92001E2865

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2865/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Attack by a Member of the Commission on the UN Conference in Durban, Islam, the Third World poor and asylum-seekers

1. Is the Commission aware of the opinions expressed by Commissioner Bolkestein on 29 September 2001 in the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant, arguing that the apologies made for slavery at the UN Conference against Racism in Durban will only lead to unproductive victimisation, that Muslims are intent on vanquishing their rich and powerful enemies, that the West must protect itself against an evil and jealous outside world, that privacy in Europe must make way for the fight against terrorism and that the Geneva Convention on refugees is no longer tenable, so that adjustments must be made to it?

2. Does the Commission agree that these private views of Mr Bolkestein are very much at variance with the views expressed elsewhere on its behalf and conflict with the widely supported objections to the comments about Islam recently made by Mr Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy, and the position adopted by the Commission on 2 October 2001 during the European Parliament debate on the common asylum procedure?

3. Does the Commission agree that the aforementioned comments by Commissioner Bolkestein jeopardise relations between the various population groups in the Member States of the European Union and international efforts to eliminate the basis for despair and to deprive terrorism of a breeding ground by promoting good relations between different cultures and religions worldwide?

4. Does the Commission consider Mr Bolkestein's actions to be compatible with maintaining its current responsibilities, which are not those of a political streetfighter who, if required, can arouse and play on primitive sentiments for expected political gain?

5. How does the Commission intend to publicly distance itself from Mr Bolkestein's views and make it clear which values it wishes to defend against primitive feelings of aversion for the outside world?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(13 December 2001)

The Commission considers it important that its members express their point of view on issues of political relevance. As the Commission had the opportunity to recall in reply to oral and written questions by Members of Parliament, its members exercise a political function and, while honouring the obligations imposed by the function, remain free to express their political opinions quite independently and under their own responsibility.