Media

Draft Kashmir report adopted by EP

21st March 2007

Press Release
Baroness Nicholson’s draft report on ‘Kashmir: present situation and future prospects’ was adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee, with 60 votes in favour and one against.
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament voted this morning on over 200 amendments to her draft report, and voted in favour of the final draft report (as amended) by 60 to 1.

Baroness Nicholson said: “I am delighted for the firm support my draft report has received from all parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and for the firm endorsement that it received this morning from my parliamentary colleagues.  The Committee placed its full support behind the Composite Dialogue process, which is resulting in a range of Confidence Building Measures that have enabled, among others, divided families to meet for the first time in 60 years - a process which I witnessed personally last summer.”

“The European Parliament has underscored the high value that it places on democracy and human rights for all people in the region, and particularly for earthquake victims, forced migrants, refugees and others in need in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit and Baltistan, and Jammu and Kashmir.”

She added: “The next stage of the parliamentary process is likely to be taken towards the end of May, when the full plenary session of Parliament will vote on the final report.  As the Foreign Affairs Committee finished its work this morning, news reached us of the devastating mudslide near Muzzafarabad.”
Notes for Editors:

1) 28 Compromise amendments were agreed by the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs from across the Political Groups in the Parliament.
2) 450 amendments were tabled to the draft report. Many of these were not voted directly as they were covered by the Compromise amendments.
3) The consolidated final draft report produced by the Committee will not be available for at least one week from this date.