91998E1841

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1841/98

by James Moorhouse (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 June 1998)

Subject: Lebanese prisoners in Syria

What forms of pressure was the Commission able to exert during the negotiations on the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement with Syria in order to encourage the Syrian Government to release the 250 Lebanese prisoners still being held in its jails?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 1998)

Human rights questions such as that raised by the Honourable Member are addressed with the Syrian authorities under Common Foreign and Security Policy, in which the Commission is fully associated.

The Commission, which is currently negotiating a Euro-Mediterranean association agreement with the Syrian Government, does not currently have such legal instruments as provided for by the Euro-Mediterranean association agreements authorising it to intervene in human rights issues.

Economic and trade relations between the Community and Syria are governed by the cooperation agreement concluded between the two parties in 1978, which will be replaced by the Euro-Mediterranean association agreement once it has been concluded and ratified.

The Commission has included in the negotiations of the agreement several specific provisions, notably in the preamble which will refer to the parties' commitment to respect for human rights, democratic principles and economic freedom as a basis for the bilateral agreement. In addition, and as in the case of the agreements concluded with Tunisia, Morocco and Jordan, Article 2 of the Agreement will contain a clause stating that "respect for the democratic principles and fundamental human rights established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights inspires the domestic and external policies of the Community and Syria and constitutes an essential element of this agreement".