Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-05-15-Speech-4-146"
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"en.20030515.9.4-146"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to address my opening words to those Members who were involved in tabling this resolution on Vietnam, representing the various political groups. I believe that we now have a text that stands out for its rigour in condemning religious persecution and for its boldness in defending human rights in that country.
Secondly, I wish to offer a word of solidarity and of faith to the Buddhist leaders and those of other religious convictions who are fighting for their inalienable right to express themselves in complete freedom and independence from political power, and to the enormous number of victims of the repression and arbitrariness of the regime, including citizens who have expressed their political disagreement by peaceful means, sometimes only through email, as well as small farmers, indigenous Christian minorities and journalists.
Almost three decades have passed since the fall of Saigon and since the reasons which, according to some people, could justify limitations on human rights, freedom and democracy have no longer applied. This is not how things have worked out, however, with the totalitarian regime that installed itself having survived even the fall of the Berlin Wall. Democracy and human rights are on the agenda in every country in the world and must accordingly also be on the agenda in Indochina.
As suggested in the joint resolution that has been proposed, the recent meeting held between the Vietnamese prime minister and the leader of the unified church of Vietnam is a positive sign, must be put to good use and is a good reason for extending the cooperation agreement between the European Union and that country. We must be clear, however, on the need for the human and democratic rights laid down in Article 1 of the agreement, which form the basis of the agreement, to be respected. We will not accept a merely rhetorical interpretation of this article and we believe it represents real progress in these fields, without which the agreement cannot continue indefinitely.
In our view, the Commission must draw up an action plan and a precise and realistic timetable for the Vietnamese authorities to undertake urgent and fundamental reforms, release political prisoners, authorise freedom of worship and rescind recent initiatives that introduce further restrictions to freedom of information, such as access to satellite television.
We therefore hope that the Vietnamese authorities heed the call represented by this resolution and quickly provide signs that they are willing to remedy the current situation. Unless they do, we in the European Parliament will be forced to draw the necessary conclusions."@en1
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