February, 2000

Herewith my parliamentary questions to the European Council about the Albanian prisoners in Serbia.

On the occasion of the hunger strike (from 24.12.99 until 06.01.00) and the demonstration on 05.01.00, both organized in Brussels by Kosovarians of the Albanian World Union for the release of the Albanian prisoners in Serbia, I was received by an assistant of the High Representative for the Common Foreign Affairs and the Security Policy and by the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union on the 5th of January.

Both authorities promised to put the question of the Albanian prisoners on the agenda of the European Council of Ministers on the 24th and 25th of January. Reading the reports I came to the conclusion that there was not a discussion about this question on that European Council of Ministers.

Therefore I would like to pose these questions :

How the Council will implement the Resolution of the European Parliament from 16.09.99 in which the Presidency is urged to hold direct talks with the Serbian government on the early release of all prisoners ?

When the Council will have discussions on the case of the Kosovarian

prisoners in Serbia ? Is Council ready to introduce and to support an U.N. Security Council resolution calling the release of the albanian prisoners in Serbia ? If not, why not ?

Is the council ready to make it clear that the ultimate lifting of sanctions against Yugoslavia, as well as Serbia's articipation in the stability pact for south eastern europe, must be conditioned on the resolution of all outstanding issues concerning kosovarian prisoners ? if not, why not ?

Sincerely,

Bart Staes,

Member of the European Parliament