Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-07-21-Speech-3-106"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.19990721.6.3-106"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"(NL) Mr President, firstly, I should like to congratulate Finland on the Presidency and I should also like to compliment the Finnish government on the sound and refreshing manner in which it is approaching this task.
I shall not talk about Kosovo, for my colleagues Doris Pack and Arie Oostlander have already done that. I want to say something about the rest of your programme, because there are a number of interesting points there too.
Firstly, the problematic area relating to asylum seekers. I understand that you are to organise a special summit on this subject. For many years now, there have been calls for effective policies at the European level in this area and we too advocate improved harmonisation of our legislation in this field, both in terms of admission procedures and reception facilities. We advocate improved distribution of asylum seekers across the European Member States so that it is not a case of a few Member States, and there are four or five of them, receiving the vast majority of asylum seekers and the others doing far too little. If you see an opportunity to achieve something in this respect then I think you will have achieved something very worthwhile for Europe.
A second point on your agenda is a transparent Europe free of fraud. In my country, the Netherlands, we have a law on openness in government with maximum transparency and Finland has the same tradition. I understand that a number of international researchers have recently produced an excellent proposal relating to openness of government and transparency for the European Union. I shall see that you receive this proposal. It is a full regulation with explanatory notes, etc. I hope that we shall at last have the opportunity to implement something of this kind.
Then I saw to my surprise that you have also put the subject of taxation high on your agenda. That is interesting, particularly with there being a new Commissioner from the Netherlands in that field. I should like to recommend that you concentrate above all on taxation pertaining to trade and industry, for there is a great deal that needs to be brought into line there. But I should also like to ask you to give attention to one particular area of income tax and that is the equal treatment of men and women. The Parliament has been asking for this for more than ten years. If you could make a first move in this respect and receive support from Mr Bolkestein then you will also be doing something very positive for Europe.
To conclude, Mr President, the subject of human rights. I have seen that you wish to undertake a number of endeavours in this field too. Firstly, in relation to Yugoslavia. I sincerely hope, and concur with Doris Pack and Arie Oostlander in this respect, that you take the opportunity to exert such pressure on Yugoslavia that those who have violated human rights there are indeed handed over to the Tribunal in the Hague.
I also hope that you can prevent the death penalty from being carried out in Turkey for I believe that would be a disgrace for Europe. Lastly, a subject I am particularly keen for you to give a great deal of attention to is Burma. I hear that the Finnish Presidency has already organised a visit to Burma. Earlier this week, a request was made for attention to be given to the subject. I belong to the international committee that supports Mrs Aung San Suu Kyi. I hope to travel to Thailand and Burma in three weeks" time and to speak to all parties concerned. I sincerely hope that you will take the opportunity to at last bring about progress where Burma is concerned. I think that you would receive a great deal of support from this Parliament. I think that you would then have performed a valuable task for democracy in the ASEAN countries. I wish you a great deal of luck and success. It is your first Presidency but it appears to me that you really are going to do it well."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples