And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: This message is forwarded to you as a service of Zapatistas Online. Comments and volunteers are welcome. Write [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send submissions to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Reply-to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: "pcl" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: VERY URGENT: EU-Mexico treaty Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 00:17:41 +0200 The Committee on External Economic Relations (REX or "C6") of the European Parliament (EP) will vote on 21 April on a report prepared by A. M. de Lage, chairwoman of this commission. The report calls on the EP to vote on (ratify) the new trade treaty between Mexico and the EU, the so-called "Global Treaty" already in May. Originally the vote on the Global Treaty had been postponed until the end of 1999 to provide sufficient time to negotiate all aspects of the new treaty, INCLUDING THE HUMAN RIGHTS CLAUSE. With the vote of REX, scheduled for next Wednesday Ana and the subsequent vote in May, A. M. de Lage attempts to eliminate the negotiating space for the Global Treaty. During a REX session on 17 March with 26 EP members present, there were only 3 members against Ms. de Lage's proposal to ask the EP for a vote in May. Most disturbing is that Ms. de Lage is praising the Mexican government with regard to achievements in the democratization process and the progress made on human rights issues which bluntly ignores recent events (i.e. massive election fraud in Guerrero and military incursion into communities in Chiapas) as well as lack of any indication of demilitarization of Chiapas, fulfillment of the signed Accord of San Andres etc. The decision making process of the EP-members is typically taking place already a few days before the session. Therefore you are urged to send faxes (sample letter below) to as many relevant persons as possible. THESE FAXES SHOULD PREFERABLY BE SENT BY 17 APRIL, BUT THE LATEST BY 20 APRIL. "Relevant persons" are all REX-members of your country, but also members of other key commissions of the EP, i.e. the "Delegation for Central America and Mexico" (= "D13"), the Committee on Foreign Affairs (= "C1") and the Committee on Development and Cooperation. (= "C13"). Fax numbers can be found on the EP's website (http://www.europarl.eu.int/), but you will also find a short list below the sample letter (Note: fax numbers of German EP members have been left out, because this action started already two days ago in Germany). Dear .... We are turning to you concerning the proposal of the Committee on External Economic Relations regarding the ratification of the Treaty on Economic Cooperation between Mexico and the European Union. We are highly concerned about the intention to ratify the global treaty still in this legislative period, even before the negotiations are finalized. This would mean that the European Parliament (EP) will ratify a new treaty without knowledge of its final contents. In its report of April 1998 the Committee on External Economic Relations itself warned about such a possibility by saying that by this the EP would renounce the opportunity to influence the mandate of the free trade agreement. This report concluded that it would make no sense to further follow up on the negotiations and that it would be equivalent a blank cheque for the Commission and the European Council without knowing receiving knowledge about the contents of the treaty. In addition we are alarmed about the contents of the draft the report of committee proposing the ratification of the treaty. This draft, presented on 17 March, states that an improvement of the human rights situation in Mexico occurred. However, recent reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, or the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (report prepared in collaboration with 95 Mexican NGO's) provide strong evidence that this statement is far from reality: Since the ratification of the Interim Treaty on 08 December 1997 the human rights situation in Mexico in fact has aggravated. The number of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture, committed besides others by the Mexican army, has increased. Of particular concern is also the increase of paramilitary groups, both in number and size, which are tolerated and partially supported by the authorities. On the background of this situation and the existing risk for a further aggravation of the situation we consider it of utmost importance that a ratification of the Global Treaty between the European Union and Mexico will not be taken into consideration before complete knowledge of the results of the negotiations. In addition, we consider the following mechanisms necessary for the implementation of Article 1 of the treaty: 1. Preparation of annual reports of the European Commission on the human rights situation in Mexico, which needs to include consultation with Mexican and European NGO's 2. Annual joint meetings of the EP's Subcommittee on Human Rights with the Human Rights Commission of the Mexican parliament 3. Annual meetings of the joint commission of the to parties to the