Jerzy BUZEK, EP President, meets Members of the Sub-committee on Human Rights (DROI) to discuss his recent visits to China and Russia and other aspects of Parliament's activities in the field of Human Rights, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

statement

EU - Russia (T)

EU - China (T)

EU's strategy for promoting human rights (T)

respect for human rights in the world (T)

BUZEK, Jerzy (EPP, PL)

Human Rights: statement Jerzy BUZEK, EP President

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy Karol BUZEK, EP President, Whatever subject we are discussing and whatever problems we are trying to solve for the Europeans they have a global dimension.And when we talk to the Chinese and we talk about matters of such great importance as climate change,fight against terrorism, nuclear weapons, economic and financial crisis, whenever we do this we have to remember about the human rights issues.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Jerzy Karol BUZEK, EP President, We talked at length about human rights issues, about democracy and the rule of law and I talked with the prime minister and I appreciated his openness and him listening to my message. I told him that we appreciate that he keeps an open mind and listens to the European approach.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Jerzy Karol BUZEK, EP President, I did say very clearly that we expect progress in those matters (judiciary system).The prime minister of china was very calm at that debate. It was a balanced debate and he assured me that china wants to take steps on this very path.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Jerzy Karol BUZEK, EP President, We would like Russia to be a part of an international system of good governance, democracy and the rule of law.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Jerzy Karol BUZEK, EP President, We talked about the partnership of modernisation and I said in this respect that no modernisation is possible unless you mobilize civil society, unless you governess certain organisations to act and i said in this dialogue that we have the first hand experience of this in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy Karol BUZEK, EP President, We have some tools in the European Parliament. I just notice here 6 of them we can use and they are very useful.Urgency resolutions in plenary - as you know on Thursday- its important we must take care about that and be ready to deliver such resolutions. Hearings- we had quite lately hearings on North Korea, Central Asia, Arabic World and also before on Africa and some Latin American Countries, so it's very useful as well. Third possibility: It is our trade agreements in the European Union and to connect them with environmental, social and human rights clauses - it's an important tool I think.We should also think about monitoring the EU human rights dialogue.