To suspend Syria’s Membership in the IPU Unjust
DAMASCUS, (ST) – A press conference was held on Monday at the Peoples’ Assembly (PA) to discuss a draft law about suspending the membership of Syria in the IPU.
Speaker of the People’s Assembly, Mohammad Jihad Al- Lahham sent a letter to the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) being held in Quebec, Canada on October 21- 26 about Syria’s participation in the deliberations of the current session of the IPU. The message is related to suspending the membership of Syria in the IPU. The letter says: “I regret to inform you that due to the abstention of Canadian Embassy in Beirut to grant the delegation of the Syrian People’s Assembly the necessary visas, Syrian delegation will not be able to participate in the next session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union that is being held in Quebec.”
“We note that our delegation had submitted application forms at the Canadian Embassy in Beirut to get the necessary visas, then when the Embassy asked us to deliver passports of the delegation which were provided on time, we were surprised by the Canadian Consul’s reply that he had received a telephone call from the Canadian Ambassador in Turkey informing him of the non-approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada to grant visas to the Syrian delegation. The Consul said he can give Mrs. Maria Saadeh and Mrs. Fadia Dib visas only for tourism after the date of 26 October, 2012 (and this means that the date of granting visas for two Syrian delegates out of five will be after the end of the 127th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union)!”
“We would like to draw your attention that Mr. Noureddine Bouchkouj Secretary-General of the Arab Parliamentary Union has already told us by a telephone call that Mr. Abdul Wahid Radhi, President of Inter-Parliamentary Union will ensure granting Syrian parliamentary delegation the necessary visas to Canada, he added if Canada abstained granting visas, he would transfer the venue to another country and we hope you will take note of that.
It was due that the Syrian delegation would deliver a speech in the deliberations at 127th Assembly of IPU, asserting that as Syrian parliament represents all spectrums of the Syrian people, we ask the International Parliamentary Union to support the Syrian people, defend their rights and freedom to stop the violence and tampering with their land and holy places, and helping to end policies that incite violence in Syria; whether through funding , reinforcing or supporting terrorist groups or through deceptive media.
The Syrian Parliament is surprised of the Executive Committee’s intention to discuss its membership suspension in the International Parliamentary Union during this conference, and this contradicts with Article I, Section II of the rules of procedure and its purpose which works for peace and cooperation among all people in the world and safeguard their rights, freedoms and achieve democracy, as well as it contradicts with the third item of Article V.
The fact that the idea of suspending the membership of Syria in the Union is abandoning its responsibility towards the Syrian people and the abolition of the right to convey his voice to the world through you, such action increases the complexity of the Syrian crisis and prolong it.
We used to express our full confidence that the IPU would take a positive attitude with the Syrian people, and to be objective and fair in respect for the principles of democracy, ethical values, humanity, and away from the dictates and wishes of malicious policy countries that are hostile to Syria, asserting that the assessment of the legitimacy of any elected parliament of the people is interference in the principle of sovereignty.
Such an action against the Syrian parliament at the expense of the sovereignty of the Syrian State, which ratified in the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, asserting that the Syrian state recognizes opposition parties.
Is it a revolution that encourages a Syrian to kill his brother and sow sectarian strife? The speech was supposed to include.
“What threatens the national security of Syria and safety of the Syrian people today will inevitably spill over to neighboring countries and the region to threaten all Mediterranean area and thus would have a significant impact on the safety of European peoples and world peace,” the address pointed out, questioning the ability of the West to protect his countries from the extension of ” Takfiri Approach” .
The conflicts between the various political forces in Syria are purely Syrian affair and the Syrian people has the final decision in the balance of power within Syrian territory, the address added, asserting that the responsibility of the IPU is to stand against the killing of the Syrian people through armament and incitement that fueled foreign powers, citing the Saudi and Qatari declared stances in support of terrorist armed groups in Syria, not to mention the Turkish established training camps for terrorists, and Clinton’s call for armed groups not to lay down their arms.
We expect you to condemn terrorism that faced our country without the conviction of double standards. We invite you to send a delegation that represents your side to see what is happening in our country instead of falling under the influence of “prefabricated” news which offers you political orientations, not based on the principles of morality and democracy.
We have full confidence that the IPU will not be politicized, exclusionary or subject to the will of certain countries, at the expense of the Syrian people because the parliaments function is to defend rights of peoples.
We are working hard today as representatives of the spectrums of the Syrian people to communicate with all parties, calling for a national dialogue to restore security and stability in Syria, with the hope that IPU would have a supporting role to this effect.
for the inclusion of an emergency item
Following is a request for the inclusion of an emergency item
in the agenda of the 127th Assembly of the Inter-
Parliamentary Union submitted by the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic
On 11 September 2012, the Secretary General received from the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic a request for the inclusion in the agenda of the 127th Assembly of an emergency item entitled:
“The violence perpetrated by armed terrorist groups against Christians
and other minorities in Syria and attempts to drive them out of Syria”,
Delegates to the 127th Assembly will find attached the text of the communication submitting the request (Annex I), as well as an explanatory memorandum (Annex II) and a draft resolution (Annex III) in support thereof.
The 127th Assembly will be required to take a decision on the request of the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic on Monday, 22 October 2012.
