WRITTEN QUESTION No. 639/99 by Hanja MAIJ-WEGGEN Detention of Aliakram Gummatov in Azerbaijan
3. 12. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 348/113 (1999/C 348/143) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0639/99 by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE) to the Commission (16 March 1999) Subject: Detention of Aliakram Gummatov in Azerbaijan The ‘Help Alikram Gummarov’ committee in the Netherlands is very concerned about Mr Gummarov and at the decreasing likelihood that he will leave prison alive. Is the Commission prepared to ask the government of Azerbaijan for details of Alikram Gummarov and of the way in which he is being treated in prison, and is the Commission prepared to report back on this? Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (13 April 1999) Via regular diplomatic channels, the matter will be raised with the Azerbaijan authorities. (1999/C 348/144) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0647/99 by Ben Fayot (PSE) to the Commission (16 March 1999) Subject: Liaison committee for senior citizens’ organisations The liaison committee for senior citizens’ organisations, composed of 5 major European organisations, is run by the Commission and seems at present to be in suspended animation. It is rumoured that the Commission wishes to reorganise this committee, turning it into a full-time senior citizens’ forum, enlarged to cover a whole range of associations. Can the Commission state whether the forum will be established, and if so, what the criteria will be for its composition? Care must be taken in particular to ensure that its member associations are representative at European level. Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (29 April 1999) The liaison group for older people is active and is being run in accordance with the procedures set out in Commission Decision 91/544/EEC of 17 October 1991 (1) establishing it. The liaison group meets twice a year and the agenda always covers a wide range of issues relating to the interests of the elderly, including social protection, employment and pensions. Discussions have been held with the members of the liaison group on ways of strengthening co-operation and co-ordination between pan-European non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the field of the elderly in order to raise the profile of this target group at European level, particularly during this United Nations International year of older people. At the last meeting of the liaison group on 8 March 1999, a majority of members voted in favour of setting up a working group to look into the possibility of creating a European older people’s platform. If this working group wishes to submit a proposal for the establishment of such a structure, aspects such as aims, tasks, rules and internal regulations (including questions concerning the degree of representation of potential platform members) will have to be addressed. (1) OJ L 296, 26. 10. 1991