Aadel Collection

Official Journal of the European Communities — Debates of the European Parliament — 1980-1981 Session — Report of Proceedings from 15 to 19 September 1980 — Europe House, Strasbourg

          
          SS O378-
          Annex Official Journal
          of the
          European Communities
          No 1-260
          English edition Debates of the European Parliament
          1980-1981 Session
          Report of Proceedings
          from.15 to 19 September 1980
          Europe House, Strasbourg
          Contents Monday, 15 Septewbet 1980
          Resumption, p. 2 — Committees, p. 2 — Parliamentary immunity of a Member,
          p. 2 — Petitions, p. 2 — Documents, p. 3 — Texts of treaties, p. 3 — Authorization
          of reports — Reference to committee, p. 3 — Statement on motions for resolutions,
          p. 3 — Urgent procedure. P. 3 — Order of business, p. 3 — Speaking time, P. 4 —
          Tabling of amendments, P. 6 — Action taken on Parliament's opinions. p. 7 —
          Question Time, P. 8 — Urgent procedure, p. 24 — Next sitting. p. 24 — Annex,
          p. 25
          Tuesday, 16 September 1980 4
          Minutes, P. 46 — Urgent procedure, p. 47 — Hunger, p. 52 — Committees,
          p. 78 — Hunger (contd), p. 79 — Urgent procedure, p. 107 — Withdrawal of a
          motion for a resolution, p. 107 — Next sitting, p. 107
          Wednesday. 17 September 1980 10
          Minutes, p. 109 — Documents, p. 110 — Urgent procedure, p. 110 — Wdcorne ,
          p. 116 — Structural problems of the UK — Financial mechanism, P. 116 — Human
          rights in Poland, p. 138 — Tabling of amendments, p. 142 — Human tights in
          Poland (contd), p. 142 — Situation in Turkey, p. 152 — Urgent procedure, p. 161
          — Question Time, p. 161 — Next sitting, p. 175 — Annex, p. 177
          Thursday, 18 September 1980 18
          Minutes, p. 184 — Documents, p. 184 — Urgent procedure, p. 184 — Hunger
          (contd), p. 187 — Membership of Parliament, p. 218 — Votes, p. 219 — Creden-
          tials, p. 227 — Regional devdopmcnt, p. 228 — Speaking-time, P. 233 — Dates
          of sittings, p. 233 — Regional development (contd). p. 233 — Agenda, p. 245 —
          Alternative energy sources, P. 245 — Urgent procedure, p. 252 — Motor-vehicle
          engines, P. 252 — Safety-belts and interior fittings, p. 253 — Insurance contracts,
          p. 255 — Appropriations within Section 111 of the budget, p. 264 — European
          Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, p. 265 — Next sitting, p. 268
          —Annex.p. 269
          (Continued overleaf)
          BP000433
          
        
          
          NOTE TO READER
          Appearing at the same time as the English edition are editions in the five other ofuici
          languages of the Communities: Danish, German, French, Italian and Dutch. The Engli
          edition contains the original texts of the interventions in English and an English transl 1
          lion of those made in other languages. In these cases there are, after the name of tJ
          speaker, the following letters, in brackets, to indicate the language spoken: (DK) f
          Danish, (D) for German, (1 .1 for French, (7) for Italian and (2VL) for Dutch.
          The original texts of these interventions appear in the edition published in the langua
          spoken.
          Contents (continued) Friday, 19 Septetnber 1980 305
          Minutes, P. 307 — Documents, p. 307 — Committees, P. 307 — Consultative
          Assembly ACP-EEC, P. 307 — Urgent procedure, p. 308 — Flax and hemp,
          p. 310 — Martinique and Guadcloupe, p. 311 — Fisheries, p. 314 — Votes,
          p. 320 — Fisheries (contd), P. 327 — Baliais in Iran, p. 331 — Bolivia, p. 334 —
          Tyrc, P. 337 — Mrs Macciocchi, p. 338 — Iron and steel, p. 344 — Kim Dac
          Jung, p. 346 — Adams, p. 346 — Petition No 1/79, P. 347 — Next sittings,
          p. 347 — Minutes, p. 347 — Adjournment, p. 347
          Resolutions adopted ai sittinp of 1/to 1.9 September 1.980 appear in the Official Journal of the
          European Communities C 2 / of 13. 10. 1.980
          
