(Abstract from the Assembly Verbatim report)

Questions and answers following the statement by Jakob Kellenberger, President of the Red-Cross Committee

THE PRESIDENT. – Thank you. The next speaker is Mrs Aguiar, on behalf of the Group of the European People’s party.

Mrs AGUIAR (Portugal) congratulated the rapporteur and Mr Kellenberger. New responses were required for new challenges. The obstacles in front of the ICRC, preventing it from helping victims were to be condemned. She condemned attacks on ICRC staff, and paid tribute to those killed in Chechnya, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She called for help towards the 2002 appeal and co-operation between the two organisations which were both fighting for human rights, and gave heartfelt thanks to ICRC for its contributions around the globe.

THE PRESIDENT. – Thank you, Mrs Aguiar. The next speaker is Mr Reimann, on behalf of the Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group.

Mr REIMANN (Switzerland) thanked the Council of Europe for the debate on the ICRC, one of the oldest organisations in the world. He had acted as ICRC staff in Gaza. The Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group offered its assistance in dealing with difficult tasks. He paid tribute to those who had died in the ranks.

The symbol of the International Committee of the Red Cross should not be replaced by another emblem. It was well recognised globally and it would be fatal for the organisation if its emblem were changed. He asked Mr Kellenberger to address that point and wished the organisation well in its future work.

THE PRESIDENT. – Thank you, Mr Reimann. The next speaker is Mr Cox, on behalf of the Socialist Group.

Mr COX (United Kingdom). – Thank you very much, Mr President. As you say, I speak on behalf of the Socialist Group, which fully supports the work of the ICRC. I congratulate the rapporteur and say to the President that it was a great pleasure to listen to him.

We are fully aware of the work of the ICRC in many countries of the world, certainly in Europe, the Balkans, Kosovo and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. We certainly support its role in the field of human rights.

The Socialist Group fully agrees with the comments in the draft resolution that the work of the ICRC is guided by the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. The role it plays in armed conflicts is well known. It often operates under very difficult conditions, at times against the wishes of one of the opposing sides, as demonstrated by the actions of the Israeli authorities in the conflict against Palestine. I shall return to that issue later in my speech.

Appendix 1 of the report sets out the main treaties of international humanitarian law. We would expect every member state not only to support fully the work of the ICRC and to sign a treaty, but, above all, to ratify it.

Appendix 2 shows the yearly contributions paid to the ICRC by member states. I accept that some countries are not wealthy, but in my view they have a duty to give their full support to the organisation. Its finances must be of crucial importance.

I referred earlier to the Middle East. As we have all seen on television and in the press, the role that the International Red Cross has sought to play is not an easy one. As the President of the ICRC said, it has most certainly not been helped by the Israeli military force closing down areas for days at a time. I understand that two employees of the Palestine Red Crescent Society have been killed in the violence of recent weeks and others have been injured. The Socialist Group is deeply concerned by the fact that the President of the Palestine Red Crescent Society was arrested along with some twenty colleagues. I further understand that on 12 April the movement expressed deep concern about the humanitarian situation on the West Bank and the problems faced due to the action of the Israeli Government.

The Socialist Group deeply condemns violence, and terrorist attacks, whoever is involved, but we are also deeply concerned whenever the work of the Red Cross is controlled or restricted as is clearly happening so often in the conflict – or the war, as the Israeli Prime Minister calls it – between Israel and Palestine.

I close my remarks by saying that this type of action is simply not acceptable to the Socialist Group of this Assembly.

THE PRESIDENT. – Thank you, Mr Cox. The next speaker is Mr Dmitrijevas from Lithuania, who is a member of the Socialist Group.

Mr DMITRIJEVAS (Lithuania) congratulated Mr Slutsky on the report and Mr Kellenberger on his work with the organisation.

Staff members of the organisation were being killed and the Assembly should vote to ensure that personnel were protected and respected worldwide. The increased co-operation between the ICRC and the Council of Europe should be strongly supported by the Assembly. The draft resolution had to be supported.

THE PRESIDENT. – Thank you. I must now interrupt the list of speakers. I remind you that members who are on the list and present in the Chamber but who have not been called may submit their speeches in typescript to the Table Office in Room 1083 within twenty-four hours of the end of the debate for publication in the official report.
            I call Mr Kellenberger to reply briefly to the debate.

Mr KELLENBERGER (President of the International Committee of the Red Cross). – I thank all those who have taken the floor for their support for our organisation. You can imagine how much we appreciate it. It will be a pleasure to tell the people at home about it.
(The speaker continued in German.)

Two emblems of the ICRC had full protection: the red cross and the red crescent. Respect for the emblem was very important and it was difficult to maintain that in conflicts. When the emblem was not respected the consequences were terrible, as, for example the previous year, when four ICRC workers had been killed in the Congo. Israeli society could not accept the emblems of the red cross or the red crescent. A third symbol was being designed to ensure that Israel could become a full member of the ICRC.

THE PRESIDENT. – Thank you. I call Mr Slutsky, the rapporteur, to reply. You have four minutes.

Mr SLUTSKY (Russian Federation) said that, although a number of speakers had been left off, the importance of the relationship between the ICRC and the Council of Europe had been emphasised by several colleagues. Mr Reimann had mentioned the importance of personal safety. Mr Cox had underlined the importance of member states providing adequate financing to the ICRC. Monitoring in the Middle East was crucial, as was the safety of ICRC staff. Mr Dimitrijevas had made some important points which were reflected in the report. Further monitoring of protocols was necessary, such as those relating to the Geneva Convention on Human Rights, the 1997 Landmines Convention and the Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. It was necessary to make sure nations ratified the conventions.

He thanked colleagues who had participated in producing the report and welcomed the impetus towards closer co-operation between the Council of Europe and ICRC.

THE PRESIDENT. – Does the Vice-Chairman of the Committee wish to speak?

Mr EINARSSON (Sweden). – It is not necessary for me to repeat what has been said in the Assembly. As Mr Slutsky has said, this short debate confirms that the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly stand behind the ICRC and its important work throughout the world, including in Europe. What has been said in the Assembly shows our commitment to the values that you defend and we try to defend. Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT. – Thank you. The debate is closed.

The Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography has presented a draft resolution, contained in Document 9388, to which no amendments have been tabled.

We will now proceed to vote on the draft resolution.

The voting is open.

The draft resolution in Document 9388 is adopted.

(Mrs Gatterer, Vice-President of the Assembly took the Chair in place of Mr Weiss.)