Tuesday, 22 October 2013 - Strasbourg

Debate

Pino Arlacchi (S&D ), in writing . − I strongly support this report because after many years, we finally got the opportunity to extensively discuss and condemn the human right violations in Western Sahara. This report is really though in stressing the Sahrawi's right on self-determination and the need to organize a referendum.

Unfortunately we lost an opportunity to underline the importance of not re-institute a fisheries agreement with Morocco while the controversy on the exploitation of the Western Sahara's natural resources remain unresolved. Indeed, in order to be coherent with our human right policies we should have voted for the amendment, signed from almost 100 MEP, which was asking the Commission to submit clear proposals for how such agreement could be implemented in a manner acceptable to all concerned parties. Unfortunately, this time, and only for few votes, human rights were overcome by economic interests.

[source:www.europarl.europa.eu]