Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-10-28-Speech-4-159"
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"en.20041028.12.4-159"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, this is an important debate and one that is not only about the irrefutable fact that Iran is a fundamentalist state where human rights are frequently violated. This is also a debate in which it must be stated quite clearly that two things must never be forgotten if we are to bring progress to other countries outside the EU. Firstly, equal opportunities and equality before the law must be implemented in the EU itself, where much remains to be done, to put it mildly. Only then will we have the moral right to reprimand others. Secondly, as the doctor’s creed says, ‘first do no harm’.
It is not difficult to adopt a resolution, but it is difficult to dispute facts that are unacceptable in terms of the European system of values we claim as our own. It should not be forgotten that the European system of values and the system of values that exists in Iran – a system of values bound up with the country’s religion – are two quite disparate worlds. Any attempt at taking short cuts in rebuilding this system may lead to unrest, with a legitimate goal proving to be the cause of even greater tragedies for the Iranian people. I am sure the House is full of good intentions, but we will not be able to make genuine improvements to the lives of the Iranian people by issuing condemnations or imposing isolation of any kind. The only way to achieve progress is through gradual development, and any attempts to cut short this process cannot fail to result in tension and a further closing off of the country’s system and regime. Any real influence we have on events inside Iran is extremely limited.
Whilst on the subject of human rights, it is worth taking this opportunity to present the other side of the story, which has had an impact right here at the heart of Europe. The system of values upon which European civilisation was built, and upon which European and Latin cultures were built, is now being rejected by this very House. This is also a short cut. It means all the nations and all the Member States of the European Union are still being forced to accept models imposed by a minority as the only politically correct ones. This is another approach that cannot fail to result in tension if unnecessary short cuts are taken, and this tension may be one of the key reasons why the European Union is unable to create a genuinely firm foundation for the edifice you wish to construct. In conclusion, therefore, I should like to warn against condemning and admonishing others as long as we remain incapable of putting our own backyard in order."@en1
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