Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-01-17-Speech-3-166"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20010117.5.3-166"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
". – Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of my colleague, Mr Patten, who had to leave to go to Moscow for a meeting, I should like to praise Parliament for holding this debate today, because it affords us a valuable opportunity for an exchange of views on the forthcoming Commission on Human Rights.
Familiar concerns remain with respect to China, concerns which continue to be heard as part of the EU-China dialogue. Positive developments in recent months include the signature of a memorandum of understanding on human rights with the United Nations High Commissioner last November.
It is nonetheless essential that dialogue leads to concrete change, a point reiterated by the European Union in Geneva last year. With this in mind, the human rights dialogue with China is currently the object of an evaluation exercise which will lead to the adoption of conclusions by the January General Affairs Council. They will form the basis for carrying forward the dialogue in a constructive and meaningful manner.
As regards Iran, the resolution adopted at the 55th session of the General Assembly in New York welcomed the positive changes in that country. However, it also noted, with concern, continuing difficulties with regard to the restriction of freedoms, the use of executions and torture and discrimination directed against religious minorities and women.
The interim report submitted to the General Assembly last September by Mr Copithorne, the special representative, reflected the need to invigorate the progress towards improving human rights. Access by the special representative remains, of course, a key preoccupation.
Finally, as a thematic concern, children's issues will deservedly receive much attention this year, not least at the special session of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled for September. With this in mind, the European Union will continue to play an active role in the resolution on children's rights at Geneva and, as last year, will seek the useful cooperation of the Latin American and the Caribbean group.
It is important that the views of Parliament are taken into account, as the European Union works towards establishing positions on the main issues which will be covered in Geneva. New positions on the initiatives in Geneva will only be finally determined after lengthy negotiations, which are, of course, an integral part of the process.
NGOs and others are right to highlight the usefulness of discussion and scrutiny of the positions. Representatives of the presidency, the Commission services and several Member States attended a meeting of the Human Rights Contact Group held in Brussels on 11 January. A wide range of NGOs got an opportunity to set out their views with regard to key country and thematic concerns and this input will no doubt prove helpful to the deliberation process.
The 56th Commission on Human Rights of last year inevitably had its high and low points. The adoption of the resolution tabled by the European Union on the death penalty was a welcome achievement. The European Union may repeat this move this year, reflecting the fact that the issue remains of paramount concern.
The Swedish Presidency has signalled more generally that the efforts made by the European Union in connection with the death penalty will be continued and intensified.
There was disappointment at the adoption of a no-action motion on China. Some members of the Human Rights Commission voted against, making clear that such motions can only serve to stifle discussion and undermine the very
of the gathering.
As I have noted, decisions regarding EU resolutions for this year's 57th Commission in Geneva have not been finalised, as is usual for this stage of the process.
The presidency and Member States are examining the situation in several countries, taking into account, where appropriate, the information from the United Nations' special rapporteurs and other evidence available.
I will venture brief comments on some issues of interest which, whether or not they form part of an EU initiative, will doubtless be topics of discussion for those attending the 57th Commission."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples