91999E2386

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2386/99

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(13 December 1999)

Subject: German assistance in constructing a laboratory for chemical weapons

The German Ministry of Defence has recently admitted that it intends to help Turkey build a laboratory for chemical weapons. The project is allegedly purely defensive in nature. However, the Kennzeichen D programme on the ZDF television channel recently quoted military sources as claiming that on 11 May 1999 the Turkish army was using chemical weapons against the Kurdish PKK movement. Apparently twenty Kurds were killed. Research carried out by the University of Munich also shows that the heads on the Turkish chemical shells were supplied by the German firms Buck and Depyfag.

1. Is the Council aware of German help in building a laboratory for chemical weapons in Turkey?

2. Is this German-Turkish cooperation in line with international and European obligations and undertakings on disarmament and arms control, with particular regard to chemical weapons?

3. Will the Council oppose German help in building a new laboratory for chemical weapons in Turkey now that it is aware of the facts? If so, in what way will it make its opposition known to the German government? If not, why not?

4. Is the Council aware that on 11 May 1999 the Turkish army used chemical weapons against the PKK movement? If not, why is the Council not aware of this violation of the UN convention on chemical weapons by a candidate Member State?

5. Has the Council made known to Turkey its displeasure at this violation? If so, what was the Turkish government's response? If not, will the Council do so, now that it has been informed of this fact? If not, why not?

6. Will the Council conduct an inquiry into the use of German warheads for an assault using chemical weapons in Turkey, given that the equipment was supplied by an EU Member State and that this involves an act by a candidate Member State in violation of the UN convention on chemical weapons? If not, why not?

Reply

(13 March 2000)

All EU Member States are States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their destruction (CWC).

Among the general obligations contained in Article I of that convention is the undertaking by each State Party never under any circumstances to develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile or retain chemical weapons, or transfer, directly or indirectly, chemical weapons to anyone nor to assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) ensures the implementation of the provisions of the Convention, including those for international verification of compliance with it. All States Parties to the CWC are members of the OPCW.

The sources referred to by the Honourable Member have not been brought to the attention of the Council.