Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-02-15-Speech-3-426-000"
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"en.20120215.22.3-426-000"2
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"Madam President, Minister, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, there are three independent and developing factors affecting the Syrian crisis.
Firstly, a kind of cold war between Saudi Arabia and, currently, Iran, which is becoming apparent on several fronts, and specifically in Syria at the moment, then, what is clearly a domino effect from the so-called ‘Arab Spring’, and finally, a greater desire on the part of China and Russia and other players in the Middle East conflict to make their presence felt and to fill the vacuum left by the European Union and the United States.
We have followed the High Representative’s actions with a great deal of interest: suspension of development aid, humanitarian help, a contingency plan, the tightening of sanctions at the next Council of Ministers on 27 February, and support to the Arab League initiative. A more effective and coordinated diplomatic response from the Member States of the European Union was lacking, however.
Unfortunately, none of those decisions has led to a short-term reduction in the intolerable violence that is being suffered by the Syrian people, hence the frustration we all share. The French Foreign Minister expressed that view today during an appearance before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, in relation to the failure of the initiative and the Russian and Chinese vetoes in the United Nations Security Council.
An initiative from Qatar and Saudi Arabia is being debated in the General Assembly as we speak, with the specific aim of ratifying the agreement, even though we know that it does not have any binding effects.
What can we do about this situation? Increase the pressure on Russia and China, certainly. Two very appropriate occasions for doing so have arisen recently: one was the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China to the United States, where he was received with full honours, and, of course, the EU-China Summit that has just taken place.
It is also clear that we have to strengthen our relationship with the Syrian dissidents, and we have to see how this humanitarian corridor they have requested can be established and developed.
In addition, it is clear is that the questions the Foreign Ministers of the Arab League asked themselves the other day also apply to us. How long are we going to remain impassive towards the violence that the Syrian people are currently suffering? Also, what is our tolerance limit when deadline after deadline passes, initiatives come and go, and the regime continues butchering the Syrian people?
It is my belief, Madam President, President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, Secretary-General of the European External Action Service, that this is the key issue to be considered in today’s debate."@en1
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