Bulletin Quotidien Europe 7460 - 7/5/1999

(EU) EP/FOREIGN POLICY: EU common strategies must offer "added value", says Parliament, calling for them to be developed first for Russia, Ukraine, the Mediterranean region and the Western Balkans

Parliament wishes to hold a hearing with Mr or Mrs CFSP

As to the future CFSP High Representative, Parliament wishes to hold a hearing with this individual before he (or she) takes up the post. Mr Spencer also confirmed that the Committee on Foreign Affairs has requested this hearing on 21 June. In addition, Parliament reiterated its proposal (made last year) for the creation of a genuine European diplomatic corps and suggested, to prepare its setting into place, the creation of a European Union Diplomatic College.

Parliament adopted amendments by Olivier Dupuis, Belgian member of the Radical Alliance group: - urging Member States to ratify as soon as possible the Statutes of the International Criminal Tribunal and welcoming the role played by Italy (host of the diplomatic conference in the summer of 1998 which introduced this Court charged with judging cases of genocide and crimes against humanity); - stating that the Union should promote an initiative, at the next United Nations General Assembly, for the introduction of a universal moratorium on capital punishment; - calling on the EU to initiate without delay a Marshall Plan for Albania and to open negotiations with a view to an EU/Albania association agreement.