Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-04-Speech-4-195"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-09-04"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Application of EC-Israel Association Agreement2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030904.6.4-195"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-09-04-Speech-4-1962
lpv:speaker	lp:John Walls Cushnahan2
lpv:spoken text	"Mr President, it is a very sensitive time to be discussing an issue like this. Firstly, let me put on record my total abhorrence of the terrorist incidents that have happened all too often in the Middle East. Not only do I condemn the actions of suicide bombers, I also condemn the actions of the security services of the Israeli state when they act outside international law, making the resolution of that problem even more intractable. However, some people may feel that this issue should not have been raised because it could complicate the peace process. Those of us who have taken the initiative on this particular issue believe that, unfortunately, such an approach has resulted in insufficient action on the part of the Commission and Member States. The Commissioner himself has already outlined the important issues at stake. No one summed up the implications better than Commissioner Patten himself in a debate in this House in May 2001. It is important to put it on record again, and I quote him: 'The European Union's position on settlements is clear: all settlement activities in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and on the Golan Heights are illegal, under international law, and constitute a major obstacle to peace. The Commission communication (of 1998) made it clear that preferential access to Community markets for exports originating in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and in East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights 'contravenes agreed rules of origin since these territories do not form part of the State of Israel under public international law'.' That says it in a nutshell. I listened very carefully to what the Commissioner said. The impression we get is very different from what he said in this House today. One does not get the impression that this issue has been pursued vigorously enough by the Commission as a whole nor, indeed, by Member States. It must be said with regard to Israel that at the moment at best it is not being as cooperative as it could be in providing full details on the origin of all products and their component parts to customs authorities. At worst, it could be said that Israel is defying its trade agreement with the EU. Given the clarity of the comments initially made by Commissioner Patten, to some extent echoed today, we need to have more assurances that Member States are taking sufficient action. Therefore, while I welcome what the Commissioner has said, I remain unconvinced that this issue has been enforced at a Member-State level in the way that it should be."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Fine Gael Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; EPP-ED (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Cushnahan (PPE-DE )."1

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