        
          
          Sitting of Friday, 19 September 1980
          305
          I
          SITTING OF FRIDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 1980
          Contents
          • 3. Membership of committees
          4. ConsultativeAssembly EEC-A CF
          5. Urgent procedure:
          Procedural motion: Mr Forth (ED)
          MrPannella
          Procedural motion: Mr Fergusson
          Mr Sarre (S). Mr Klepsch (EPP); Lady Elles
          (ED); Mr Martin (COM); Mr Donnez; Mr
          Van Minnen (S); Mr Thebbach (EPP); Mr
          Donnez; JMr Sherlock
          6. Regulations on flax and hemp — Report by
          Mr Blaney on behalf of the Committee on
          Agriculture (Doc. 7-389/80):
          Mr Provan, deputy rapporteur
          Mr Coppieters; Mr Sutra; Mr .Gundelach ,
          Vice-President oft / ic Commission
          7. EEC emergency aid for Martinique and
          Guadelou pe — Motions for resolutions by Mr
          Clement and others (Doc. 1-362/80), by Mr
          Sable and others on behalf of the Liberal and
          Democratic Group and Mr d'Ormesson and
          others on behalf of the Group of the European
          People's Party (CD) (Doc. 1-377/80) and by
          Mr Verges and others on behalf of the
          Communist and Allies Group (Doe. 1-384/
          80):
          MrC!ément
          Mr Sable .
          Mr Verges
          Mr d'Ormesson
          ‘Mr Sutra (S); Mr NataJi , Vice-President of
          the Commission
          8. Fisheries policy— Motions for resolutions by
          Mr Glinne and others on behalf of the Social-
          ist Group (Doc 1-382180/rev.) and Sy Mr
          Calvez and others (Doe. 1-403180):
          Mrj6sselin
          Mr Caivez . ..
          Mr Battersby (ED); Mr Papapietro (COM);
          Mr Remilly (EPD); Miss Quin; Mr Kirk;
          ,MrsLeRoux
          Procedural motions: Mrs Castle; Mr Kirk
          9. Votes:
          Procedural motion: Mrs Castle
          • Travaglini report (Doc 1-347/80):
          Regional development programmes:
          Amendment to paragraph 4
          Mr Travaglini , rapporteur 320
          Amendment to paragraph 12
          Adoption of the resolution 320
          Procedural motions: Mrs ,Kelleu-
          Bowman; Mrs Castle . 320
          • Sassano report (Doe, 1-214/80): Alterna-
          tive energy sources:
          Amendment to paragraph!
          Mr Sassano, rapporteur 320
          Amendment after pa rag rap/i I
          MrSassano 321
          Adoption of the resolution 321
          • Von Wogau report (Doe. 1-340/80): Fuel
          consumption and engine-power of motor-
          vehicles:
          Adoption of the resolution
          • Von Wogau report (Doc. 1-343/80):
          Safety-belts and interior fittings of
          motor-vehicles:
          Adoption of the resolution
          • Turner report (Doc. 7-237/80): Insurance
          contracts:
          Amendments to the proposed di recti ye:
          Mr Turner, rapporteur
          Consideration of the motion for a resolu-
          tion:
          Amendment to paragraph 1
          Mr Turner 323
          S. -
          1. Approval of the ninutes
          2. Documents received
          307
          307
          307
          307
          314
          315
          316
          319
          320
          30$
          308
          308
          30$
          310
          311
          311
          312
          313
          313
          314
          321
          321
          321
          
        
          
          306
          Debates of the European Parliament
          Amendment to paragraph 2
          Mr Turner .
          Amendments to paragraph 3
          Mr Turner
          Amendments after paragraph 3
          Mr Turner . . . . . . .
          Amendment to paragraph 5
          Mr Turner
          Amendment to paragraph 6
          Mr Turner
          Amendment to paragraph 9
          .Mr Turner
          Explanations of vote: Mrs Seibel-Emmer-
          Thig (S);MrJanssen van Ra .ay (EPP); Mrs
          Scrivener , Lady Elks (ED) -
          Adoption of the resolution
          Key report (Doc. 2-334/80): Use of certain
          appropriations available in the budget:
          Adoption of the resolution .
          • Ryan report (Doc 1-344/80): Discharge to
          the European Centre for tbe'Devdopment '
          of Vocational Training:
          • Adoption of the decision
          Adoption of the resolution . .
          • Blaney report (Doc 1 389 80): Flax end
          hemp:'
          Amendment to the sole paragraph:
          Mr Proven,' deputy rapporteur .
          Adoption of the resolution
          • Clement et aL motion for a resolution
          (Doc 1-362/80): Emei ency aid for
          Martinique:
          Adoption of:he re olution . .
          • Sable et al motion for a resolution (Doc
          1-377/80): Community aid to Martinique
          and Guadeloupe:
          Adoption of.che resolution . .
          • Verges et a! motion for a resolution (Doc
          • . 1-384/80): Community aid to Guadeloupe
          and Martinique:
          Adoption of the resolution
          Procedural motion: Mr Collins :
          10. Fzsberies policy (contd)
          Mr Harris; Miss Bmokes; Mr Gundelach,
          Vice-President of the Commission .
          • Consideration of the motion for a resolution
          • in Doc. 1-382/80/rev.):
          Amendment to replace the motion .
          • Explanations of vote: Mr Welsh; Mr Enrigbt
          Adoption, of the resolution
          Adoption of the resolution in Doc 1-403/80
          11. Persecution ofBahais in Iran — Motion for a
          resolution by Mr La/or and Mr IsraEl on
          • behalf of the Group of European Progressive
          Democrats, Mr Glinne and Mrs Van den
          Heuvel on behalf of the Socialist Group 1 Mr
          Klepsch and others on behalf oJthe Group of
          the European Peçple's Party (CD), Mr Scott-
          Hopkins and others on behalf of the European
          Democritic Group and Mr Bangemann and
          Mr Berkhouwer on behalf of the Liberal and
          Democratic Group (Doc 2-397/80/rev.):
          MrIsra9l
          Mr Habsburg (EPP); Mr Purvis (ED); Mr
          Hahn; Mr Proven; Mr Natali, Vice-Presi-
          dent of the Commission; Mr Romualdi; Mrs
          Dekker
          Consideration of the motion for a resolution:
          Amendment after parag raph 4 . ..
          Explanations of vote: Mr Papapietro; ‘Mr
          Prag; Mrs Kellett-Bowinan; Mr Harris
          Adoption of the resolution
          12. Events in Bolivia — Motions for resolutions
          by Mr Glinne and others on behalf of the
          Socialist Group, Mr Klepsch and Mr Blumen-
          fold on behalf of the Group of the European
          • People's Party (CD). Mr Fergusson on behalf
          • of the European Democratic Group, Mrs
          Careuoni Romagnoli, and Mr Berkhouwer
          on behalf of the Liberal and Democratic
          Group (Doc 1-391/80/rev.) and by Mr Fanti
          and others on behalf of the Communist and
          ‘Allies Group (Doc 1-385/80):
          MrPapapietro
          Mr Fergusson
          • Mr Bersani (EPP); Mr Arndt (S); Mr IsraEl
          (EPD); Mr Natal Vice-President of the
          Commission
          Explanati6ns of vote: Mrs Casteiina; Mr
          Fennel/a; Mr Klepscb.
          • Procedural motions: Mr Fe gusson; Mr
          Pannella
          Adoption of the resolution
          13. Protecting the site of Tyre — Motion for a
          resolution by Mr Beyer de Ryke and others
          (Doc 1-388/80):
          Mr Beyer de Ryke
          Mr Habsburg (EPP)
          Adoption of the resolution
          14. Termination ofMrs Macciocchi's appointment
          with the French University system — Motion
          for a resolution by Mr Glinne and others
          (Doc. 1-395/80):
          MrsRoudy
          Mr Ga/land (L), Mrs Bonino; Mr Habsburg
          • Consideration of the motion fore resolution:
          Amendment to the preamble
          Ame.ndm nt to paragraph I .
          Amendment to paragraph 2
          Amendment to paragraph 4
          i
          5 '
          -e
          • . 324
          • 324
          324
          • 324
          3.
          3:
          3:
          3:
          3:
          324
          325
          325
          326
          326
          326
          326
          326
          326
          326.
          327
          327
          327
          327
          330
          330
          331
          331
          31
          33
          33
          3
          33
          
        
          
          Sifting of Friday, 19 September 1980
          307
          Explanations of vote: kits Castellina; Lord
          O'Hasan; Mr Charnbeiron; Miss Roberts;
          Mr Glinne; Lady Elles; Mr K. Schön; Mr
          Gallant!; Mr Coppieters; Mr Pannella
          • Adoption of the resolution . 34.1
          15. Crisis in the iron-and-steel industry —
          Motions for resolutions by Mr Michel and
          others (Doc .1-402/80/rev.) and by Mrs
          Salisd.' and others, on behalf of the SociAlist
          • Group (Doc. 1-414/80/rev.):
          MrK. Scbön
          Mrs Saliscb . 345
          Mr Natali, Vice-President of the Commission 345
          • Explanations of vote: Mr Chambeiron; Mrs
          KelIetLBowman 345
          Adoption of the resolution in Doc. 1-402/
          80/rev. 345
          Adoption of the resolution in Doc. 1-414/
          • 80/rev. : . 346
          16. Sentencin,g to death of Kim Dae Jung
          Motions for resolutions by the Socialist Group
          (Doc. 1-407/80/rev.) and by Mr Fanti arid
          others on behalf of the Communist an Allies
          Group ‘Doc. 1-419/80):
          MrC/inne
          MrChambeiron
          • Adoption of the resolution in Doc 1-407/
          80/rev. 346
          • Adoption of the resolution in Doc. 1-419/80 346
          17. Adams case — Motion fora resolution by Mr.
          Glinne and others on behalf of the Socialist
          Group (Doc 1-410/80):
          MrGlinne
          Mr Natali, Vice-President of the Commission
          Adoption of the resolution . . .
          18. Petition No 1/79 - Report; without debate,
          by Mr D'Angelosaszte on behalf of the
          Committee on the Rules of Procedure and
          Petitions (Doc 1-286/80):
          Adoption of the resolution 347
          19. Dates of the next part-session 347
          20. ApprovAl áfthe minutes 347
          21. Adjournment of the session . . . . . 347
          — a request from the Liberal and Democratic Group for
          • the appointment of Mr Beyer de Ryke as member of
          the delegation to the Joint Parliamentary Committee
          of the EEC-Greece Association;
          PresdenL — The non-attached Members of Parlia-
          ment have informed me that they have nominated Mr
          Romualdi as representative to. the EEC-ACP Consult-
          .ative Assembly.
          346.
          346
          346
          346
          347
          3. Membership of committees
          President. — I have received:
          IN THE CHAIR: MR PFLIMLIN
          Vice-President
          (The sitting opened at 9a.m.)
          President. The sitting is open.
          1. Approval oftbe minutes
          President. — The minutes of proceedings of yester-
          day's sitting have been distributed.
          Are there any comments?
          The minutes are adopted.
          2. Documents received
          President. I have received various documents,
          which you will find listed in the minutes.
          — a request from the European Democratic Group for
          the appointment of Mr J. M. Taylor to the Committee
          on Budgetary Control, to replace Mr Patterson.
          Are there any objections?
          The appointments arc ratified.
          4. C risultative AssemblyACP-EEC
          Are there any objections?
          The nomination is ratified.
          
        
          
