these texts; in addition, the Union's Council is urged to keep in mind the standards and principles of international law, especially when taking decisions and in its activities relating to the Cfsp.