Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-01-19-Speech-2-127"
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"en.20100119.7.2-127"2
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"Madam President, I, too, would like to thank the High Representative for her words, which struck the necessary note of optimism. There are, indeed, positive signs. Amongst other things, you made reference to the lower number of deaths resulting from attacks, and the forthcoming elections. Yet, Baroness Ashton, even successful elections do not make a democracy, nor do they make a state under the rule of law. To quote a great German, Schiller, in your native English, Baroness, ‘The voice of the majority is no proof of justice’. A mature democracy also recognises the rights of minorities. I do have serious concerns in that area. I find it disappointing that the word ‘minorities’ did not come up in what you had to say to the House.
Why am I worried? Human Rights Watch continues to report that non-Muslim minorities are being persecuted. Since 2004, there have been attacks on 65 churches. Local militias continue to drive Christians from their homes. The day before yesterday, a 52-year old greengrocer, a father of two daughters, was shot dead in the middle of the street in Mosul. This, of course, leads to the ongoing flight of Christian minorities from Iraq. In 1991, they still numbered 850 000; after the Gulf War they numbered 550 000, while after the US invasion this number was down to 385 000, 100 000 of whom are internally displaced people. The European Union cannot continue to stand idly by in this situation. Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union refers to human rights, including the rights of minorities, as literally one of the core values of the European Union. We require respect for minorities of our 27 Member States and it is your job, Baroness Ashton, to command that respect at the international level, too.
Thus far, the Commission’s approach – and you said so yourself – has been heavily focussed on general support for infrastructure and building up democracy, via the UN or otherwise. You say that we act in accordance with Iraq’s priorities. I would like you to tell us how you will be ensuring that the European Union’s Iraq policy and its Iraq budget give greater consideration to vulnerable minorities. That is perhaps not Iraq’s top priority, but it is ours. I would appreciate a response from you."@en1
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