Brussels, 01/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - After a lively debate, the European Parliament fisheries committee decided on 1 October to reject the text of the proposal for a new fisheries partnership agreement between the EU and the Republic of Guinea (see EUROPE 9863 for the text proposed by the Commission). 11 MEPs voted to reject the agreement, with 9 wanting the text approved.
Against the background of the Conakry massacre - which saw many dozens killed by rifle fire - ordered by the putschist government of Captain Dadis Camara on peaceful demonstrators on Monday 28 September (see EUROPE 9987), the Greens on the EP fisheries committee, including Jean-Paul Besset, were of the belief that Europe could not close its eyes to the bloody repression going on in Guinea. “In the face of this flagrant violation of human rights, we decided to propose that the fisheries committee suspend the fisheries agreement and payment of the first €350,000 cheque to send an immediate political signal to the Guinean dictatorship and help isolate it,” said the Greens/EFA group. EPP and CRE MEPs challenged the effectiveness of this rejection, while the Socialists and Liberals supported the Greens' proposal. The EP is due to vote on this issue during its plenary session in Strasbourg in October. (L.C./transl.rt)