Wednesday, 11th May 2011
EU action on Camp Ashraf may avert “blood-bath”, says Struan Stevenson MEP
Wednesday 11 May 2011
Following today’s debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the recent Camp Ashraf massacre in Northern Iraq, Scottish Euro MP Struan Stevenson, President of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iraq, has welcomed assurances issued by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton that the EU will seek a peaceful solution to the crisis.
Baroness Ashton, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said that the actions of the Iraqi government during the attack on 8 April which resulted in 35 deaths and hundreds of injuries were “deplorable” and that they had her “strongest condemnation”. She went on to call for a strong and united EU response and an immediate inquiry into the killings.
The debate came after a visit to Iraq when Mr Stevenson led a team of three other MEPs on the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Iraq where they held high level meetings with Iraqi leaders from across the political spectrum. Following the visit, in which the delegation was denied all access to the survivors at the camp, Mr Stevenson has negotiated a plan for the prompt and peaceful removal of the Ashraf refugees from the Iraqi camp and their repatriation to states in the West, including the EU and the US (See note 1).
Commenting on Baroness Ashton's speech, Struan Stevenson MEP said:
"The remarks made by Catherine Ashton in support of a peaceful solution for the refugees at Camp Ashraf, coupled with further supportive comments by MEPs from a wide variety of political groups and countries, are extremely encouraging.
“They clearly show that the plan proposed by the European Parliament Delegation to Iraq is a practical and logical solution. Indeed, it may be the only solution that prevents a new blood-bath in Camp Ashraf.
“I am also pleased to note that in addition to European support, in the past 24 hours, the plan has received active support from several political factions inside and outside the Iraqi parliament, including a letter signed by 74 Iraqi MPs.”
Mr Stevenson added:
"In addition to the European Union, once again we call on all stakeholders, in particular the US and Iraqi governments, for their active cooperation in implementing these proposals.
“I would also reiterate that any ultimatums on the imminent closure of Ashraf or for the relocation of the 3,400 residents to other remote locations within Iraq are no longer relevant, practical or even legal under international humanitarian conventions. Any such actions would only be a prelude to another massacre.”
Notes to editors:
1. The plan requires the active involvement of the UN, the US, the EU and the Iraqi government in seeking a peaceful outcome for the Camp Ashraf refugees. It sets out a proposal to re-settle all of the refugees to the US, Canada, Australia, Norway, Switzerland and the 27 EU Member States, depending on where they have previous associations, connections or family contacts.
2. The full plan can be viewed at: http://www.struanstevenson.com/media/news-release/proposal_for_a_peaceful_and_permanent_solution_for_camp_ashraf/
3. Struan Stevenson is a Conservative Euro MP from Scotland. He is President of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq and led a team of three MEPs to Baghdad and Erbil on a 5 day visit (25-30 April), where they met President Talabani of Iraq, President Barzani of Kurdistan and many Ministers, Ambassadors, religious leaders and MPs of all parties. Mr Stevenson is also President of the Friends of Free Iran Intergroup of the European Parliament.
4. For more information, contact:
E: peter@indigopr.com
Tel: 0131 554 1146
Mob: 07766 166 637
Fax: 0131 554 1549
