WRITTEN QUESTION E-0607/02

by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission

(5 March 2002)

Subject: Arbitrary arrests and the political situation in Laos

On 15 November 2001 the European Parliament adopted and forwarded to the Commission a topical and urgent resolution on arbitrary arrests and the political situation in Laos(1) in which it

- pointed out that the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and Lao PDR is based on respect for the democratic principles and fundamental human rights established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 1), and that failure to respect this condition must be considered a case of material breach of the Agreement with respect to Article 19 and Annex 1;

- said that the arrest and disappearance of five leaders of the 26 October 1999 Movement, Keuakoun, Sisa-At, Phengphanh, Chanmanivong and Keochay, was a clear and visible case of violation of the democratic principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and must therefore be considered a case of non-respect of the Cooperation Agreement between the Community and Laos.

Commissioner Patten, replying on behalf of the Commission to question P-0019/02(2), said on 7 February 2002 that the Commission did not intend to convene an emergency meeting of the Joint Committee provided for by Article 14 of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the Lao People's Democratic Republic and explicitly called for in Parliament's resolution of 15 November 2001 because there were continuing opportunities to raise Human Rights concerns with the Lao Government through other channels.

1. What other channels are used by the Commission to ask the Lao authorities to ensure that the political and civil rights recognised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are observed? On the basis of what criteria are these channels selected? How do they operate?

2. On what occasions has the question of the arrest and disappearance of the five leaders of the 26 October 1999 Movement been raised? What answers were obtained from the government of Lao PDR?

(1) OJ C 140 E, 13.6.2002, p. 577.

(2) OJ C 160 E, 4.7.2002, p. 166.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(17 April 2002)

As already indicated in the reply by the Commission to the Honourable Member's Written Questions P-3175/01(1) and P-0019/02(2), the Commission has the possibility of raising human rights issues with the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) in bilateral meetings and when participating in Union political démarches agreed with the Member States. These channels are additional to the Union-Lao Joint Committee and can in practice be used at any time, while the Joint Commission normally meets only once every two years.

The question of the arrest and disappearance of the five leaders of the 26 October 1999 Movement has been raised through these channels. Unfortunately, it has been impossible so far to receive clear information from the Government on the five missing Laotians. The Commission will therefore continue to raise the issue through the available channels.

(1) OJ C 160 E, 4.7.2002, p. 67.

(2) OJ C 160 E, 4.7.2002, p. 166.