Press Release 25 May 2011
European and American politicians at a conference in European Parliament in Brussels warned of the occurrence of a greater humanitarian catastrophe than the massacre of April 8 against Ashraf. They called on the UN, EU and US to take urgent action to achieve a long term and peaceful solution to the problem.
This meeting was sponsored by Friends of a Free Iran intergroup in the European Parliament (FOFI) and the international committee In search of Justice (ISJ) and chaired by Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Vice-President of the European Parliament and in presence of Mrs. Rajavi President-elect of the Iranian Resistance.
In this session Andrew Card, former Chief of Staff of President George W. Bush, Lord Paddy Ashdown, former European Union High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Wesley Clark, former commander of NATO and the United States presidential candidates, Bill Richardson, former energy Secretary and United States Ambassador to the UN in the Clinton administration, Philip D.Zelikow, former State Department’ s Advisor in the Bush administration, Ambassador Dell Dailey, former coordinator for counterterrorism, the State Department under Condoleezza Rice , Jim Higgins member of Bureau of the European Parliament, Struan Stevenson, President of European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq , Tunne Kelam and Edit Bauer , Members of European Parliament, addressed the meeting.
Mrs. Rajavi, during her remarks at the meeting said: “I welcome the decision of the Council Of Ministers on Monday demanding cooperation with the UN and US to find a final solution to this human tragedy. We welcome the plans provided by European Parliament delegation for Relations with Iraq presided by Mr Stevenson. In the European Parliament initiative the immediate security of the residents in order to provide conditions for achieving a sustainable and peaceful solution, is emphasized. “She added, “As Ashraf residents have warned, any forced displacement is a prelude to a massacre of Ashraf residents; and United States and European Union would be responsible for such issue.”
American and European participants were united in their support of the European solution for Ashraf and insisted on the necessity to end the repression of Ashraf residents, including withdrawal of Iraqi forces, cancellation of the siege and start of international investigation on April 8 massacre. They added: “The displacement of Ashraf residents to another location in Iraq is neither logical, practical nor legal, and it is only a prelude to a massacre in larger scale Participants have called on American government, European Union and the United Nations Member States to take the necessary measures to ensure protection of Ashraf and its residents, including the establishment of a permanent United Nations observing team in Ashraf, preventing the occurrence of another massacre and any forced displacement.
Alejo Vidal Quadras
President, International
committee In Search of JusticeBrussels
