Situation in Syria European Parliament resolution of 15 September 2011 on the situation in Syria

C 51 E/118

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Official Journal of the European Union

Thursday 15 September 2011

17.

Emphasises that the United Nations will play a coordinating role to ensure international support for

the political transition in Libya and the reconstruction of the country, in line with the expectations

expressed by Libya, namely at the Paris Conference;

18.

Calls on the VP/HR, the Commission and the EU Member States to provide assistance aiming at

reform of the Libyan security sector, including the police and armed forces, as well as the disarmament,

demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of former combatants, and strengthening control of the borders and

arms trafficking in cooperation with neighbouring countries; is particularly concerned by the huge amount

of weapons held by combatants and civilians that put the life of the population at risk, with regard in

particular to vulnerable groups such as women and children;

19.

Stresses the importance of the successful outcome of the Libyan conflict for the region and in the

context of the Arab Spring; urges other leaders in the region to draw lessons from Libya and to take heed of

the growing popular movements calling for their rights and freedoms to be respected;

20.

Calls on the National Transitional Council to commit to high standards of transparency in domestic

strategic economic sectors in order to make Libyan natural resources benefit all the population;

21.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Repre­

sentative, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union

for the Mediterranean, the African Union, the Arab League and the Libyan National Transitional Council.

Situation in Syria

P7_TA(2011)0387

European Parliament resolution of 15 September 2011 on the situation in Syria

(2013/C 51 E/17)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to its previous resolutions on Syria, in particular that of 7 July 2011 on the situation in

Syria, Yemen and Bahrain in the context of the situation in the Arab world and North Africa (1),

— having regard to the statement of the President of the European Parliament on the situation in Syria and

the reactions of the international community of 19 August 2011,

— having regard to Council Decision 2011/522/CFSP amending Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning

restrictive measures against Syria, Council Decision 2011/523/EU partially suspending the application

of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Syrian Arab

Republic, and Council Regulation (EU) No 878/2011 of 2 September 2011 amending Regulation

(EU) No 442/2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria,

— having regard to the statements of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the

Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) on Syria of 8 and 31 July; 1, 4, 18, 19, 23 and

30 August; and 2 September 2011,

— having regard to the Council conclusions on Syria of 18 July 2011,

(1) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2011)0333.

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— having regard to the Joint Communication on ‘A new response to a changing neighbourhood’ of the

European Commission and the High Representative to the European Parliament, the Council, the

European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions of 25 May 2011,

— having regard to the UN Security Council Presidential Statement of 3 August 2011,

— having regard to the UNHRC Resolution on the situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic

of 23 August 2011,

— having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,

— having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 1966, to which

Syria is party,

— having regard to Rule 110(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, since the start of the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Syria in March 2011, and

despite the repeal of the state of emergency announced on 21 April 2011 by the government, the

systematic killings, violence and torture have been dramatically escalating and the Syrian army and

security forces continue to respond with targeted killings, torture and mass arrests; whereas according

to U.N. estimates, over 2 600 people have lost their lives, many more have been injured and thousands

detained;

B.

whereas the High Commissioner’s fact-finding mission of 19 August 2011 found evidence of hundreds

of summary executions, the use of live ammunition against demonstrators, the widespread deployment

of snipers during protests, the detention and torture of people of all ages, blockading of towns and

cities by the security forces and the destruction of water supplies;

C.

whereas the government of the Syrian Arab Republic committed itself to implementing democratic and

social reforms but failed to take the necessary steps to fulfil them;

D. whereas many Syrians have to face a deteriorating humanitarian situation as a result of the violence and

displacements; whereas neighbouring countries of Syria and the international community are making

considerable efforts to prevent the further deterioration and escalation of this humanitarian crisis;

E.

whereas the crisis in Syria constitutes a threat to the stability and security of the entire Middle East

region;

F.

whereas the EU has adopted restrictive measures against the Syrian regime as a consequence of the

escalation of the brutal campaign which the regime has been waging against the Syrian people, and

whereas the EU is considering extending those sanctions;

G. whereas the Association Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the

one part, and the Syrian Arab Republic, of the other part, has never been signed; whereas the signing of

this agreement has been delayed at Syria’s request since October 2009; whereas the Council decided not

to take any further steps in this field as well as to partially suspend the application of the existing

Cooperation Agreement;

H. whereas the new approach proposed by the European Commission and the High Representative as a

new response to a changing neighbourhood is based on mutual accountability and a shared

commitment to the universal values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law;

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Thursday 15 September 2011

I.

whereas the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on 23 August 2011 calling for the

dispatching of an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate human rights viol­

ations in Syria, which may amount to crimes against humanity;

1.

Strongly condemns the escalating use of force against peaceful protesters and the brutal and systematic

persecution of pro-democracy activists, human rights defenders and journalists; expresses its deepest concern

at the gravity of the human rights violations perpetrated by the Syrian authorities, including mass arrests,

extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, disappearances and torture;

2.

