International

ORLANDO, FLORIDA
There is growing disquiet in different NATO member states regarding the treatment by the American authorities of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. So much became clear during the annual meeting of the NATO parliamentary assembly in Orlando, when a proposal was accepted from SP senator Tiny Kox, a member of the Netherlands’ delegation, to send representatives to the American enclave on the island of Cuba to investigate whether or not international treaties are being respected and implemented.

At the gathering of parliamentarians from all NATO countries there was extensive discussion about the war against terrorism declared by President Bush. Kox spoke for numerous members of the assembly when he expressed concerns over restrictions on civil rights, for example those of citizens of NATO countries who were born in the Middle East who increasingly encounter problems when attempting to enter the United States. The reply from the American government was that such worries were understandable, but that any restrictions had remained and would remain within the bounds of acceptability. Kox responded that he found this questionable. For example, in a short time NATO citizens born in the Middle East will be required to give fingerprints before entering the US.