Strasbourg, 23/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption of a report by Elmar Brok (CDU), the EP approved on Thursday the conclusion of the cooperation agreement between the EU and Pakistan. It called on the Commission to present a report to it, one year after application of the agreement, on its implementation and on the impact that it has on human rights and democratisation, and also, if no improvement is noted in these fields, to take the necessary measures (amendment by Danish Ulla Sandbaek).
The Parliament also adopted a resolution by Irish national John Cushnahan (Fine Gael) on the human rights and democracy situation in Pakistan. It recognises the difficult decision taken by Pakistan to join the international community in combating terrorism but draws attention to the 2002 legislative elections in which there were considerable irregularities. It regrets that the armed forces continue to have a strong influence on the government. It is extremely concerned by the serious and reoccurring attacks on human rights, and mainly by the way women are treated, child labour, the fate of religious minorities and also the treatment of journalists. The Parliament notes that, while President Musharraf hoped to deal ruthlessly with terrorism and the Jihad culture and that, after 11 September 2001, he had banned many extremist groups, these have simply resurfaced under different names and their leaders have not been prosecuted under anti-terrorist law. The Parliament is concerned by Pakistan's role in the proliferation of nuclear weapons and calls upon it to give further information concerning the nuclear test carried out on 30 May 1998 in Belouchistan, which, some believe, was a joint test for perfecting North Korea's nuclear weapon (an amendment by British Labour member Glyn Ford). The Parliament demands the immediate release of the opposition leader, Javed Hashmit (amendment by Austrian Socialist Hannes Swoboda).
Respect of human rights leaves much to be desired in Pakistan, the way women and certain minorities are treated is unacceptable, and exports of nuclear technology give rise for concern. A minority of the Parliament, which voiced its opinion during the debate, considers this would warrant a "no" to the agreement with Pakistan, whereas a majority considers that, by saying "yes", greater pressure could be exerted in order to put an end to this injustice. The EU Troika informed President Musharraf of all these concerns in February, the plenary was told on Wednesday by Council President Dick Roche, who was convinced that adoption of the agreement would allow democracy in Pakistan to be encouraged. This was also the stance adopted by Commissioner Chris Patten. "On balance", the Commission is in favour of the agreement which would facilitate development toward democracy and the solution of certain problems in Pakistani society, in which Mr Patten detects "resilience" that augurs well for the future. The agreement must be used to control the evolution taking place in Pakistan, the Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Elmar Brok, said, mainly encouraged by the fact that Pakistan seems to want to move to the side of those who combat terrorism. This control must be real, insisted Baroness Ludford for the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms. She notes that the Pakistani Diaspora (mainly present in the United Kingdom) wants the agreement and, she said, she believes they are right. There are "pros" and "cons", Austrian Social Democrat Hannes Swoboda admitted but, in an issue where nothing is black or white, the "pro"s must win the day. Speaking along the same lines were British Labour members Glyn Ford and Richard Howitt (agreements are renewed with Russia, Uzbekistan and, yes, with Israel too, he said) and German Christian Democrat Jürgen Schröder. There should be a "no" to this agreement, exclaimed Catherine Guy-Quint on the other hand (the French Socialist warning that we are dealing with a regime that is the result of a military coup) and Swedish Green member Per Gahrton. Above all, there was Irish rapporteur John Cushnahan (Fine Gael), who considers that the Council and the Commission are, by making an almost military regime legitimate, only the "puppets" of the British and US governments. Chris Patten finds it hard to recognise himself in the "slightly outlandish" portrait but respects the feelings that animate Mr Cushnahan. To a question by Ulla Sandbaek (Europe of Democracies and Diversities, Denmark), who asked him to apply the clause of the agreement providing for suspension in the event of failure to comply with human rights, Mr Patten replied that the Commission is "not prepared to agree to procedures for this agreement that are not applied to others" in similar conditions. But the clause exists and, Mr Patten says, it will be easier to ensure it is complied with if the agreement is in force.