International

The government of the United States refuses any access to its prisoners camp in Guantanamo for international delegations. Therefore the planned fact finding mission of members of the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO had to be cancelled, after it was already postponed for several times. Dutch SP senator Tiny Kox, who would participate in this mission, has asked the Dutch government in what way the much discussed prisoners camp should now be inspected to see whether international treaties and conventions are respected or not by the Americans. Dutch minister of foreign affairs Ben Bot raised the issue already twice with his American colleague Powell but until now without success.

The SP delegation in the Group of the United European Left-Nordic Green Left (GUE-NGL) in the European Parliament will, in the coming session, consist of current MEP Erik Meijer and the newly-elected Kartika Liotard, a result confirmed yesterday by the Election Council.