Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-24-Speech-4-170"
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"en.20050224.14.4-170"2
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".
Mr President, the resolution before the House summarises the background to this question very well. Charles Taylor is indicted for heinous crimes, including extermination, murder, rape, enslavement, inhuman acts, crimes against humanity.
The resolution also recognises the importance of the pacification process in the region, a process led and implemented by African countries and organisations. It has been said several times in this House that it is very important that African nations themselves take the cleaning up of the continent in hand.
The crimes Charles Taylor is accused of are terrible and have led Interpol to add his name to the list of the most wanted criminals in the world. Taylor's challenge to the Special Court's indictment on the ground of presidential immunity was an insult to those who suffered the atrocities. Taylor's alleged interference in Liberia's economic and political life, and his openly expressed desire to return to the country, represent a threat to the continuation of peace-building in Liberia and to this year's electoral process.
The non-execution of the arrest warrant issued by the Special Court undermines the legitimacy of this Court. The Special Court of Sierra Leone, unlike the international courts for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, was not granted a mandate under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter requiring all UN member states to comply with the court orders. Making the Special Court successful, therefore, needs the cooperative attitude of all countries hosting criminals.
The Commission formally supports efforts by the European Union to ensure the handing over of Taylor to the Court. The latest UN initiative was during the high-level troika meeting with Nigeria in December. Nigeria's position has been as follows, and I quote: 'There cannot be impunity for Taylor. However he is currently a guest of the Nigerian Government and he will be handed over to the first democratically elected Liberian Government asking for his extradition'.
The Commission believes that EU offers have to continue and we must make it clear that at some point – and we hope that this point is not too far away – Charles Taylor will have to go to trial. It is also vital that effective initiatives are taken in Nigeria and elsewhere to stop Taylor from continuing to interfere in Liberian affairs and destabilise other countries in the region."@en1
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