Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-12-Speech-4-116"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20040212.8.4-116"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, as the parliamentary rapporteur on Iran, I should like to emphasise the cross-party disquiet about political developments there in the run-up to the elections. Representatives of the two largest groups and of one of the other groups in this House recently paid separate visits to Iran. I can see that the groups are largely in agreement in their assessments of the current situation and in the political conclusions they have drawn. Sadly, we are compelled to note that the process of democratisation has received a severe setback, in that this forthcoming election will be less democratic than the previous one. The President and the majority of members of the Parliament in Tehran agree that this cannot be regarded as a free and fair election. We share their view.
The electorate, whose frustration is so deep that they are not even supporting the reformers, are likely to vote with their feet and stay at home on election day. This really benefits no one, not even the usual suspects in Iran, although they are delighted and are already canvassing European governments to do business with them and forget the reformers.
I have to ask the Commission whether, in view of this setback, it simply plans to turn its attention to other matters. On behalf of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, let me say that we must now intensify our political contacts with the Iranian institutions but also with all the political forces and civil society in Iran. We must not only talk to those in the reformist camp; it is also particularly important that we seek dialogue – and it will be a difficult dialogue – with those who exercise power in the judiciary and in the Council of Guardians and make it clear to them that, if they continue to pursue their present policies, they will make poor use of their country’s potential, obstruct progress towards a Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU and, above all, thwart the hopes and expectations of the Iranian people. Also, any sustained attempt to govern against the people is doomed to failure, as events of recent decades in this world have shown. That is why I make this appeal to those who hold power in Iran: change; turn about, before it is too late. Perhaps you can indeed put the domestic dialogue back on track, so as to foster the growth of democracy in Iran."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples