WRITTEN QUESTION P-0644/00 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council. The behaviour of Belgium and France towards Austria.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/197 3. or does the Commission assess these measures by the Turkish authorities differently? If that is the case, namely if the Commission agrees that a critical, negative assessment is to be given of the Turkish action against Kurdish politicians, what does it consider to be the implications for relations between the EU and Turkey, in particular with regard to implementing the regulations on the implementation of measures to promote economic and social development in Turkey and on the implementation of measures to intensify the EC-Turkey customs union, as well as to Turkeyís proposed accession to the European Union? What steps does the Commission intend to take in practice? Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission (27 March 2000) Having learned of the arrest on 19 February 2000 of three mayors belonging to the HADEP party, the Commission, in close co-ordination with the Presidency and the Member States, informed the Turkish authorities of its concern at the situation of the three elected representatives. The three men in question were released on bail on 28 February 2000, and were reinstated in their posts on 29 February 2000. It is not the role of the Commission to pronounce judgment on the character of the legal proceedings taken against these three elected politicians. However, the Commission was concerned that these events might further complicate the vital dialogue between the Turkish authorities and HADEP, a political party which has come to represent a large part of that section of the population which is of Kurdish origin. The Commission was also concerned for the consequences these events might have on Turkeyís preparations for accession to the Union. (2000/C 330 E/227) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0644/00 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council (25 February 2000) Subject: The behaviour of Belgium and France towards Austria For a number of days now Belgium and France have been pursuing an offensive policy of isolating Austria because of their fear that the FPÖís participation in the government could pose a threat to human rights and the protection of minorities in Austria. At the same time, Belgium and France are the only countries, apart from Turkey, which have neither ratified nor signed the Council of Europeís framework agreement on the protection of national minorities. Is there any justification for Franceís and Belgiumís behaviour given that the two countries have still 1. not ratified or signed the Council of Europeís framework agreement on the protection of national minorities and that the two countries do not guarantee the minimum European standard of protection of minorities? 2. Does every country, regardless of its own political history or circumstances (for example, Franceís áempty chairí policy in the 1960s or Great Britainís veto policy), have the right to isolate without any legal basis a trustworthy member of the European Union? Reply (2 May 2000) It would not be appropriate for the Council to take a view on actions which have been taken by one or more of the Governments of the Member States and which have no direct bearing on the work of the Council. Any such action is a matter for the Governments of the Member States concerned