Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-03-10-Speech-4-229"
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"en.20050310.26.4-229"2
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"Mr President, it is impossible to avoid feeling a mixture of both encouragement and regret following the first local elections in Saudi Arabia.
Encouragement, because these elections are a first significant step towards the political democratisation of that country. We must give our clear support to this process, because the act of choosing between different voting slips and then placing them in the ballot box constitutes an undoubtedly positive social development for the Saudi people.
However, not everyone was entitled to make this gesture, which is something I regret profoundly. Although this election was based on universal suffrage, women were deprived of this right in Saudi Arabia, just as they are deprived of other rights, such as the right to drive. Our Parliament sent a delegation to these elections, and our fellow MEPs on the spot did not fail to point out how surreal this situation appeared to them and emphasised that it cannot last. Fortunately, we are not alone because, I am pleased to say, senior Saudi figures have publicly expressed their determination to see this situation change.
While globalisation can involve threats and risks, it is also a way of obtaining an exceptional degree of openness towards others. In the age of the Internet and satellites, no society can remain cut off and unaware of the need to respect the universal dignity of both men and women. I hope this message will also be heard in Riyadh. Without, naturally, wishing to give lessons in democracy, there is still much that has to be said about the situation in Saudi Arabia in terms of respect for religious freedom or the huge challenges represented by the fight against terrorism in the region.
However, I would like to end on a positive note: our political dialogue with the Saudi authorities must remain calm and cordial, but it must also be frank. Let us have the courage to face up to the real problems and find solutions to them!"@en1
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