Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-01-13-Speech-2-192"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20040113.8.2-192"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, the earthquake on 26 December virtually destroyed the city of Bam. The extent of the devastation and the resulting human suffering have deeply shocked us all. However, one positive thing has come out of this tragedy: the prompt, rapid and comprehensive assistance from all over the world, including the EU, its Member States and even the USA, which Iran accepted. Only the assistance offered by Israel was rejected.
This House wishes to express its gratitude to the Commission for acting so promptly on 27 December. This shows the Iranian Government, but above all the Iranian people, how much human solidarity there is with them in their present plight, regardless of the political relations with their country. I am convinced that this is also a response to Iran’s signing of the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, thus fulfilling the international community’s expectations on this key issue.
At the same time, however, there is still much cause for criticism on our part, especially on the human rights situation, although we welcome the fact that the EU/Iran human rights dialogue has commenced. I myself attended the last meeting in Brussels; it was an open dialogue, not only between the EU delegation and the Iranian side but also within the Iranian delegation itself. However, we in the European Parliament were already voicing our concerns back in autumn about the possibility of a crackdown on reformist parliamentarians in advance of the February elections. Sadly, that is exactly what happened this week: more than 80 parliamentarians and hundreds of candidates were disqualified by the Guardian Council, including the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Mirdamadi, the main interlocutor and host of a European Parliament delegation which visited in Iran, who was here with a delegation last year.
I think we should make it clear that just as we show human solidarity in response to natural disasters, we must also show political solidarity with the reformist movements in Iran which – within the limited parameters that currently exist there – are pressing for more democracy and freer elections. That is an important point and I assume that the High Representative, Mr Solana, who is currently in Iran, will find the words to make this position clear. I think it would send out the wrong signal if the European Union were to carry on regardless and adopt a business as usual
approach in this situation. That would be very discouraging for those who want to hold a relatively free election in February, which is just next month. What is needed now is not only solidarity with the victims in Bam but also solidarity with the reformers in Iran."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples