Progress: Procedure completed
Legal Basis:
RoP 132-p2Events
The Council debated the latest developments in Syria and the outcome of the "Friends of Syria" conference held on 24 February in Tunis.
The EU is particularly concerned by the reports of the brutal attacks by the Syrian armed forces in Homs and deplores the numerous civilian fatalities. It calls on President Assad to end immediately the killing of civilians, withdraw the Syrian army from besieged towns and cities and step aside in order to make room for a peaceful transition for the sake of the country . In this respect, the EU recognises the Syrian National Council as a legitimate representative of Syrians seeking peaceful democratic change.
Given the Syrian regime's continued use of violence against civilians, the Council reinforced restrictive measures against the Syrian regime. It also partially suspended the application of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Syrian Arab Republic.
The European Union deeply regrets that the United Nations Security Council was unable to support the call of the League of Arab States for an inclusive, Syrian-led political process conducted in an environment free from fear and violence. The EU calls once more on all members of the UNSC to assume their responsibilities.
The EU will remain in close contact with the League of Arab States, the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Gulf Cooperation Council and other regional organisations with the aim of providing a forum for coordinating their action on Syria in support of the League of Arab States' initiatives with regard to the Syrian crisis. The EU will support his efforts to bring an end to all violence and human rights violations and promoting a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis.
The Council debated events in Syria and adopted conclusions on this issue. It reiterated its concern about the deteriorating situation and the widespread and systematic human rights violations . In response, the Council reinforced EU restrictive measures against the Syrian regime. It also called on President Assad to step aside immediately to allow for a peaceful and democratic transition.
The EU welcomes the League of Arab States' resolution of 22 January and its initiative to seek UNSC support for a political solution.
Deeply concerned by the Syrian authorities’ lack of cooperation, the Council urges them to fully comply with the League of Arab States’ Action Plan and their commitments undertaken in that respect, to completely stop acts of violence against civilians, free political detainees, remove troops, tanks and weapons from cities, and allow independent observers and the media, to freely travel in and report on Syria.
The EU will continue its policy of imposing additional measures against the regime, not to the civilian population, as long as repression continues . Following the assessment of EU Member States, the listing of designated persons who have dissociated themselves from the repressive policy of the regime will be reconsidered. The EU calls on the international community to join its efforts to target those responsible for or associated with the violent repression and those who support or benefit from the regime.
The EU reiterates its strong support to the Syrian people and encourages the Syrian opposition to make all efforts to strengthen coordination on the way forward in order to realise an orderly transition to a Syria that is democratic, stable, inclusive and that guarantees minority rights. It supports the efforts of the League of Arab States in this respect.
The EU welcomes the establishment by the UN Human Rights Council of a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Syria and urges the Syrian Government to fully cooperate with the Rapporteur. The EU recalls the main findings of the report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry which stated that crimes against humanity may have been committed in the country. The EU looks forward to the next debate of the UN Human Rights Council on Syria on the 12 March 2012.
press release
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain in the context of the situation in the Arab world and North Africa.
The resolution was tabled by the ECR, S&D, Greens/EFA, EPP, and ALDE GUE/NGL groups.
It strongly condemns the disproportionate use of force by the regimes against peaceful demonstrators and deplores the large number of persons killed and wounded calling for an immediate end to the bloodshed and praising the people for the courage they have demonstrated. Members call on the political leaderships of the Arab countries to honour their commitments by engaging without delay or precondition in an open political dialogue aimed at paving the way for genuine democracy.
Syria : bearing in mind that since the beginning of the crackdown in Syria in March 2011, more than 400 civilians have been killed in the Daraa governorate alone and possibly more than 1000 in total across Syria, Parliament strongly condemns the escalation of violence and deplores the fact that the lifting of the state of emergency announced on 21 April 2011 and other reforms promised by President Assad have not been implemented. It urges the Syrian authorities and President Bashar al Assad to put an end to the killings and release all those detained, including children, and to allow the foreign press into the country to verify all claims that ‘armed gangs of extremists’ are firing at the security forces first, which is the regime's justification for the unacceptable bloodbath that is taking place.
Parliament welcomes the Council's decision to impose restrictive measures on Syria on 23 June 2011 , supporting the set of smart sanctions adopted by the Council, and calling on the latter to take a strong diplomatic initiative to persuade other countries to adopt the same sanctions. The Council should continue to extend targeted sanctions to all persons and entities linked to the regime with the view to weakening and isolating them. Members strongly support the EU's diplomatic efforts with its partners in the international community to ensure that the UN Security Council (UNSC) condemns the ongoing violence in Syria, and regret the fact that a resolution could not be introduced, calling on the EU to continue working with international partners to secure the involvement of the UNSC in the situation in Syria. They welcome Turkey's policy of maintaining open borders for Syrian refugees and the rapid mobilisation of the Red Crescent's resources, and call on the Council and the Commission to provide aid to the Turkish and Lebanese authorities in their efforts to manage the humanitarian crisis on their borders with Syria, including by setting up a humanitarian corridor at UN level. The VP/HR, the Council and the Commission are asked to encourage the emerging democratic opposition movements inside and outside the country, with an urgent start to be made on a genuine political dialogue leading to an in-depth democratic transition in Syria.
Yemen : Parliament strongly condemns the recent armed attacks in Yemen, including the attack of 3 June 2011 on the presidential compound, when President Saleh was seriously injured and power temporarily transferred to the Vice-President of the country, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. It welcomes the latter’s commitment to respect the ceasefire, to demilitarise Yemen's cities, and to ensure proper protection for any further peaceful protests. Members note that Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East, with widespread malnutrition, dwindling oil reserves, a growing population, weak central government, worsening water shortages and little investment in the country's economy. Members note too, that there is serious concern that the Yemeni State will disintegrate, with a fragile truce having been in force since February with the Shiite rebels in the North, a secessionist movement in the South and many al-Qaeda fighters reportedly using Yemen as a sanctuary. They expresses their solidarity with the people of Yemen, and support the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council in as much as these are directed at finding a negotiated solution, which implies the resignation of President Saleh and his of family members who remain in positions of power . Parliament welcomes the mission of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to Yemen, which assessed the human rights situation in that country and will make recommendations to the Yemeni Government and to the international community.
Bahrain : Members condemn the repression in Bahrain and urges the immediate and unconditional release of all peaceful demonstrators and opposition activists imprisoned on 22nd June for plotting to topple the government, and release of the 47 Bahraini doctors and nurses accused of ‘incitement to overthrow the regime by force’ facing trial by a Bahraini military court. They welcome the lifting of the ‘state of national safety’ in Bahrain as well as the call made by King Hamad Bin Isa al-Khalifa for a national dialogue, which can only be possible with the participation of all political forces, including the opposition and civil society, with the aim of paving the way for genuine democracy and political reforms in Bahrain. Parliament takes positive note of King Hamad's decision to set up an independent commission to investigate human rights violations during recent government crackdowns on pro-reform protesters, calling on the Bahraini Government not to interfere in its work.
Lastly, it expresses its concern at the presence of foreign troops under the GCC banner in Bahrain , and reiterates its call on the GCC to contribute resources as a regional collective player in order to act constructively and mediate in the interest of peaceful reforms in Bahrain.
Arab world and North Africa : Parliament supports the democratic transition process in Egypt and Tunisia, as the first examples of the current process of democratisation and new wave of participation by citizens, and notably youth, in the Arab world. It calls on the international community to make further efforts to sustain and encourage the process of political reform in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. Members express concern at the hardship faced by the people of Libya and calls on the VP/HR and EU Member States to make part of the frozen Libyan assets available to the Transitional National Council , under the authorisation and supervision of the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, so that emergency needs can be met. Further initiatives must be taken to work out a solution to the conflict, taking into account the recent ICC arrest warrant issued against Colonel Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah al-Sanussi.