          Sitting of Friday, 19 September 1980
          331
          Enright
          out, in reply to Mr'Welsh, that it is absurd nonsense to
          say that you will vow at 10. 30 and then not vote at
          ID. 30. Either we have procedures cut and dried in this
          House or we all pack up and go home.
          Presdent. — I put the motion for a resolution as a
          whole to the vote.
          The resolution is adopted.'
          I put to the vote the Calvez et ai. motion for a resolu-
          tion (Doc. 1-403/80).
          The resolution is adopted.'
          11. Persecution ofBahais in Iran
          President. — The next item is the motion for a reso-
          lution by Mr Lalor and Mr Israel on behalf of the
          Group of European Progressive Democrats, Mr
          Glinne and Mrs van den Heuvel on behalf of the
          Socialist Group, Mr KJepsch and others on behalf of
          the Group of the European People's Party (CD
          Group), Mr Scott-Hopkins and others on behalf of the
          European Democratic Group, and .Mr Bangemann
          and Mr Berkhouwer on behalf of the Liberal and
          Democratic Group, on the persecution of members of
          the Bahai community in Iran (Doc. 1-397/80/rev.).
          I call Mr israd.
          Mr Israel. — (F) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen,
          the Bahai religion is separate and distinct from the
          three great monotheistic movements which preceded
          it. However, it shares a common origin with those reli-
          gions in that it accepts much of their teaching. In Iran,
          where this religion was born, there has been a revolu-
          tion which has totally disrupted human relations. The
          Bahai are a religious minority of 300 000 people living
          within the empire of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Iran's
          recently adopted constitution, like all constitutions,
          provides in theory for the protection of religious
          minorities.
          Unfortunately, the Bahai religion is not one of the
          minority religions protected by the Constitution. The
          reason for this omission is that in Iran followers of the
          Bahai faith are generally former Moslems. The fierce
          persecution to which they are subject is aggravated by
          the fact that members of the Bahai sect appear to be
          considered as unfaithful to Islam according to the
          ideas of the Ayatollah Khomeiny.
          In these circumstances, the followers of the Bahai faith
          are totally isolated and deprived of legal protection
          inside and outside their own country. There is no
          Bahai Vatican, there is not a sufficiently strong world
          community to protest against the fate handed out to
          the Bahais in Iran. It is therefore quite natural that the
          Bahais should turn to us as the Parliament of Europe
          and that they should look to our Assembly for the
          support which they lack everywhere else in the world.
          Mr President, this Parliament would greatly add to its
          dignity by adopting this resolution which is moreover
          tabled by the five major groups inthis Assembly.
          President. — I call Mr Habsburg to speak on behalf
          of the Group of the European People's Party (Chris-
          tian-Democratic Group).
          Mr Habsburg. — (D) Mr President, the Group of the
          European People's Party has also been greatly
          dismayed to witness in recent months an example of
          religious persecution which is particularly abhorrent
          because the people concerned are completely defence-
          less. I therefore believe, as my colleague Mr israel has
          said, that we must make our voice heard, although I
          am not generally a supporter of resolutions which have
          no direct bearing on European matters.
          I have one further point. It has been stated here that
          Islam is responsible for the persecution of the Bahais. I
          would stress that someone like the Ayatollah Khom-
          einy is nothing more than a traitor to Islam. The
          Ulemas in Morroco have already made that quite
          clear. Islam is a deeply tolerant faith. What Khomeiny
          is doing is as much a travesty as were the policies of
          Stalin, Amin or Maclas. I therefore believe it is our
          duty to protest most seriously, in the interests of Islam,
          in the interests of the peoples of Iran and also to
          uphold the honour of Europe.
          (Applause)
          President. — I call Mr Purvis to speak on behalf of
          the European Democratic Group.
          Mr Purvis. — Mr President, having been led
          privately to concern for the Bahais of Iran by repre-
          sentatives of thit faith in my part of Mid-Scotland and
          Fife, I found subsequently that there was widespread
          concern amongst my colleagues in this group, and on
          reaching Strasbourg this week I found myself part of a
          Europe-wide concern. The Bahais of Europe have put
          their faith in the European Parliament. They fully
          believe that it is through us that the protection of their
          co-religionists in Iran can best be safeguarded. So our
          constituents have placed their faith in us and we must
          justify that trust by wholeheartedly supporting this
          resolution. And I would like to see it supported right
          round the Chamber.
          Certainly, we must also condemn the fact that Euro-
          pean missionaries and religious figures in iran have
          been imprisoned without trial and have been expelled
          OJ C 265 of 13. 10. 1980.
          4
          I
          
        
          
