APPENDIX 3
Responses from the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office to Questions from the Foreign Affairs Committee on EU Trade
Agreement with Israel
FAC Question 1: With reference
to paragraph 15 of the Government's reply, what reduction in human
rights abuses does the Government consider to have been achieved
by the targeted dêmarches and other representations through
which the EU has raised human rights concerns with the Israeli
Government?
In the last year, there have been several EU
dêmarche on closures, extra-judicial killings, the repayment
of tax revenues and settlements, as well as representations on
the Israeli incursions into Palestinian Authority controlled areas
(Area A). Our efforts have not led to significant reductions in
human rights abuses. The Government of Israel has refused to pay
to the Palestinian Authority the tax revenues due to it. Closures
have eased from time to time but they can be and are reimposed
at short notice. Currently, they are tightly maintained, leading
to widespread deprivation. Settlement activity has continued,
although we judge that the expansion of settlements might have
been less restrained if the international community had not urged
Israel to freeze such activity. The EU and the UK will continue
to seek greater respect for human rights by both Israelis and
Palestinians by maintaining the pressure on both parties to fulfil
commitments, respect international law and exercise restraint.
FAC Question 2: Without reference
to the general question of the suspension of trade agreements
(which the Committee may wish to pursue separately) but with specific
reference to Israel, are there human rights-related circumstances
in which the Government would press for the suspension of any
EU trade agreement with Israel, and if so, will it set out what
these circumstances are?
The Association Agreement has a human rights
clause, which states that "Relations between the Parties,
as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be
based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which
guides their internal and international policy and constitutes
an essential element of this Agreement." (Article 2). There
are human rights-related circumstances in which the Government
would press for discussion within the EU of the suspension of
the trade agreement with Israel. It would then be for the Council
to make a decision in the light of article 2. But it would be
unhelpful for the UK to publicly set out in advance criteria for
suspension.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
October 2001
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