Strasbourg, 23/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption of a joint resolution by five political groups (EPP/ED, PES, ELDR, V/ALE and GUE/NGL) on the European Union's priorities with a view to the next session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva (20 March-28 April), the European Parliament calls on Member States to urge all the UN countries to sign and ratify the Treaty establishing the International Criminal Court, as well as all the other international legal measures for the protection of human rights. It calls on the EU to renew its approach to the United Nations so that the General Assembly may take a stance in favour of a universal moratorium and the abolition of the death penalty.
The Parliament also calls for measures to: (1) protect homosexuals against the degrading and inhumane treatment to which they still fall victim in some parts of the world; (2) fight against all forms of trade and abuse of human beings (mainly women and children); (3) put an end to the recruitment and the use of children and adolescents as soldiers in armed conflicts; (4) protect refugees and asylum seekers; and (5) fight against the repression of media, journalists and writers. With regards the situation in different countries, the Parliament places emphasis on:
Danielsson announces resolution on Burma
Presenting the Council priorities for the meeting in Geneva, Secretary of State Lars Danielsson told the European Parliament that the Swedish Presidency aims to bring the EU countries together in common positions, encourage the candidate countries to become actively involved in the EU positions on the resolutions of the UN Commission on Human Rights and obtain as broad a support as possible mainly on proposals concerning Iran and Chechnya. The situation in the Middle East should also appear among the main issues to be tackled at the next session and the "EU will have a major role to play", he added. "It is not yet known whether a resolution on China will be examined during the next session" of the UN Commission, said Mr Danielsson, who pointed out that the EU is keeping close contact with the United States which had presented such a proposal of resolution last year. The same is true for the situation in Cuba, on which the initiative had been taken last year by the Czech Republic and by Poland. Regarding resolutions on specific themes, the EU will continue to deal with resolutions on children's rights and the death penalty. It will also support initiatives on women's rights and on the World Conference Against Racism. "The so-called omnibus resolution on children's rights, developed in cooperation with the group of Latin American states, has gained such magnitude that it is almost impossible to manage", said Mr Danielsson, who specified that the EU will endeavour to reduce the length of the text and place the rights themselves at the heart of the resolution.
British Conservative Lord Bethell expressed regret that the Presidency had not spoken of Russia. He mainly mentioned the problems linked to the freedom of private television. He reproached Mr Putin for not having a sense of humour and for not agreeing to see himself as a TV puppet. British Labour member Michael Cashman insisted on the issues of the death penalty and the penalisation of homosexuality in some countries. Swedish Liberal Cecilia Malmström mainly insisted in favour of the adoption of resolutions on China, Colombia and Saudi Arabia. Finnish national Matti Wuori stressed the need for better cooperation with NGOs that "breathe new life" into the sector. Danish member Pernille Frahm (GUE/NGL) welcomed the criticism on China but also on Chechnya, as well as the determination to abolish the death penalty. Belgian Radical elected in Italy Olivier Dupuis reproached the Union for hiding behind the major principles and initiatives of other countries instead of adopting a vigorous position to really defend human rights.
In response to MEPs, Mr Danielsson acknowledged the fact that the situation in Chechnya is extremely serious. With regard to China, the EU is not trying to hide behind other countries, he said, but, on the contrary, will closely follow developments in the situation in this country. The EU is this year preparing a resolution on the situation in Burma. Commissioner Antonio Vitorino stressed that the Commission is impatient to see the assessment made of dialogue with China and the conclusions that must be adopted by the Council (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.6). Neither has the Commission forgotten the problems in Africa, Russia and Burma and constant horizontal concerns, such as the fight against torture.