This month Parliament underlined its growing role in the promotion of human rights by following the award of the Sakharov Prize with a debate on human rights in the world. Yannis Roubatis (Gr, PES) was the first speaker and stressed that human rights must be and "are an integral part of the foreign policy of the EU. It is about time everyone in the Commission and Council realised that and acted accordingly."
He welcomed the fact that it had become an increasingly important item on the EU's agenda - particularly since the Single European Act, which had made formal reference to this objective - and it had moved ever further up the agenda with subsequent treaty revisions. Mr Roubatis believed that it was time to move "from a manifesto of good intentions to a policy which implements these high objectives".
He wanted the EU's approach to be based on partnership and dialogue rather than on "sermons and sanctions", with ever closer co-operation between member states and EU institutions. He welcomed the recent judgement on General Pinochet, believing that there should be "no asylum rights for dictators".
He was followed by Jose Barros Moura (P, PES) who welcomed the new international order, which he considered was coming into place with the Pinochet judgement. "Democratic principles and respect for human rights should know no borders," he declared.
He supported, in particular, the creation of a permanent International Criminal Court and welcomed Parliament's vote of €3 million into the EU budget for this purpose.
Jose Torres Couto (P, PES) spoke on the need for criteria to govern the provision of EU funding to promote human rights, fundamental freedoms, democratisation and conflict prevention measures. In recent years - largely at the urging of the European Parliament - EU funding has been made available for these objectives as part of its development policy.
Patricia McKenna (Dublin, Greens) asked whether the EU could take the high moral ground while selling arms for profit, and profit alone, in so many parts of the world. Belgian arms to Rwanda, German guns to Brazil, and British Hawk jets to Indonesia and British arms to places such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia were among the items listed by Ms McKenna.