WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1444/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Council. Employment, unemployment and the Maastricht criteria
3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 102/1 I (Information) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER (98/C 102/01) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1144/97 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (24 March 1997) Subject: Surinam and international drug trafficking The Netherlands Presidency recently summoned the Brazilian and the Chinese ambassadors to express its displeasure at Brazil and China receiving a diplomatic mission from Surinam led by the former dictator Desi Bouterse. The Presidencyís view is that this enhances Bouterseís standing. The Presidency is clearly referring to Bouterseís heavy involvement in the international trade in cocaine and the problems that the Netherlands and France, in particular, have suffered as a result. Has the Netherlands Presidency also expressed its displeasure to Surinamís ambassador in The Hague at 1. Bouterseís diplomatic missions to Surinamís ambassador and, if not, why not? 2. Is the international action undertaken by the Netherlands Presidency actually justified, given that the Netherlands Ministry of Justice is clearly reluctant to issue an international arrest or search warrant notice for Bouterse? 3. Would it not be more sensible, given the enormous problems which Bouterseís drug trafficking has caused for northern France and the city of Lille, in particular, if the Netherlands Presidency were to undertake this and future diplomatic action jointly with France? Answer (7 November 1997) The Presidency of the Council was assumed by Luxembourg on 1 July 1997. In addition, questions of extradition between a Member State and a third country fall outside the Councilís sphere of competence. Finally, the Council was not informed of the demarches to which the Honourable Memberís question refers. (98/C 102/02) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1444/97 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Council (5 May 1997) Subject: Employment, unemployment and the Maastricht criteria Unemployment has reached such inconceivable levels in the EU that it is causing social unrest. Unfortunately, however, it has not spurred either conservative or socialist governments in Europe into immediate action to alleviate the situation of the young unemployed