The committee adopted the own-initiative report by Ģirts Valdis KRISTOVSKIS (UEN, LV) entitled "The non-proliferation of
arms of mass destruction: a role for the European Parliament". Alarmed
at the prospect of a "new and dangerous" arms race involving weapons
of mass destruction, MEPs issued an urgent call for effective measures to
combat the spread of WMD. Referring specifically to a possible arms race in
the Middle East and parts of Asia, they said
that the EU, acting together with its international partners, should seek to
tighten up controls and sanctions.
The report called for targeted
sanctions against those who violate their non-proliferation obligations.
While acknowledging that a credible threat of force can facilitate
disarmament efforts, they stressed that all diplomatic and political channels
should be used before resorting to legitimate military force in accordance
with the UN Charter.
The EU should play a more active
role in non-proliferation and disarmament policies and also strive for stronger
cooperation with the United
States against the spread of WMD. The Middle East should become a WMD-free zone. For its
part, the EU should make its export controls more effective and help
other countries that wish to improve their controls. The EU should also give
full support to the IAEA in its efforts to strengthen the non-proliferation
regime. The committee stressed that the security of civilian nuclear,
biological and chemical materials, plants and laboratories should be improved
in view of terrorist threats and that export and transit controls should be
strengthened to prevent sensitive materials, equipment and technologies from
falling into the wrong hands.
Israel,
India and Pakistan
were called on to accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. All nuclear weapons
states under the Non-Proliferation Treaty were urged to take significant
steps towards the elimination of their nuclear arsenals. Russia was urged to contribute
more to the programmes for the destruction of its chemical weapons and for
the disposal of its plutonium.
The committee rejected the
development of new generations of nuclear weapons and called for immediate
action to prevent the further proliferation of ballistic missiles. The
Council and Commission should insist on "the urgency of signature and
ratification" of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in dialogue with the United States
and all other partner states which have not yet ratified the CTBT. MEPs also
repeated their call for a moratorium and eventual ban on the use of depleted
uranium ammunition. Referring to the 1967 treaty whereby states commit
themselves not to place nuclear or WMD weapons in space, MEPs urged the EU
and its MemberStates to explore the possibility of
negotiating additional outer space agreements.
The committee also welcomed the
inclusion of non-proliferation clauses in the latest EU agreements with third
countries, and said that existing agreements which lacked such a clause
should be revised quickly. Lastly, given Parliament's authority over the EU
budget, MEPs asked to be fully associated with the implementation of the EU
strategy on WMDs and said that "an adequate level of financing" should
be allocated to this strategy. Moreover, in the EU budget one single budget
line should be introduced for all activities relating to WMD issues, "irrespective
of whether they fall within the Community or the CFSP (Common Foreign and
Security Policy) framework".