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          Debates of the European Parliament
          Purv
          unreasonably from the country. Certainly we must
          express our concern for other religious minorities in
          Iran — the Christians and the Jews, whose security is
          - at risk, who have been harrassed and in some cases
          • executed. But the Bahais are altogether the most
          extreme case. There are over 300 000 in Iran. Their
          faiçh is tolerant of other religions. Their faith does not
          • permit involvement in politics, but enjoins loyalty and
          obedience to the government of their country. And yet
          the Prime Minister of Iran has vowed to rid the coun-
          try of the Bahais. Why' They surely pose no threat to
          the stability of either his government or his country.
          Their sacred places have been destroyed. They have
          been harrassed from their homes and villages. They
          have been dispossessed of their property. They have
          been removed from government jobs. They are being
          pressed to recant their faith. They have been arre sted
          and imprisoned, and some have been executed after
          secret, so-called trials. Their leaders are even now held
          incommur icado in pris 6 n, and one can but fear for
          their lives. They are not even recognized as a religious
          mir oriry, as other religious minorities are. In fact, the
          • Traiiian government claims they don't exist! The regis-
          trat ion of their births, marriages and deaths is not
          per nitted and so they do not exist.
          For; these reasons, my colleagues in the European
          Democratic Group join wholeheartedly with
          colleagues throughout the European Parliament and
          all our constituents, Bahai and non-Bahai, throughout
          Europe, in an appeal directed to the Iranian Government
          to observe the basic human rights of their Bahai coun-
          trymen, and we ask the Council of Ministers and the
          Member States to use all the pressure that they can
          muster with the Iranian Government to ensure that
          these tolerant and peaceful people are protected in
          their homeland.
          (Applause)
          President. — I call Mr Hahn.
          Mr Hahn. -i—. (D) Mr President, ladies and gentle-
          men, it is particulirly gratifying that all the groups in
          this House should stand up for the Bahai religion and
          plead for tolerance to be shown towards it in Iran. We
          can only say that it. is particularly abhorrent that perse-
          cution on religious grounds can still occur in the 20th
          century. What is happening in Iran at the moment can
          only be compared with what happened to the Jews
          under Hitler's so-called Third Reich. The tactics are
          almost exactly the same as they were then in Germany:
          the leaders of Bahais are being murdered, they are
          being killed and executed, temples are being
          destroyed, these people are being stripped of all rights
          and their children expelled from schools. Ladies and
          gentlemen, when such action claims to be taken in the
          name of a religion, it can only bring that religion itself
          into disrepute.
          I agree with my colleague Mr Habsburg that this is
          not the nature of Islam. Precisely because we say ‘yes'
          to religion we must protest at its exploitation for such
          repressive and destructive measures against a large
          minority within a people and within a State such as
          Iran. The whole House should speak out against this.
          Pr ident. — I call Mr Provan.
          Mr Provan. — What we are discussing this morning
          is reafly a cover-up of what is taking place in Iran
          today, and if it had not been the case that had been
          brought forward so eloquently by the Bahais in
          Europe, this might not well have been discussed this
          morning. It is a cover-up because we have fanatical
          factions roaming the streets and the countryside of
          Iran, secret courts, imprisonments, murder, all of
          which is going ahead in the name of religion, but it is
          not religion at all. It is religious persecution, because
          the Iranian authorities are looking for a scapegoat.
          They are trying to deceive their people: one deception
          is the use of a previous British Ambassador's signature
          on a document, and yet he ceased to Le Ambassador
          four years ago.
          Religious persecution, Mr President f the Bahais —
          yes, and of Christians also. The Christians basically in
          Iran are ethnic groups, and therefore it is persecution
          of ethnic minorities within Iran as well as religious
          persecution. But it is the religious persecution that we
          •abhor most, because these religious bodies thought
          that with the arrival of Ayatollah Khomeiny they were
          going to get some help. They were deceived, and
          Christianity itself is only receiving lip service as a
          recognized religion.
          What is the history of this? In the first months since
          the revolution, we• have had an Anglican priest
          murdered. In the second month, we have had a hospi-
          tal taken over, and unfortunately the health standards
          are very much lower because of it. We have had other
          hospitals seized, ahd the Anglicans are not allowed to
          4o their business. I support very strongly indeed the
          third paragraph of the motion, which refers to other
          religious minorities, because Bishop Dequani Tafti's
          son has been murdered and now we also find his
          secretary, Jean Waddell, who is a constituent of mine
          in East Scotland, in prison. We do not know where
          she is, we do not know what her fate is; she has
          already faced attempted murder when she was
          molested and imprisoned, and we know not what is
          going to happen. We are not allowed any access what-
          soever to her to find out, and this cannot be applauded
          by anybody who thinks properly and sanely in the
          Western world.
          Therefore, Mr President, I ask this Parliament to
          support most strongly an amendment which has been
          put forward — Amendment No I, which requests the
          Commission and Council of the European Communi-
          ties to impose an embargo on all sales of surplus prod.
          
