WRITTEN QUESTION E-2380/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Combating violence against women.
1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/153 (2000/C 219 E/194) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2380/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Combating violence against women As part of the European public awareness campaign focusing on violence against women, a call for the submission of proposals was issued with a view to providing technical and/or financial support for information and communication projects at European level. How many projects have been selected? What are the amounts involved? Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission (27 January 2000) As part of the public awareness campaign focusing on violence against women, a call for proposals in two tranches was published in the Official Journal. The first tranche was published on 7 April 1999, with a deadline of 21 May 1999 for submission of projects, and the second on 10 August 1999 with a deadline of 21 September 1999. The Commission will forward directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat a detailed list of the projects which have been approved. (2000/C 219 E/195) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2385/99 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: German assistance in constructing a laboratory for chemical weapons The German Ministry of Defence has recently admitted that it intends to help Turkey build a laboratory for chemical weapons. The project is allegedly ápurely defensive in natureí. However, the Kennzeichen Dí programme on the ZDF television channel recently quoted military sources as claiming that on 11 May 1999 the Turkish army was using chemical weapons against the Kurdish PKK movement. Apparently twenty Kurds were killed. Research carried out by the University of Munich also shows that the heads on the Turkish chemical shells were supplied by the German firms Buck and Depyfag. 1. Is the Commission aware of German help in building a laboratory for chemical weapons in Turkey? Is this German-Turkish cooperation in line with international and European obligations and under- 2. takings on disarmament and arms control, with particular regard to chemical weapons? 3. Will the Commission oppose German help in building a new laboratory for chemical weapons in Turkey now that it is aware of the facts? If so, in what way will it make its opposition known to the German government? If not, why not? 4. Is the Commission aware that on 11 May 1999 the Turkish army used chemical weapons against the PKK movement? If not, why is the Commission not aware of this violation of the UN convention on chemical weapons by a candidate Member State? 5. Has the Commission made known to Turkey its displeasure at this violation? If so, what was the Turkish governmentís response? If not, will the Commission do so, now that it has been informed of this fact? If not, why not?