WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3444/97 by Olivier DUPUIS to the Commission. Nepal
C 117/178 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 4. 98 (98/C 117/243) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3413/97 by Joaquim Miranda (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (28 October 1997) Subject: Visit by the President of the Commission to Portugal The President of the Commission travelled to Portugal on 7 October 1997 to take part in a seminar, organized by the Jacques Delors Information Centre, on Europeís future › a model for the 21st centuryí. As was widely reported in the media, meetings took place with the Portuguese Prime Minister (who is also Secretary-General of the Socialist Party) and the chairman of the Social-Democratic Party. Does the Commission not consider that it would have been a basic courtesy to arrange for its President to meet all the Portuguese political parties represented in the European Parliament? Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (13 November 1997) The President of the Commission takes pleasure in meeting a wide range of people, including members of the Parliament, but is not able to meet all political parties on the occasion of all his journeys. (98/C 117/244) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3444/97 by Olivier Dupuis (ARE) to the Commission (21 October 1997) Subject: Nepal As part of the 1997 budgetary procedure, Parliament inserted remarks under Budgetary Lines B7-300 Financial and technical cooperation with Asian developing countriesí and B7-301 Economic cooperation with Asian developing countriesí which stipulate that the appropriations earmarked for Nepal must be subject to guarantees from the Nepalese authorities not to expel Tibetan refugees. What action has the Commission taken in respect of these remarks? Has the Commission initiated discussions with the Nepalese Government? Has it obtained the guarantees demanded by the European Parliament? If not, what initiatives does it intend to take to obtain these guarantees? Does it have specific information about the situation of Tibetan refugees in Nepal, on fresh influxes of refugees and on the manner in which they are treated by the Nepalese authorities? Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (4 November 1997) The problem of refugees in general was examined with the Nepalese Government at the first EC-Nepal Joint Committee meeting in November as part of the discussions on human rights. On that occasion the Nepalese Government gave precise assurances about its commitment to upholding human rights. Since then the Commission has continued its dialogue with the Government on this matter via its delegation in Nepal and is keeping a weather eye on developments. There seem to be a decline in the influx of refugees and indications are that the situation has not deteriorated, either in the form of fresh expulsions or in the Nepalese authorities’ handling of Tibetan refugees. It goes without saying that should any deterioration occur the Commission will draw this to the attention of the Nepalese Government and take the appropriate steps. Last year the Commission helped improve the situation for Tibetan refugees coming through Nepal by funding a project to expand and restructure the reception centres in the Kathmandu valley and at Pokhara