Parliament goes on to make the following observations:
it welcomes the process of reforms in Morocco, and in particular the proposed constitutional reform that has been submitted to a referendum, as a step in the right direction; it takes note of the positive announcement by the President of Algeria on the launch of the process of democratisation and calls for a strong commitment from the Algerian authorities to the process of reforms, which should be inclusive and open to civil society; it welcomes the commitment to political reforms of Jordan, and in particular the review of the Jordanian Constitution and the work of the National Dialogue Committee, noting commends that the EU agreed to grant Jordan ‘Advanced Status’ partnership in 2010; welcomes the ‘Deauville Partnership’ with the people of the region launched by the members of the G8, and calls on the Council and EU Member Sates to coordinate their efforts with the members of the G8 who stand ready to extend this Partnership to all countries in the region engaging in a transition towards free, democratic and tolerant societies.
Lastly, Parliament calls for a differentiated approach based on the ‘more for more’ policy as set out in the Joint Communication of 25 May 2011 with regard to Southern Mediterranean countries, under which real progress on democracy, free and fair elections and, above all, human rights should be rewarded.
Documents
- Debate in Council: 3149
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament: T7-0333/2011
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0389/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0390/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0446/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0447/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0449/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0453/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0454/2011
- Joint motion for resolution: RC-B7-0389/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0389/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0390/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0446/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0447/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0449/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0453/2011
- Motion for a resolution: B7-0454/2011
- Joint motion for resolution: RC-B7-0389/2011
Activities
- Charalampos ANGOURAKIS
- Michał Tomasz KAMIŃSKI
- Louis MICHEL
- Paul MURPHY
- Hans-Gert PÖTTERING
- Ivo VAJGL
- Roberta ANGELILLI
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Kader ARIF
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- Elena BĂSESCU
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- Malika BENARAB-ATTOU
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- Emine BOZKURT
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- Franziska Katharina BRANTNER
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- Andrew Henry William BRONS
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- Elmar BROK
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- Simon BUSUTTIL
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- Mário DAVID
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- Proinsias DE ROSSA
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- Marielle DE SARNEZ
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- Saïd EL KHADRAOUI
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- Sari ESSAYAH
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- Santiago FISAS AYXELÀ
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- Ashley FOX
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- Mariya GABRIEL
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- Marietta GIANNAKOU
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- Ana GOMES
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- Marian HARKIN
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- Salvatore IACOLINO
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- Richard HOWITT
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- Anneli JÄÄTTEENMÄKI
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- Sajjad KARIM
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- Ioannis KASOULIDES
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- Maria Eleni KOPPA
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- Georgios KOUMOUTSAKOS
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- Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER
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- Alexander Graf LAMBSDORFF
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- Ulrike LUNACEK
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- Emma McCLARKIN
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- Edward MCMILLAN-SCOTT
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- Monica MACOVEI
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- Mario MAURO
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- María MUÑIZ DE URQUIZA
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- Nadezhda NEYNSKY
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- Annemie NEYTS-UYTTEBROECK
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- Ria OOMEN-RUIJTEN
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- Pier Antonio PANZERI
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- Georgios PAPANIKOLAOU
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- Antonyia PARVANOVA
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- Jaroslav PAŠKA
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- Ioan Mircea PAŞCU
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- Cristian Dan PREDA
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- Niccolò RINALDI
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- Nikolaos SALAVRAKOS
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- Tokia SAÏFI
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- Marco SCURRIA
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- Adrian SEVERIN
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- Nicole SINCLAIRE
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- Struan STEVENSON
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- Alf SVENSSON
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- Hannes SWOBODA
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- Konrad SZYMAŃSKI
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- Kyriacos TRIANTAPHYLLIDES
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- Boris ZALA
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