WRITTEN QUESTION P-0634/02

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(27 February 2002)

Subject: Syria

For some time the EU has been seeking to give credit to the Damascus regime as one which supports reform and democracy. This was evident from the prompt recognition of the succession to the throne of Bashar Assad following his father's death and the support given to Syria's candidature for the UN Security Council. It was confirmed by the official visit by Bashar Assad to one of the Member States, Italy.

Nevertheless, it is impossible to overlook the fact that Syria has one of the most alarming dictatorial regimes in the world. The Syrian people are suffering under a brutal and bloody tyranny, where fundamental rights, civil and political liberties and the most basic human rights are totally denied. This is clear from the evidence given by the few dissidents to have survived the persecution by the regime and by the arrests at the end of last summer of independent members of parliament, businessmen and activists in Syria who had the courage to speak out in favour of democracy and the rule of law.

Since the elder Assad took power, Syria has been a threat to the security and stability of the region and of the international community as a whole, because of its systematic and wide-ranging support for international terrorist networks. In the field of foreign policy, Damascus has distinguished itself through the rabid anti-Semitism of the remarks made by its leading authorities The Jews tried to kill the principles of all religions with the same mentality in which they betrayed Jesus Christ and the same way they tried to betray and kill the Prophet Mohammed (Bashar Assad on the occasion of the Pope's visit on 5 May 2001); There are only a few million Jews; if every Arab killed one Jew that would be the end of them (Mustafa Tlas, the President's personal adviser in an interview with Corriere della Sera on 11 May 2001). On 20 April 2001, the leader writer of the government daily Al-Akhbar wrote: Hitler should be thanked because the took revenge in advance on behalf of the Palestinians, even if it is regrettable that his revenge did not go far enough, remarks which were repeated on 27 April.

In the light of the above, does the Commission consider it useful and worthwhile to pursue the negotiations on an association agreement with Syria? Would it not be more appropriate and fruitful to make further negotiations conditional on the expression of a genuine and firm desire on the part of Damascus to open up to reform and democracy?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(20 March 2002)

The Commission is aware of the human rights situation in Syria. A certain positive trend has been noted in recent years, though this trend was not confirmed in 2001.

The Commission will continue to monitor the human rights situation together with Member States and to encourage reforms in this area as well as to communicate to the Syrian government its concern, both in relation to individual cases and in relation to the general situation whenever necessary.

The Commission deplores the nature of the remarks quoted by the Honourable Member.

Nevertheless, the Commission will continue a policy of constructive engagement towards Syria through negotiations of the Association Agreement and through the implementation of Mediterranean Development Assistance Programme (MEDA) cooperation programmes designed to encourage the economic and political reforms necessary for the association process.

It is the Commission's firm belief that a dialogue on human rights will be more effective when conducted in the framework of a binding Association Agreement.

A future European Union-Syria Association Agreement will refer to human rights as an essential element in European Union-Syrian relations and it will be designed to foster common objectives expressed in the Barcelona Declaration(1), such as developing the rule of law and democracy, respect for human rights, free trade and sustainable development. The Commission will stress issues of reform in the MEDA cooperation programme.

(1) Adopted at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference (27 and 28 November 1995).