Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-05-21-Speech-3-366"
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"en.20080521.25.3-366"2
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".
Weapons containing depleted uranium represent an enormous burden on the environment. The argument that their harmful effects have not been proven sounds totally absurd to anyone who has ever seen the consequences of their use. Dirty bombs will shatter into pieces the several centimetre thick armour plates of the most modern tanks. Their destructive power is enormous. They have an impact on people’s health. They kill without mercy. There is no doubt about the need to cease trading in them, and to stop their production, use and storage. Parliament and the Union are building European Armed Forces and European defence, step by step. We will be the future partners of both NATO and the US. We must therefore become a credible partner. Standing up and shouting ‘I am calling for a moratorium on depleted uranium’ is comical. Equally comical is to call on the Council to prepare an impact study. The first necessity is to reach a political consensus between the Member States, such as France, Britain and perhaps the Czech Republic. Then we have to start cooperating with the UN, to lay the groundwork for the global treaty to ban depleted uranium. This will include the preparation of a plan for a gradual ban on manufacturing, acceptable to all Member States, and on storing of and trading in uranium, and will set the date when the use is finally banned. Then we have to have a conference that will adopt this plan and start the process leading up to the final ban on these weapons.
We need an accurate analytical study assessing the side effects. What we need in the first place, though, is political cooperation that will start the gradual process of finding the political will and achieving international recognition, consensus and decision. This process will take years. It would be great if the European Union were a party to the new treaty on the ban on all military use of depleted uranium. Therefore we must behave in a responsible manner. Let us not allow silly shouting, professional ignorance and unfinished work to impair the EU’s credibility. We need to continue to be partners in this important game."@en1
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