WRITTEN QUESTION No. 228/98 by Luciano VECCHI to the Commission. Aid to the Kurdish population in northern Iraq
C 223/142 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 7. 98 Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (24 March 1998) 1. At 15 January 1998 the number of national experts on secondment employed at the Commission totalled 647. The breakdown by nationality is given in the table sent direct to the Honourable Member and Parliamentís Secretariat. 2. and 3. as follows: On the same date a total of 17 temporary staff held posts as advisers. The breakdown by nationality is Belgium Germany Greece France Italy Austria Sweden United Kingdom 1 2 1 7 2 1 1 2 (98/C 223/186) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0225/98 by Pertti Paasio (PSE) to the Commission (13 February 1998) Subject: Commemoration day for concentration camp victims In the great changes in world history, it is more and more becoming the role of the European Union to stress the importance of democracy and human rights. To give it credibility in this important area, the European Union must not forget its own history, in which respect for human rights was not always uppermost. The fate of the millions of victims of the Nazi concentration camps is an abiding reminder of this. Even from within the European Parliament, opinions have been heard describing the concentration camps and the millions of lives lost there as a minor detail. The European Union should oppose in the clearest possible terms the dissemination of this kind of opinion among the people of Europe. For this reason it would be desirable for the European Union to appoint a special commemoration day for the victims of the Nazi concentration camps. What measures does the Commission propose to take to announce the institution within the EU of a historically-based commemoration day for concentration camp victims? Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (16 March 1998) The matter to which reference is made does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Community. (98/C 223/187) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0228/98 by Luciano Vecchi (PSE) to the Commission (30 January 1998) Subject: Aid to the Kurdish population in northern Iraq At the end of 1997 ECHO suspended its aid to humanitarian action in support of the Kurdish population in northern Iraq. This decision has had serious repercussions on living conditions for the communities concerned and is preventing humanitarian organizations working in the region from carrying out their humanitarian aid and rehabilitation activities