WRITTEN QUESTION E-1273/00 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Aid for Mozambique.
13. 3. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 81 E/23 carrying not only heavy fuel oil but also, according to Ineris (the French institute for the environment and energy), a carcinogenic substance which is presumed to be special industrial waste which is so toxic that it may not be transported? Is the Commission also aware of the assumption in these press reports that the French Prime 2. Minister, Mr Jospin, had promised the oil company TotalFina which had chartered the Erikaí that he would keep secret any information on the tankerís cargo and that this is one of the reasons why Smit Tak, the Rotterdam salvage company, has still not been able to start the salvaging work? 3. Does the Commission believe it is acceptable for the likely consequences of the disaster to be kept secret from the public because of an undertaking by one of the governments concerned to an interested party, with the result the environment and public health? that greater importance is attached to financial interests than to safety, 4. Is the Commission prepared to work towards openness on the part of everyone concerned, in the immediate future, as to the impact on the living environment at sea and on the coast and on public health? 5. What does the Commission intend to do to speed up the salvage work so that further pollution caused by residues of cargo escaping from the ship can be stopped forthwith? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (18 July 2000) 1. The Commission has heard certain allegations, widely reported by the media, regarding the type of oil the Erika was carrying. In this connection it considered with interest the information the French authorities provided regarding the carcinogenic nature of the substance and the instructions to take precautions when carrying out cleaning operations. The Commission also took note of the French authoritiesí statement, repeated on several occasions, that the Erika was carrying a category 2 heavy fuel, according to the usual classification of commercial petroleum products. The Commission would ask the Honourable Member to refer to the press release issued by the Pumping of the Erika: transparency and the 2. to 4. French authorities on 31 March 2000 with the heading: protection of industrial secretsí, available at: http://www. equipement. gouv. fr/actualites. The Commission believes that decisions relating to the pumping of the Erika are the responsibility of 5. the French authorities. (2001/C 81 E/026) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1273/00 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council (27 April 2000) Subject: Aid for Mozambique The World Food Programme has been highlighting the poor response to the appeal for aid to the victims of the floods in Mozambique, while at the same time various NGOs have, according to the press, been denouncing the fact that the world has already forgotten the problems in that country as a result of the tragic events of only a few weeks earlier. Does this criticism also apply to European Union action? What is the European Union doing to improve the situation in Mozambique, particularly as regards to repairing the infrastructure destroyed by the flooding caused by the Limpopo and Save rivers? C 81 E/24 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 13. 3. 2001 Reply (29 September 2000) The Council discussed the situation in Mozambique on 20 March. It had followed closely and with great concern the situation in Mozambique and expressed its solidarity with the people and Government of Mozambique and other countries in the region as they grappled with the devastating consequences of the flooding and its sympathy with them as they set about rebuilding their lives. The Council recognised the broader impact this catastrophe was likely to have on Mozambiqueís economy. It endorsed the Mozambique Governmentís twin-track approach aiming at meeting needs for relief while working to rehabilitate affected areas and to ensure both macro-economic stability and maintenance of on- going assistance. To this end virtually all the Member States and the Commission participated in the International Reconstruction Conference for Mozambique hosted by the Government of Italy in Rome from 3 to 4 May and convened by the Government of Mozambique in collaboration with the United Nations. This Conference was a great success, meeting its target of $ 450 million, in large part because of the active and positive contribution of the Community and the Member States who together pledged € 228,5 million, representing approximately half of the total of € 495 million. It is proposed that the Community aid include funds for flood protection and urban roads in Gaza province as well as budget support for the Reconstruction Programme and funds for projects for transport, rural telecommunications, basic social services, rural production and de-mining. These funds are in addition to the € 100 million disbursed in 1999 in Mozambique under the Commu- nityís cooperation programme and up to € 150 million are expected to be disbursed in 2000. The Council will continue to follow the situation in Mozambique closely. (2001/C 81 E/027) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1274/00 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council Subject: Denunciation of Russian atrocities in Chechnya (27 April 2000) Press reports of 30 March indicated that Amnesty International, in agreement with its Russian branch and using the testimony of survivors as its basis, recently denounced summary executions, torture, rape of women and men and indiscriminate bombing of civilians and refugees in Chechnya, comparing the current levels of repression with the worst of the Stalin era. Is the European Union aware of these accusations, and does it endorse them? What specific action is it seeking to undertake to put an end to this tragic situation? Reply (29 September 2000) The Council is fully aware of the accusations made by Amnesty International, and regards them with all due gravity. The Presidency has received a letter from a group of 29 NGOs, headed by Amnesty International that presents a detailed list of alleged human rights abuses committed in Chechnya by Russian forces. The Presidency responded to the NGO coalition on behalf of all Member States on 17 May 2000. A copy of the original letter and the Presidency reply are joined to this answer