(14/10/04) Opheffing Europees wapenembargo Libië geen goede zaak

• 2004-10-14

De normalisering van de Europese relaties met Libië is bijzonder welkom. De uitvoer van wapens naar het land, zal de democratie er evenwel niet ten goede komen. De Groene fractie vreest dat Libië in ruil voor de opheffing van het embargo op vraag van Italië onder druk zal worden gezet om te allen prijze te verhinderen dat mensen vanuit het land de oversteek naar de Unie willen maken.

EU code of conduct on arms exports:
Libya should not be a watchdog for Fortress Europe

Greens/EFA MEPs in the European Parliament expressed their concern about the General Affairs and External Relations Council's decision on Monday to lift the European Union's arms embargo against Libya. While welcoming the normalisation of relations, the Greens/EFA Group is wary of Libya's lack of democracy and fear that by sending it weapons the EU is effectively asking Libya to patrol the Union's ever more guarded borders.

Angelika Beer, German Green MEP, said:

"We support the Council's decision to normalise relations with Libya and to integrate the country into the Barcelona process. Libya has been the only Mediterranean country that was excluded from this dialogue forum in the past. Libya's efforts to become a reliable and peaceful member of the international community of states by assuming political and financial responsibility for past acts of state terrorism and by publicly renouncing all attempts to develop weapons of mass destruction should be rewarded. But we must remember that democracy will not be enhanced by exporting arms to Libya."

Green MEP for Catalunia and rapporteur on the EU code of conduct on arms exports, Raul Romeva, sounded a cautionary note on Libya's democratic shortcomings. He said:

"The European Union should not turn a blind eye to Libya's persistent lack of democracy and unabated violation of human rights. The rules of the existing EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports should preclude weapons exports to this country for the moment. And this goes for most of the countries in the region."

Monica Frassoni, Co-President of the Green/EFA Group in the European Parliament, added:

"It is a scandal that the European Council, under pressure from Italy, has decided to sell arms to Libya so it can better equip itself to do the dirty work of chasing refugees away from our borders! Our Mediterranean neighbours should not be made watchdogs for 'Fortress Europe'."