1. The Arab spring has been an historical opportunity for the entire Region. Nevertheless, it is currently threatened by the renewed risk of an Israeli preventive strike against Iran. The evolution of the Region towards peace and democracy will only work within the resolution of all the regional conflicts, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this context, the EGP recalls their full support to the Palestinian request for recognition in the United Nations and denounces the deliverance of dedicated bombs and other war crafts to Israel by the United-States during the last days. It also asks Iran to stop its nuclear research program within the surveillance of the IAEA, and calls all the countries of the region (and beyond) to respect the Resolutions of the Agency.
2. “Egypt prepares for elections on the 28th of November”. “Syria death toll tops 3,500”, “Gaddafi is dead”. These shreds of recent news characterise the turmoil that is still disrupting the North African and Arab region on Europe’s Southern borders. In view of the on-going unrest and deaths the European Green Party, united in Congress on November 13, 2011, adopts the following:
3. The European Green Party expresses once more its solidarity and its firm support for the struggle of the people in North Africa and in the Middle East, led by youth and women, for freedom and legitimate democratic changes. The EGP also expresses its full support to Human Rights and their defenders in the Arab regions, and more particularly to women's rights.
4. The fight against inequalities and for social justice have to become essential objectives of the European Union’s external policy, as they are indispensable factors in building a peaceful, prosperous and democratic society. The European Union and its’ High Representative/Vice-President of the Commission, Catherine Ashton, should take a stronger lead over the diplomatic and commercial relations with Arab countries, to avoid collusions that are more susceptible to occur within bilateral relations. The Union's renewed European Neighborhood Policy has to learn from past mistakes when “stability” was the name of the game. Democracy, human rights and sound social and economic development were subordinated to keeping dictators and authoritarian regimes in place, often in the interest of big companies and resource supply. In the future attention has to focus on the most vulnerable regions and groups of citizens of the Neighbourhood countries. This requires an increasing awareness to the regional economic, social and ecological development of these countries and the identification of emerging local and regional actors. All the unfair debts contracted by the dictatorial governments should be erased.
Investment by European companies has to respect all the international conventions, including the ILO Conventions and, the climate and biodiversity Protocols, and should bring benefit to the entire society.
5. The European Green Party stresses the importance of providing these countries with the necessary support for the electoral and constitutional processes, and to assist them in building a democratic and pluralist state in which human rights, fundamental freedoms and justice will be guaranteed for all citizens as well as migrant workers and refugees. The EU, in its future work on new and revised cooperation agreements with the Arab countries should among other things focus on sustainable, social and ecological development of the "poor" areas of Arab countries, such as regions that were overlooked in Tunisia by the former Ben Ali administration and that have to face huge environmental challenges. EGP reiterates its call for a common and human rights based migration and asylum policy, and its criticism of current border policies, including Frontex.
6. The European Green Party expresses its support when necessary to the launching of a genuine reconciliation process among all the components of the society and considers that the EU could send experts and trainers on mediation and dialogue to assist the transitional governments and relevant civil society actors on this matter.
7. The European Green Party underlines at the same time that respect for women’s rights and the struggle for gender equality and women’s empowerment as well as political participation are crucial to real democratic developments.
8. The EGP asks its parliamentarians at European and national level to convey the demands of this resolution to the relevant government and Union bodies in order for the European Union, its Member States and other European states to establish partnerships with each government of the Arab world, issued from free and democratic elections, also in a regional perspective, to make the human rights, democratic, social, economic and ecological dreams and promises of the Arab Spring come true.
On Syria
9. The European Green Party firmly condemns the disproportionate and brutal use of force against peaceful protesters and the systematic persecution of pro- democracy activists, human rights defenders and journalists. The widespread and systematic violations of Syria's obligations under the international human rights law may amount to crimes against humanity. The EGP takes the view that the UN Security Council should refer Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) with the aim of bringing justice to the Syrian people and stopping the bloodshed. The EGP reaffirms the importance of strong sanctions against the Syrian administration (Bashar Al-Assad and his entire family), by freezing their belongings and back-assets as well as by restricting their international mobility.
On Egypt
10. The European Green Party expresses its concern at the renewal and full enforcement of the emergency law in Egypt, which gives security forces unrestrained powers of search, arrest and detention and justifies the widespread use of military courts. These developments as well as Egypt’s treatment of human rights defenders and political activists contribute to increasing concerns regarding the government's and the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces’ genuine commitment to the demands of the January 25 revolution, and represent an obstacle to the democratic transition of Egypt towards legislative elections scheduled for November 28, 2011 and January 23, 2012.
11. The EGP points out the importance of civil society in any democratic society and calls in this regard for full involvement and consultation with civil society organisations in the process of democratic transition, including in the electoral process. Particular attention must be paid to both the enhancement of the role of civil society organisations in constitutional processes and the reinforcement of their capacity to promote a democratic debate into the society.
12. Urges the Egyptian Authorities to invite international election observers at the forthcoming elections.
On Libya
13. The EGP reaffirms its firm opposition to the death penalty in all cases regardless of the nature of the crime and considers that the National Transition Council must fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) by sending to the court people who are subject to an ICC arrest warrant, in line with Security Council resolution 1970 and NTC pledge to ICC Prosecutor's Office in April.
14. It reiterates its call for independent, transparent and effective investigations into the killings, arrests, arbitrary detention, alleged forced disappearances and cases of torture in order to ensure that the perpetrators of such acts are held to account.
15. Urges the new Libyan Authorities to sign and ratify the Geneva Convention on refugees.
Download the resolution in PDF format here...