        
          
          333
          4
          Provan
          Sitting of Friday, 19 September 19 0
          ucts to Iran where subsidies are involved, so that
          human rights can be iestored to iranian citizens.
          President. — I call Mr Natali.
          Mr Natali, Vke-Pre.cident oj the Commission. (1)
          Mr President, the Commission shares the deep
          concern expressed in the two motions for resolutions
          over the fate of the Bahai Community and viii do
          everything in its power to comply with the vote of the
          European Parliament.
          President. — I call Mr Romualdi.
          Mr Romualdi. — (I) Mr President, I should just like
          to say that the Italian non-attached Members share the
          indignation and protest expressed by all the groups in
          • this Parliament at the action being taken against the
          right to life and religious liberty of the Bahai in Iran.
          • We shall therefore vote in favour of this resolution in
          • the name of'freedom for all faiths and for the defence
          of the lives of all those who profess their religious
          belief.
          President. — I call Mrs Dekker.
          Mrs Dekker. — (NL) Mr President, I also want
          briefly to express my full support for the resolutions
          on the persecution of the Bahai community in Iran,
          and I am pleased that they are finding such clear and
          broad support in this Parliament. I agree that the
          Bahais' case has been well stated in the European
          Parliament, and I therefore hope that our clear
          condemnation of this situation will also apply to other
          groups now being persecuted because of their religion,
          particularly in Iran. I am thinking of the Jews and of
          the Christians, but this should apply in general to
          groups which are persecuted because of their religion,
          race or sex, or on the basis of any other distinction.
          President. — The debate is closed.
          We shall now consider the motion for a resolution.
          (Parliament adopted she preamble and paragraphs I to 4)
          After paragraph 4, I have Amendment No 1, tabled by
          Mr Hord and others, seeking to insert a new para-
          graph:
          4 a. Requests the Commission and Council of the Euro-
          pean Communties to impose an embargo on all sales
          of surplus agricultural products to Iran where subsi-
          dies by European taxpayers are involved until full
          human rights are restored to Iranian citixens.
          (Parliament adopted Amena'ment No I and paragraph 5)
          I can now give the floor for explanations of vote.
          I call Mr Papapietro.
          Mr Papapictro. — (I) Mr President, just a very brief
          statement. We should have supported this motion for a
          resolution if there had not been a purely technical
          error. The motion tabled is different from that which
          was discussed.
          However, we support the principle of the motion for a
          resolution and will vote for it, expressing our total
          solidarity with the followers of the Bahai religion who
          are being so ruthlessly persecuted;
          President. — I call Mr Prag.
          Mr Prag. — Mr .President, I just want to explain why
          I voted against the amendment.
          Very simply, it was because I think that when we pass
          a resolution of this kind, it must be in order to achieve
          an effect. I am afraid that, given the present state of
          mind of the Iranian Government, we are not likely to
          do a great deal of good with paragraph 4 a.
          Unofficially, there are some 450 000 Bahais in Iran,
          rather than the official figure of 300 000. I think they
          are all in danger. We can, perhaps, prevent a quite
          appalling pogrom, which is what they are threatened
          with. If children dare to be born, they are illegitimate.
          If people dare to marry — because their marriage
          cannot be recognized — they are accused of prostitu-
          tion.
          If we are to prevent a quite appalling massacre, we
          should have kept our resolution a little more moderate
          than it now becomes with Amendment No 1. That is
          why I voted against the amendment. But I do hope
          that the power of this Parliament, through its unani-
          mous resolution, will be recognized by the Iranian
          Government and that we shall see some moderation of
          their appalling treatment of the Bahai faith.
          President. — I call Mrs Kellett-Bowrnan.
          Mrs Kellett-Bowman. — I voted for the amendment
          for the perfectly simple reason that all too often this
          Parliament seeks to take action with words only. This
          would be a practical way in which we could help to•
          bring home to the Iranian Government our very strong
          feelings in support of the Bahai community.
          1!
          I
          
        
          
