Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-07-05-Speech-4-185"
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"en.20010705.9.4-185"2
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"Mr President, the report of the panel of experts on the illegal exploitation of natural sources of energy is particularly brave. Normally those reports are quite vague about names and surnames, but here the names of the various people responsible are listed. In that respect too it is an extraordinarily useful report. It makes it clear that not only government leaders in the region and of course a number of the ‘war lords’ in the areas involved but also a number of industries in Europe with export and import operations that are illegal, or at least involve the use of illegal material, share a great part of the responsibility. The report is lucid and clear in its recommendations. It is in fact the second such report after the Fowler diamond report. It also gives us the opportunity to operate quite effectively as an international community.
Mr Verhofstadt said here earlier in the week that if we had this in Europe, it would be called a world war. The number of people affected by this disaster is extremely high. I believe that it is right – in terms of equal treatment and application of the right criteria – to use the same standards in the Congo as we use elsewhere. We are capable of doing so, because we know a number of the companies. We can get them round the table. We know a number of the governments with whom we have links. We can also exert heavy pressure on this point. It is a complicated game. That is clear. Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, the new debate, the Lusaka agreements, the facilitation of a dialogue. If we do not remove the source, however, the financing of the arms trade and armed conflict, will continue. We can make everything dry up there. I would consider it of extreme importance if the European Commission, in fact Mr Patten with his colleague Mr Solana, would think about ways of mounting specific operations in the context of the UN Security Council to exert sufficient pressure to bring it to a halt.
On that point one more comment for the Belgian Presidency. When he was here this weekend, Mr Verhofstadt, together with Minister Reynders and others, very quickly released credits that had been blocked. Now of course I understand that there is a need to get the parties around a table and get them moving. At the same time, though, you must of course be careful. Making loans available and not at the same time making firm demands and meanwhile allowing the illegal exploitation of natural resources, is not the most credible way of going about it. I am in favour – and that is a lesson from the past and on that point we need not be outdone by the Americans – of being hard and clear. In fact exactly what we have said in previous debates: deeply committed, but also hard and clear and making our demands, on our own industry, our own Member States and the six countries involved. I hope – and expect – that you will support the Belgian Presidency in such a way that it will lead to some effectiveness on this point."@en1
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