Joint meeting of members of European Parliament and Parliament of Jordan
Majority members of Jordanian Parliament reiterate the need for protection of Ashraf City by Multi-National Force-Iraq
Vice-President of the European Parliament warned that defiance of the European court ruling that annulled terrorist designation of the PMOI would lead to a crisis within EU institutions
Mid-day today, the joint meeting of members of the Jordanian Parliament and the European Parliament took place at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, the Vice-President of the European Parliament. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, was the special guest to the event.
Statement by Friends of a Free Iran (FoFI), Intergroup in the European Parliament:
Friends of a Free Iran
European Parliament
December 17, 2008
Joint meeting of members of European Parliament and Parliament of Jordan
Majority members of Jordanian Parliament reiterate the need for protection of Ashraf City by Multi-National Force-Iraq
Vice-President of the European Parliament warned that defiance of the European court ruling that annulled terrorist designation of the PMOI would lead to a crisis within EU institutions
Mid-day today, the joint meeting of members of the Jordanian Parliament and the European Parliament took place at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, the Vice-President of the European Parliament. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, was the special guest to the event.
In the meeting, Mr. Vidal-Quadras, on behalf of "In Search of Justice – The European Committee for De-listing PMOI," which is supported by 2,000 members of parliament from various EU member states, said that consequent to the December 4 ruling of the Court of First Instance of the European Communities, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) is not in the EU terror list. He warned the EU Council that defiance of the court ruling or obstructing its implementation would place the Council at odds with the EU judicial system and the European Parliament, and could lead to an institutional crisis within the EU.
In this meeting, Mrs. Nariman Rousan, announced on behalf of the Parliament of Jordan that majority members of this parliament, by signing a statement, have expressed their support for residents of Ashraf City, home to members of the PMOI in Iraq, and called for continued protection of this city by Multi- National Force-Iraq. The statement stipulated that residents of Ashraf City are political refugees protected by the Fourth Geneva Convention and should enjoy protections underscored in International Humanitarian Law and the International Law and their judicial security should be guaranteed in this context.
In her remarks, Mrs. Rajavi said that Iranians heard the voice of conscience of Europe in the ruling of the European Court. She added that the Justice of Europe cried out not once, but three times that resistance against a religious dictatorship could not be considered as terrorism, thus, this was a victory for justice throughout the world.
While pointing out to the presence of members of Jordanian Parliament in this meeting, Mrs. Rajavi said that the mullahs by resorting to deception and exploiting the situation in the region had depicted themselves as defenders of Islam. She made it clear that the true demarcation was not between Muslims and non-Muslims, Arabs and non-Arabs, or Shiites and Sunnis. She emphasized that the mullahs were the biggest enemies of Islam and the people of region. She warned that the Islamic fundamentalism emanating from Tehran was the biggest threat to democracy and stability in Jordan.
The Vice-President of the European Parliament presented Mrs. Rajavi the report of a visit to Ashraf City by a delegation of the European Parliament, titled "Iranian Democratic opposition, Face of a Free Iran, Ashraf City."
The participants in the meeting, in a letter to the UN Secretary General, reiterated the need for continuation of protection of Ashraf City by Multi-National Force- Iraq.