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          Debates of the European Parliament
          President. — I call Mr Harris.
          Mr Harris. — As co-author of the amendment, I
          ‘would like to support the last speaker in this, although
          I do respect the views of my colleague, Mr Prag. I can
          see that is is a finely balanced argument. Very often we
          in this place need to focus on matters which are within
          our own competence. This is a matter within the
          competence of this Parliament, or at least the shared
          competence of this Parliament. I think the amendment
          highlights the relevance of this Parliament to this
          particular issue. I feel tha i. we must take a stand on
          this, particularly as we understand that considerable
          amounts of subsidized food are being supplied to Iran,
          and that we really should speak out as a parliament on
          this issue. I do not think we can just shirk it.
          President. — I put the motion for a resolution as a
          whole to she vote.
          The resolution is adopted. 1
          12. Events in Bolivia
          President. — The next item is a joint debate on
          — the motion for a resolution by Mr Glinne and others
          on behalf of the Socialist Group, Mr Klepsch and Mr
          Blumenfeld on behalf of the Group of the European
          People's Party (Christian-Democratic Group), Mr
          Fergusson on behalf of the European Democratic
          Group, Mrs Carettoni Romagnoli, and Mr Berkhou-
          wet on behalf of the Liberal and Democratic Group,
          on the events in Bolivia (Doc. l 38 1/80/rev.); and
          — the motion for a resolution by Mr Fanti and others,
          on behalf of the Communist and Allies Group, on
          relations between the EEC and the new regime n
          Bolivia (Doc. 1-385/80).
          I call Mr Papapietro.
          Mr Papapiesro. — (I) Mr President, we shall vote in
          favour of the motion tabled by the other groups (Doc.
          i -38 1/80/rcv.).'We should have preferred also to vote
          for our own motion (Doc. 1-385/80), because it
          contains an extra element — namely, the implied
          .recognition of the lawful government elected by uni-
          versal suffrage, which does not feature in the other
          motion. The other motion, however, is satisfactory in
          • all other respects. We shall therefore vote for the other
          motion and ask that ours be dealt with pursuant so
          Rule 25 of the Rules of Procedurc.
          President. — I call Mr Fergusson.
          Mr Fergusson. — Mr President, I very mud
          welcome what we have just heard from the other sidi
          of the House. For the second time in a week we havi
          the whole House, everyb6dy and every group in shi
          House, prepared so back a parliamentary resolution. I
          comes almost without any kind of opposition eviden
          at all. The House is at one in condemning what ha
          happened in Bolivia, just as it was at one, or to al
          intents and pus-poses at one, in expressing its fears am
          congratulations in respect of Poland. -
          On behalf of my group, I wish to support this motion
          because we want to lend our voiccs to those whicl
          have already been raised throughout she world
          condemn the coup in Bolivia. This coup is particularl
          repugnant because it took place immediately after
          free and fair election. The weight of military reps-es
          sion was brought to bear on the Bolivian peopl
          because they had taken advantage of their opportunir
          ‘to express their views, and the colonels there, as w
          know, have now set their face against what they quit
          cynically describe as any further electoral adventures
          We can only regret this. Obviously we all have differ
          ent views about democracy and about militar ' dicta
          torships, but we all regret it whenever a military dicta
          torship supersedes a civil administration. However,
          may perhaps make some instructive comparison
          between this coup and another, which we discussei
          earlier this week, in Turkey, where the political partie
          had reached a stalemate and the military, on takin,
          power, immediately swore, with a very good record o
          the same thing behind them, from the outset to pro
          vide a speedy return to democracy. One might alsi
          contrast what has happened in Bolivia with the othe
          Andean Pact cOuntries, notably Peru, whose new an
          freely-elected government took office in Julyihis yeai
          I would draw the attention of the House particularl
          to the second indent of paragraph 4, because the justi
          fication here for this very short debate and a rathe
          long resolution is that for once there is action whic.
          the Community has taken and can take to counte
          what has happened. Therefore, Mr President,
          support this motion and express the hope that thi
          resolution, and the action taken by the Comrnissio
          and the Heads of Government of the Nine, will noi
          bring about a speedy end to this very dark period c
          Bolivian history.
          President. — I call Mr Bersani to speak on behalf c
          the Group of the European People's Party (Christian
          Democratic Group).
          OJC265ofJ3.l0. 980.
          
        
          
        

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