| QCEA
Responses to the Convention on the Future of Europe
Inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Constitutional
Treaty of the European Union
Letter
to Tony Blair: 30 May 2003
Tony Blair, Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
United Kingdom
30
May, 2003
Dear
Tony Blair,
Inclusion
of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Constitutional Treaty
of the European Union
QCEA
has been following the work of the Convention of the Future of Europe
since its inception and has undertaken a major project in conjunction
with it. We enclose for your information a copy of our recent publication
on the subject.
You
will note throughout the document, but in particular on page 26,
that the respect for human dignity on the basis of the sanctity
of each individual is at the heart of our understanding of what
a value-based Constitutional Treaty should be. We are therefore
heartened to see the very positive development in draft II of this
Treaty of the inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights as
a legally binding document.
We
were, however, disappointed to find that your Government has raised
objections to the inclusion of this Charter in the way that is proposed
now.
We
therefore urge you to review your position in this matter and to
support the inclusion of the Charter as proposed as legally binding
on all Member States.
In
Friendship,
Liz
Scurfield and Martina Weitsch
Joint Representatives
Quaker Council For European Affairs
The
Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) was founded in 1979 to
promote the values of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
in the European context. Our purpose is to express a Quaker vision
in matters of peace, human rights, and the right sharing of world
resources.
The
Quaker concern for peace derives from a belief in the unique value
of individuals. The worldwide Quaker tradition of peace has evolved
over three hundred and fifty years, and the peace testimonies remain
a guide and inspiration for activism to the present day. Quakers
believe conflict can be avoided by mutual understanding of needs
at the earliest stage, and therefore violence should never become
necessary.
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