Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-21-Speech-3-319"
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"en.20040421.12.3-319"2
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". Mr President, once again I thank the Members for their contributions.
I would point out to the House that this is the best ever margin of victory in the history of this EU initiative. That margin of victory is an indication of the effectiveness of the Union's policy of opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances. It is also a sign of the growing trend towards the international abolition of the death penalty. It also underlines the point I made earlier that if the Union sometimes has to come from the back of the field on issues of concern to it, then we should perhaps learn to box a little more clever and to be a little more strategic. However, this is good news and I am pleased to share it with the House.
To sum up, this debate underlines the value of our focus on enhancing the dialogue between Parliament and Council in the area of human rights. It also illustrates once again just how broad this canvas is, and just how extraordinarily diverse the focal points have to be in terms of human rights and human rights defenders. The contributions covered a remarkably wide range of topics and this is obviously an area where Members have not only a particular interest, but also very considerable expertise. I hope that those people who criticise this Parliament will read today's proceedings and just for once come to the conclusion that this is a House worthy of their support. I know the presidency and the Council will benefit greatly from exchanges that we have had here.
The work of the Commission on Human Rights is continuing in Geneva as we speak. I mentioned earlier some of the resolutions that we have adopted in relation to the human rights situations in Belarus, Turkmenistan, North Korea and the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Arab Territories. Work on other resolutions goes on but we can be proud of the role the European Union is playing via the Commission and of the work of the Commission to date. I have some good news for the House, which I will keep for the end.
Members are obviously very concerned at the human rights aspects of the progress of the war on terror. Ms De Keyser’s report reflects these concerns and I want to assure the House that they have been noted by the Council. I also want to thank Mr Crowley, who recently said at an interparliamentary meeting with US Congress that, in our actions against terrorists, we must be bound by the rules that terrorists flout. That was a very valuable point made by a Member of this House and is a view shared by the Council – i.e. that respect for human rights must underpin our whole approach in the war on terror and it must underpin the whole approach of our allies in the war on terror. Human rights are not divisible. Human rights cannot be set aside for the convenience of the moment. I believe it was President Chirac who said that it is in this way we uncover and analyse the roots of terror in order to sever them. We must be conscious of all the issues touched on in this report.
I was very touched by Lord Stockton's farewell speech. I wish him well. Indeed, yesterday and today a number of speakers touched on the point that this was their valedictory part-session. I wish them all well. It is always a sad moment in the life of a politician when you see a parliamentarian moving on.
Mr Deva made a very interesting observation highlighting the serious problems that exist in the intergovernmental nature of the UN Human Rights Commission. Those of us who are UN defenders - which means most Members of this House and certainly myself - may rightly praise the UN for the role it plays, but should also ponder the point that he made.
Mr Dell'Alba raised the issue of the Montagnards, the mountain people of Vietnam. I want to assure him and the House that the situation of these people is an active concern of the Council and will remain part of the Union's dialogue with the government of Vietnam. The representatives of the Union in Hanoi have received guidance in this connection.
I want to finish on a positive note. I received some good news as I was making my contribution earlier, and am very pleased to be able to share this good news with the House. Earlier today, the Commission on Human Rights adopted the European Union's resolution on the death penalty by 28 votes to 20, with 5 abstentions."@en1
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