Summary: July 22, 2004: STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE EUROPEAN UNION BY H.E. MR. DIRK JAN VAN DEN BERG, AMBASSADOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE. ECONOMIC and SOCIAL COUNCIL - General Statement - agenda item 12 on draft decision III contained in the report of the committee on non-governmental organizations (report on the 2004 regular session 10-28 May and 23 June 2004, E/2004/32) (New York)
Madam President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia , the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.
Madam President,
ECOSOC members must decide today on draft decision III contained in the report of the committee on NGOs (E/2004/32). This decision recommends suspension of the consultative status of the Transnational Radical Party (TRP), for a period of three years. The European Union strongly opposes this draft decision and EU member states that are members of ECOSOC will vote against it.
The proposed suspension of TRP is based on a complaint by Vietnam against the Transnational Radical Party for providing accreditation to Mr. Kok Ksor, a member of the TRP and President of the Montagnard Foundation, at the 58th session of the Commission on Human Rights.
The EU believes that the proposed suspension of TRP is not justified for the following reasons:
Mr. Kok Ksor has been accused by Vietnam of being a terrorist. The European Union attaches great importance to combating terrorism and has always stressed the need for international cooperation to maximize the outcome of counter-terrorism activities. However, neither Mr. Ksor nor the Montagnard Foundation appears in any UN or European Union list of terrorist individuals and associations. There is no reliable evidence to substantiate the claim.
The TRP has always complied with the provisions of Council Resolution 1996/31 and the principles and purposes of the UN Charter. On no occasion has the TRP attempted to undermine the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Vietnam. Deeply rooted in the principles and actions of the TRP is the rejection of all forms of violence, including terrorism, against individuals or states.
It has been claimed that accreditation procedures have been misused. However, TRP's respect for the accreditation procedures of CHR has been confirmed, in writing, by chairman of the 58th CHR, Ambassador Jakubowski of Poland. Mr. Kok Ksor has frequently participated in UN meetings on the behalf of the TRP, mainly to address indigenous issues. In fact, Mr. Ksor addressed the Third session of the Forum here in New York last May.
Madam President,
NGOs whose consultative status is recommended to be withdrawn, should have an opportunity to present their response for appropriate consideration by the Committee as expeditiously as possible, in accordance with article 56 of ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31. Such an opportunity has not been given to TRP.
A decision to suspend consultative status of any NGO should be made on the basis of existing rules and regulations. These rules and regulations are contained in part VIII of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31. Paragraph 57 clearly lists the three reasons for suspension:
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