Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-02-03-Speech-2-265"
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"en.20090203.20.2-265"2
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"− Mr President, I am certainly aware that the issue of Guantánamo has been a subject of great concern to this Parliament. I am also aware that this Parliament, through the various resolutions adopted since 2002, has consistently expressed its opinion on that particular problem. I therefore believe that you have welcomed, as has the Council, President Obama’s decision to close Guantánamo within a year. The Presidency expressed this sentiment through a statement which was issued shortly after President Obama signed the Executive Orders. Ministers unequivocally welcomed this decision at the last General and External Affairs Council meeting, as you probably know.
President Obama has also announced his decision to suspend military commission trials, to reaffirm the Geneva Convention, to end the secret detentions programme and to put a stop to enhanced interrogations. These welcome developments will enable us to strengthen even more transatlantic cooperation in the area of countering terrorism.
The decision to close Guantánamo is, of course, primarily the responsibility of the United States. Nevertheless, given our shared interest in countering terrorism, and in upholding human rights and the rule of law, ministers at last week’s Council discussed ways in which the Member States might be able to offer practical assistance to the US and, in particular, whether they might accept former detainees.
In his executive order to close Guantánamo, President Obama ordered a review of the status of all detainees. This is now under way. Resettlement of detainees would concern those cleared for release in the light of this review. The question of whether Member States might accept former detainees is a national decision. However, it was agreed last week that a common political response would be desirable and that the possibility of coordinated European action could be explored further.
This subject raises a number of political, legal and security issues which need further study and consultation and which – and this is also very important – will require the involvement of the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in the Member States. This process has just begun, and the Council will return to this issue once some of these issues have been further clarified. This is a subject of ongoing work and COPS is discussing it today, for example.
I fully understand the continuing interest in this Parliament, as reflected in the draft resolution which has been tabled at this session, and which I have read. I would like to assure you that the Presidency will pay great attention to this issue and will keep you fully informed of the outcome of further discussions in the Council, as well as any other developments."@en1
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