European Parliament (press release), EU
May 22 2008
Wednesday in Strasbourg: Turkey, crisis in Burma, China
Institutions – 22-05-2008 – 15:21
Turkey’s EU aspirations were debated by MEPs on Wednesday
morning. Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, Ria Oomen-Ruijten
(EPP-ED), called for 2008 to be "a year of reforms". Later the House
voted to support criminal sanctions for offences against the
environment. MEPs also debated recent natural disasters in Burma and
China – deploring the obstruction of Rangoon and praising the reaction
and transparency of China. A treaty to ban uranium shells was also on
the agenda.
Turkey progress in 2007 – "We have a mixed picture"
Speaking about Turkey’s 2007 progress towards EU accession, Mrs
Oomen-Ruijten, said that only the new Turkish constitution will
guarantee the separation between the state and religion and safeguard
the protection of religious and ethnic minorities – namely Kurds. "We
have a mixed picture, a lot more needs to be done, in order for Turkey
to keep their promises to the EU and to their own people."
Women’s and children’s rights, trades unions and cultural and
linguistic freedoms were quoted in the report as among the areas where
Turkish authorities still have serious backlogs. In addition,
so-called "honour killings" and a failure by Ankara to acknowledge the
Armenian genocide as well as bans on political parties were all
matters cited by members in the debate as indicators of Turkey’s
continued need to reform.
The adopted report says recent changes to the controversial Article
301 of the Turkish Penal Code is a "first step towards a fundamental
reform of that article as well as other articles of the Penal Code,
and looks forward to further moves in this respect." Parliament adds
that in its view "the repeal of Article 301 and other legal provisions
representing an illegitimate restriction on freedom of expression as
guaranteed by international law would be the best solution."
In her speech Ms Oomen-Ruijten welcomed the fact that in 2007 the
country stood up to the military and said she wanted Turkey to remain
a "lay state".
Criminal measures to protect the environment
In adopting a report by German Christian Democrat Hartmut
Nassauer,MEPs agreed on the principle that governments should apply
criminal measures to punish any illegal behaviour likely to seriously
injure people or damage the environment. The entry into force of this
legislation would oblige national government to apply "effective,
proportionate and dissuasive" criminal penalties to specific cases.
Burma cyclone and its generals – "dialogue of the deaf"
As the situation continues to deteriorate in Burma following
dramatically cyclone Nargis, MEPs were united in denouncing the ruling
military Junta for its reluctance to accept international aid and in
urging, the international community to work through the UN to
pressurise Burma’s Generals.
Speakers from the Socialist, Liberal, Green and Union of Nation’s
groups said the Burmese military’s behaviour was a "crime against
humanity" and said the Generals should face international justice.
The speaker for the largest group in parliament, the EPP-ED group,
said they wanted other Asian countries to put more pressure on the
regime in Rangoon.
Earlier EU Aid Commissioner Louis Michel called his fact-finding trip
to Burma a "dialogue of the deaf" with Burmese officials. He said
epidemics such as diarrhoea and malnutrition affected hundreds of
thousand of people.
China quake – Beijing praised for openness to help
In contrast, China was praised for way it had reacted to the 12 May
quake in Sichuan province and its willingness to accept international
aid. Many MEPs expressed condolences to Chinese people. Speaking for
the Slovene Presidency Janez LenarÄ?iÄ? told MEPs that 10
million had been affected and that 50,000 were dead. Louis Michel said
the EU has funded Red Cross blankets, tents, food and drinking water.
All groups praised the transparency of Beijing and the willingness to
allow media access. The Speaker for the Socialist group said that the
EU should help China with reconstruction The EPP-ED and Green speakers
voiced concerns over construction of buildings, especially schools.
Depleted uranium weapons
A group of MEPs tabled oral questions to the Commission and the
Council on the Global treaty to ban uranium weapons. In November 2006,
the Parliament called for a moratorium on uranium weapons in a
resolution on `biological weapons and inhumane conventional
weapons. The oral question urges Commission and The Council to follow
up the document. In December 2007, the UN General Assembly passed a
resolution highlighting concerns over the military use of uranium that
urges UN member states to re-examine the health hazards posed by the
use of uranium weapons.
Dutch Green Eli de Groen said that of EU/NATO members only Germany,
Italy and Ireland supported the UN resolution. "World storage of
depleted uranium weapons is estimated at 1.3 million tons, while far
less then one microgram of the material in the body can be fatal to
humans," she told fellow MEPs. Italian MEP Stefano ZappalÃ
(EPP-ED) underlined that uranium "pollutes water, soil and
agricultural crops".
REF.: 20080520STO29282
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