DATE=9/13/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=E-U / FOREIGN MINISTER (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253822
BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=BRUSSELS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: E-U Foreign Ministers have declared (Monday)
an arms embargo against Indonesia for four-months and
have suspended military cooperation with that
government. Correspondent Ron Pemstein reports from
Brussels that the declaration is a political action.
Text: The embargo is against the export of arms,
munitions and military equipment to Indonesia for a
four-month period. The E-U foreign ministers also ban
the supply of equipment that could be used for
internal repression or terrorism, and they suspend
military cooperation with Indonesia.
In their declaration the ministers note Indonesia's
acceptance of an international force to create peace
in East Timor, but they decided to follow-through on
the arms embargo since the force has not been
deployed.
Finnish Foreign Minister Tarja Harlonen could not say
how many European exports would be affected by the
weapons embargo. But she makes it clear; the arms
embargo is a political measure.
/// HARLONEN ACT ///
In many of the member countries, the situation
has already been for a long time, there is no
arms export because of the national legislation.
But we consider when we discuss about the
matter, it is important that at the Union level
also to give a very strong political signal that
for a while we want to keep the control.
/// END ACT ///
The foreign ministers also discussed a ban on visas
for senior Indonesian military officers and their
families but decided not to impose it. The Finnish
Foreign Minister says the arms embargo was considered
a strong enough indicator of European Union sentiment.
/// REST OPT ///
The foreign ministers also decided to no longer
discourage sporting links with Serbia. They made the
decision as a gesture to the Serbian people, but they
say other sanctions, including an oil embargo remain
in effect in all parts of Serbia except in Kosovo.
The regulations for lifting the European oil embargo
against Kosovo and the smaller Yugoslav Republic of
Montenegro are expected to be adopted by the end of
September.
Foreign Minister Harlonen says the European Union is
ready to open a task force with Croatia on economic
relations. But she says this has been delayed because
Croatia has not complied with its obligations to the
United Nations, including the extradition of indicted
war-crimes suspects.
/// HARLONEN ACT ///
Our message is now clear, that we want to
support the democratization process and we are
ready to work for that, but we demand that all
the requests by the U-N must also be of course
respected.
/// END ACT ///
The European Union still has not agreed on ways to
help democratically-elected town governments in Serbia
with energy during the winter. The ministers plan to
invite people from Serbian opposition political
parties and civil society to discuss the issue further
at their next meeting in October. (SIGNED)
NEB/RP/GE/RAE
13-Sep-1999 15:19 PM LOC (13-Sep-1999 1919 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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