Parliamentary question - O-0006/2004Parliamentary question
O-0006/2004

Anti-personnel landmines; EU preparation of Ottawa Treaty Review conference and strategies to involve non-state actors with aid of NGOs

21.1.2004

ORAL QUESTION WITH DEBATE O-0006/04
pursuant to Rule 42 of the Rules of Procedure
by Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne and Johan Van Hecke, on behalf of the ELDR Group, Pernille Frahm, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Matti Wuori and Nelly Maes, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group and Ulla Sandbæk
to the Commission

What progress is the Commission making with its 2002-2004 Multiannual Strategy for the APL budget? How is the Commission concretely preparing for the First Review Conference of the 'Convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction' (the Ottawa Treaty) which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, 29 November-3 December 2004?

 

Can the Commission confirm that the role of the EU will be prominent in this review conference? What concrete measures is the Commission undertaking to convince those states which are not yet party to the Ottawa Treaty that they should accede? Does this strategy include non-state actors? Does the Commission agree to the fact that inclusion of non-state actors would take away a serious obstacle to the universality of the Ottawa Treaty and would overcome resistance of some governments to accede because they have lost control of part of their territory and therefore are not able to ensure the implementation of the control obligations resulting from the Treaty?

 

What is the Commission going to undertake to support the activities of specialised non-governmental organisations which are open to engage themselves to work with rebel groups/non state actors to convince them to respect international standards which forbid the use of anti-personnel landmines? What financial allocations are foreseen in this perspective? Does the Commission support the development of cheap technologies to clear mines, such as the use of trained rats?

 

 

Tabled: 21.01.2004

Forwarded: 23.01.2004

Deadline for reply: 30.01.2004