treaty to verify the human rights situation 4. Appointment of a human rights ombudsman in the delegation of the European Commission on Mexico. We hope that you will take our concerns into consideration. Thanking you in advance, sincerely =============================================== Philippe Herzog France C6 00322-284 9123 (European Left, Scandinavian Greens) Michael Hindley UK PSE C6 00322-284 9507 (Social Democrat) Jose Ignacio Salafranca Spain PPE C1 00322-284 9603 Ana Miranda de Lage Spain PSE C6 00322-284 9883 (Social Democrat) Leonie G.L. van Bladel Netherland UPE C6*, SC1B 00322-284 9521 Elly Plooij-van Netherland Gorsel C6 00322-284 9608 (Liberal Democrat) Alll the following all C6 (REX)-members (with a few exception those without mentioned party-affiliation are Conservatives, but one never knows how they will act!!) Roger KAROUTCHI, France, +32 2 2849161 Pier Ferdinando CASINI, Italia +32 2 2849852 Alexander C. FALCONER, UK +32 2 2849509 (Social Democrat) Concepcio FERRER, Espana, +32 2 2849982 Karl HABSBURG-LOTHRINGEN, Austria, +32 2 2849772 James MOORHOUSE, UK +32 2 2849201 (Liberal Democrat) Riccardo NENCINI, Italia +32 2 2849713 (Social Democrat) Nikolaos PAPAKYRIAZIS, Ellada (Greece), +32 2 2849570 (Social Democrat) Manuel PORTO, Portugal +32 2 2849372 Fernando Moniz, Portugal, +32 2 284 9683 (Social Democrat) Andre Sainjon, France, +32 2 284 9497 (Radical European Alliance) Alex SMITH, UK +32 2 2849208 (Social Democrat) Dominique F.C. SOUCHET, France +32 2 2849246 Antonio TAJANI, Italia +32 2 2849396 Jaime VALDIVIELSO DE CUE, Espana +32 2 2849644 Yvan M.Blot, France, +32 2 284 9266 (Independent) Pierre BERNARD-REYMOND, France +32 2 2849327 Marie-Arlette CARLOTTI, France +32 2 2849789 (Social Democrat) Rijk van DAM, Nederland, +32 2 2849195 Willy C.E.H. DE CLERCQ, Belgique-Belgie +32 2 2849149 Jose Manuel GARCIA-MARGALLO Y MARFIL, Espana, +32 2 2849904 Antonio GRAZIANI, Italia, +32 2 2849702 Raimo ILASKIVI, Suomi, +32 2 2849842 Anna KARAMANOU, Ellada (Greece), +32 2 2849841 Paul A.A.J.G. LANNOYE, Belgique-Belgie, +32 2 2849695 Odile LEPERRE-VERRIER, France, +32 2 2849994 Franco E. MALERBA, Italia, +32 2 2849389 Jean-Claude MARTINEZ, France, +32 2 2849968 Graham MATHER, UK, +32 2 2849291 Anita Jean POLLACK, UK, +32 2 2849890 (Social Democrat) Josep E. PONS GRAU, Espana, +32 2 2849473 (Social Democrat) Esko Olavi SEPPAENEN, Suomi, +32 2 2849271 (European Left, Scandinavian Greens) Jan SONNEVELD, Nederland, +32 2 2849868 Maj Britt THEORIN, Sverige, +32 2 2849661 (Social Democrat) Leo C. TINDEMANS, Belgique-Belgie, +32 2 2849979 John E. TOMLINSON, UK, +32 2 2849513 (Social Democrat) Jan Marinus WIERSMA, Nederland, +32 2 2849435 (Social Democrat) ___________________________________________________ NUEVO AMANECER PRESS-N.A.P.To know about us visit: http://www.nap.cuhm.mx/nap0.htm (spanish) ******************* In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107,this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest.**We encourage you to reproduce this information giving credit to source, translation and NAP.** General Director:Roger Maldonado-Mexico Director Europe: Darrin Wood-Spain Advisor and Special Correspondent:Guillermo Michel-Mexico. Director of Social Communication NAP-MEXICO-USA: Rodrigo Bengochea-Mexico Advisory team: Members of Civil Society-Mexico NAP Coordinator and Assistant Director:Susana Saravia *************[EMAIL PROTECTED]************* "If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. . .But if you have come because your liberation is bound with mine, then let us work together." --Aboriginal Woman ************************************************************************** NAP, bringing you the news that CNN and US media will not. ********************************************************** ___________________________________________________ NUEVO AMANECER PRESS-N.A.P.To know about us visit: http://www.nap.cuhm.mx/nap0.htm (spanish) ******************* In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107,this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest.**We encourage you to reproduce this information giving credit to source, translation and NAP.** General Director:Roger Maldonado-Mexico Director Europe: Darrin Wood-Spain Advisor and Special Correspondent:Guillermo Michel-Mexico. Director of Social Communication NAP-MEXICO-USA: Rodrigo Bengochea-Mexico Advisory team: Members of Civil Society-Mexico NAP Coordinator and Assistant Director:Susana Saravia *************[EMAIL PROTECTED]************* "If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. . .But if you have come because your liberation is bound with mine, then let us work together." --Aboriginal Woman ************************************************************************** NAP, bringing you the news that CNN and US media will not. ********************************************************** -- To unsubscribe from this list send a message containing the words unsubscribe chiapas95 to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Previous messages are available from http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/chiapas95.html or gopher://eco.utexas.edu. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