Under the terms of Assembly Rule 11.1, any Member of the IPU may request the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda. Such a request must be accompanied by a brief explanatory memorandum and a draft resolution which clearly define the scope of the subject covered by the request. The Secretariat shall communicate the request and any such documents immediately to all Members.
Furthermore, Assembly Rule 11.2 stipulates that:
(a) A request for the inclusion of an emergency item must relate to a major event of international concern on which it appears necessary for the IPU to express its opinion. Such a request must receive a two-thirds majority of the votes cast in order to be accepted;
(b) The Assembly may place only one emergency item on its agenda. Should several requests obtain the requisite majority, the one having received the largest number of positive votes shall be accepted;
(c) The authors of two or more requests for the inclusion of an emergency item may combine their proposals to present a joint one, provided that each of the original proposals relates to the same subject;
(d) The subject of a proposal that has been withdrawn by its authors or rejected by the Assembly cannot be included in the draft resolution submitted on the emergency item, unless it is clearly referred to in the request and title of the subject adopted by the Assembly.
COMMUNICATION ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY OF THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
30 September 2012
Dear Mr. Secretary General,
Further to our letter of 10 September 2012 concerning the inclusion of an emergency item in the agenda of the 127th Assembly entitled:
“The violence perpetrated by armed terrorist groups against Christians
and other minorities in Syria and attempts to drive them out of Syria”
We wish to provide the following explanations in the enclosed Memorandum.
THE VIOLENCE PERPETRATED BY ARMED TERRORIST GROUPS AGAINST CHRISTIANS
AND OTHER MINORITIES IN SYRIA AND ATTEMPTS TO DRIVE THEM OUT OF SYRIA
Explanatory memorandum submitted by the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic
The People’s Assembly of the Syrian Arab Republic is proposing this item for various reasons:
– Because the People’s Assembly is convinced that the IPU will make serious efforts to strengthen cooperation between peoples and societies with all of their religious and ethnic components, preserve the foundations of co-existence between the national components of States, a co-existence of which Syria has given and gives a unique example since its ancient history until the present day, protecting the freedom of belief and respecting difference and diversity in the spirit of the pontifical call made by His Holiness John Paul II during his historical visit to Syria in 2001 and echoed by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI during his most recent visit to Beirut.
– The IPU knows only too well that the main reason why Christians are fleeing the Middle East, and Syria in particular, is because of the violence and terrorism perpetrated against them by armed terrorist groups that embrace the thinking of Al-Qaida and uphold the anathema, a way of thinking based on murder – be it of citizens or inhabitants of any region in the world – for a mere difference of opinion, knowing that such groups receive the unlimited support of certain governments and States.
– The IPU is also well aware of the steps taken by certain western parties that wish to take advantage of the situation of Middle East Christians, facilitating their exodus on the pretext of defending them although their ulterior motive is to strip Syria – the cradle of Christianity – of its genuine Christians so that they will not participate in the construction of its political and cultural future and the enrichment of its legacy of knowledge as they have always done throughout its long history.
– The events currently occurring in Syria – the manoeuvres of armed terrorist groups that threaten Christians and target their churches – bring to mind the fate inflicted on Iraq during the US invasion and what is taking place in Palestine, where Israeli violations have forced Christians to opt for mass exile. Is not the desire to empty the birthplace of Christ of its Christians and erase the unifying identity of this land not plain for all to see?
– The People’s Assembly hopes that the Inter-Parliamentary Union and all its Members will consider in a responsible and objective manner the developments in Syria, that they will condemn the terrorism perpetrated by armed terrorist groups as well as the campaigns that incite hatred waged by certain media and encourage Syrian brothers to choose the path of political dialogue in order to achieve the desired change under a pluralistic political regime guaranteed by the new Constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic. For all these reasons, the People’s Assembly of the Syrian Arab Republic presents the following draft resolution.
THE VIOLENCE PERPETRATED BY ARMED TERRORIST GROUPS AGAINST CHRISTIANS
AND OTHER MINORITIES IN SYRIA AND ATTEMPTS TO DRIVE THEM OUT OF SYRIA
Draft resolution submitted by the delegation of the SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
The 127th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
1) Upholds the principles of the sovereignty and independence of the Syrian Arab Republic, recognizes the need to preserve its territorial integrity, seek international parliamentary consensus aimed at restoring security and stability in Syria, cease the bloodshed, destruction, killing, terrorization of innocent civilians as well as measures taken to drive them into exile into neighbouring States;
2) Recalls previous IPU resolutions dealing with respect for the sovereignty of States and non-interference in their internal affairs and domestic policy;
3) Condemns the terrorist acts carried out by armed groups against Syrians of all origins, notably by targeting churches and mosques which they use as bases; also condemning the terrorist attacks against public and private property, the most recent of which was perpetrated against Saadallah al-Jabiry Square in Aleppo, mindful that this attack was condemned by the UN Security Council in a statement of 5 October 2012;
4) Supports the proposal of the Syrian People’s Assembly aimed at reaffirming citizens of all spiritual and religious persuasions in their land and country, working towards an international law allowing the national parliaments that are IPU Members to draw up corresponding laws, taking measures aimed at ending the campaigns against Middle East Christians, ensuring that their situation is not exploited and they are not driven into exile, and lastly, providing them with adequate humanitarian assistance so that they may remain in their country.
Hanan Shamout/ Ibrahim Zaboub/M.Daoud