Brussels, 03/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 3 February, the European Parliament showed that, although there was a majority of the House in favour of US President Barack Obama's decision to close down the Guantanamo prison, MEPs were far from unanimous when it came to taking in the detainees within the European Union. Their aim was to jointly debate the issue and that of CIA rendition flights in Europe. Concerning the hosting of prisoners, MEPs will vote on Wednesday on a compromise resolution, which leaves the door open to taking in prisoners without the payment of any charge. A resolution on CIA flights will be put to the vote in two weeks' time during the plenary in Brussels.
Speaking on behalf of the EPP-ED, Hartmut Nassauer said many prisoners had been trained in Afghanistan after 11 September. “They are potential terrorists, and we have a duty to protect our citizens”, he said, adding: “We must ensure potential terrorists do not step onto European territory”. On behalf of the PES, Martin Schulz of Germany pointed out that security is a “vital consideration” but that the EU should not send the wrong message, one that could prove “fatal”. “Not helping the United States is a complete mistake and is not in line with our vision of the EU and our idea of a community of shared values”, the MEP said, hoping that fundamental rights would take primacy over security aspects. ALDE leader, Graham Watson of the UK, said 245 detainees will be leaving Guantanamo and that this is something the Americans cannot manage alone. And for the detainees who are not a threat, should not Europe offer them rights and freedom? Konrad Szymanski (UEN, Poland) said, “We have criticised the Americans. Now our help is being asked it would be unfair to say no”. He conceded that the closing down of Guantanamo was a “complicated operation”. He also said that caution was required because certain detainees freed immediately resumed terrorist activities, “three things are clear: we should take back our citizens and residents, isolate the serious threats and seek reform of the current Geneva Convention”. Kathaline Buitenweg (Greens/EFA, Netherlands) said member states had to say yes to taking in prisoners. She also indicated to the EU presidency that they should not forget that there had been collusion on behalf of some member states in the CIA rendition affair. Gabriele Zimmer (GUE/NGL, Germany) said that Guantanamo constituted a “clear violation” of all the principles of international law. Zimmer asked whether they were going to begin cattle trading, which would be a very cynical thing. She explained that she was appealing to member states to take a position and stated that, “closing down the detention centre is a good thing but the Americans must also leave Guantanamo”. Nils Lundgren (IND/DEM, Sweden) said that those freed could not stay on US territory but at the same time, “we are not obliged to take them into the EU”. Bruno Gollnisch (NA, France) explained that Europeans should not have to execute the political wishes of the US. According to Gollnisch, the problem is obvious, those that do not belong in the category of common criminals or war criminals should go home and if some of them do not want to go back, “it is up to them to request political asylum from their jailers”.
Czech Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra, whose country holds the rotating EU Presidency, pointed out that the decision to close the Guantanamo prison camp was “first and foremost one for the United States”. As for the EU taking in former detainees, “it is up to each member state,” he said, stating, however, that “a joint EU response is desirable”. With regard to illegal flights and secret CIA prisons on European soil, Vondra expressed his pleasure that secret detention, illegal transfers, interrogation methods that used torture had been ended. “The Council has consistently repeated its commitment in the fight against terrorism,” he said. He went on, “Things have changed and that means that we now have to focus on the future”. European Justice, Security and Freedom Commissioner Jacques Barrot said that, with regard to taking in former inmates of Guantanamo, reflection had begun with the Secretariat General of the EU Council to prepare a response to the request made by the United States. “There has to be positive cooperation,” he said, indicating that, on 26 February, at the JHA Council, he would call for a “concerted approach” from member states. He suggested that the precedent, when 13 Palestinians were temporarily taken in after the Church of the Nativity crisis in 2002 might be used. “It is up to the member states concerned to determine how they will treat the detainees that might take in,” Barrot highlighted. He said he was satisfied that a criminal investigation into illegal CIA activities in Europe had been opened in Poland in August 2008 and that a parliamentary investigation was currently under way in Romania. Pointing out that the Commission had no competence in this area, he nevertheless hoped that these investigations would be completed and would result in damages being paid to the victims. (C.C./transl.jl.rh/rt)