Expresses its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and its solidarity with the Syrian people

fighting for their rights, commends their courage and determination and strongly supports their aspirations

to achieve full respect of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms and the guarantee of

better economic and social conditions;

3.

Supports the Council’s conclusions of 18 July 2011, which state that the Syrian regime is calling its

legitimacy into question by choosing a path of repression instead of fulfilling its own promises on broad

reforms; calls on President Bashar al Assad and his regime to relinquish power immediately, and rejects

impunity;

4.

Calls again for an immediate end to violent crackdowns against peaceful demonstrators and

harassment of their families, the release of all detained protesters, political prisoners, human rights

defenders and journalists, and full access to the country for international humanitarian and human rights

organisations as well as international media; calls upon the Syrian authorities to stop government

censorship of local and foreign publications, end repressive government control over newspapers and

other publications, and to lift restrictions on the Internet and mobile communication networks;

5.

Reiterates its call for an independent, transparent and effective investigation into the killings, arrests,

arbitrary detention and alleged forced disappearances and instances of torture by the Syrian security forces

in order to ensure that the perpetrators of such acts are held to account; welcomes in this context the recent

resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council calling for an independent international commission

of inquiry to be dispatched to Syria to investigate all allegations of violations of international human rights

law committed by the regime since March 2011 in order to establish the facts and circumstances of these

crimes and violations, identify those responsible and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable;

6.

Calls at the same time for an immediate, genuine and inclusive political process with the participation

of all democratic political actors and civil society organisations which could be the basis of a peaceful and

irreversible transition to democracy in Syria; welcomes in this context the UN Security Council Presidential

Statement of 3 August 2011 stressing that the only solution to the current crisis in Syria is through an

inclusive and Syrian-led political process; calls on the members of the UNSC, and in particular Russia and

China, to proceed with a resolution condemning the use of lethal force by the Syrian regime and calling for

an end to this use of force, and to put in place sanctions for failure to do so; takes note of the meeting of

the Secretary-General of the Arab League with the Syrian authorities and hopes that it will be followed by

concrete results;

7.

Welcomes the adoption by the Council on 2 September 2011 of new restrictive measures against the

Syrian regime, including a ban on the import of crude oil to the EU and the addition of four Syrian persons

and three entities to the list of those targeted by an asset freeze and travel ban; calls, however, for further

sanctions that target the regime but minimise the negative impacts on the living conditions of the popu­

lation; calls on the EU to show a united front in its dealings with the Syrian authorities;

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Thursday 15 September 2011

8.

Welcomes the humanitarian assistance provided by neighbouring countries of Syria, in particular

Turkey, to Syrian refugees; encourages the EU and its Member States to continue working together with

members of the UNSC, neighbouring countries of Syria, the Arab League, other international actors and

NGOs in order to prevent the potential escalation of the current crisis in Syria, including the humanitarian

crisis, to other areas in the region as well as further aggravation of the humanitarian crisis within the

country;

9.

Welcomes the condemnation of the Syrian regime by Turkey and Saudi Arabia; regrets Iran’s

continuing support for President Al Assad’s regime;

10.

Calls on the VP/HR, the Council and the Commission to further encourage and support the

emergence of organised Syrian democratic opposition forces both within and outside Syria;

11.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President

of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the

governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Government and Parliament of the Russian Feder­

ation, the Government and Parliament of the People's Republic of China, the US Administration and the US

Congress, the Secretary-General of the Arab League and the Government and Parliament of the Syrian Arab

Republic.

Closing the gap between anti-corruption law and reality

P7_TA(2011)0388

European Parliament resolution of 15 September 2011 on the EU’s efforts to combat corruption

(2013/C 51 E/18)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council

and the European Economic and Social Committee of 6 June 2011 entitled Fighting corruption in the

EU (COM(2011)0308) and Commission Decision (C(2011)3673) establishing an EU Anti-corruption

reporting mechanism for periodic assessment (‘EU Anti-corruption Report’),

— having regard to Articles 67(3) and 83(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and

to the Stockholm Programme – An open and secure Europe serving and protecting citizens’,

— having regard to its Declaration of 18 May 2010 on the Union’s efforts in combating corruption (1),

— having regard to Council Framework Decision 2003/568/JHA of 22 July 2003 on combating corruption

in the private sector (2),

— having regard to the EU Convention drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European

Union on the protection of the European Communities’ financial interests (3) and the EU Protocol drawn

up on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union to the Convention on the protection of

the European Communities’ financial interests (4) criminalising fraud and corruption affecting the EU’s

financial interests,

(1) OJ C 161 E, 31.5.2011, p. 62.

(2) OJ L 192, 31.7.2003, p. 54.

(3) OJ C 316, 27.11.1995, p. 49.

(4) OJ C 313, 23.10.1996, p. 2.

قرار من البرلمان الأوروبي حول الوضع في سورية، يدين القمع الوحشي ويدعو الأسد إلى التنحي فورًا، ويرحب بالعقوبات الأوروبية، ويطالب بتحقيق دولي ومحاسبة المسؤولين.