Press release 29 December 2011
President of EU Parliament’s Iraq delegation welcomes “courageous and constructive statement by Iranian resistance leader Maryam Rajavi”, and describes it as “a vital breakthrough towards a peaceful future for the residents of Camp Ashraf.”
Struan Stevenson, President of European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq, welcomed the intense and well-conducted international efforts that have lead to an agreement on Camp Ashraf.
Commenting after reading the statement of the Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi which demonstrated her total flexibility prioritising the safety and security of the Ashraf residents, Struan Stevenson stressed: “I am enormously grateful for the sincere goodwill of Mrs Rajavi when she once again “emphatically urged Ashraf residents to count on and trust” the international community’s assurances for their safety and security. Her skilful leadership and brave choice has once again averted a humanitarian tragedy that the mullahs in Tehran had long planned to occur on New Year’s Eve.
“I am also truly inspired by the untiring resolve and commitment of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Iraq – Ambassador Martin Kobler – to obtain this agreement which is now accepted by both sides and above all safeguards the security and wellbeing of Camp Ashraf residents until their safe resettlement in third countries.
“Moreover, I commend the assurances given by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. I also praise the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs – Baroness Catherine Ashton and her Special Advisor on Camp Ashraf – Jean De Ruyt – as well as Ambassador Daniel Fried and High Commissioner Antonio Guterres, for their vital and constructive engagement to obtain this accord.”
“Hundreds of parliamentarians have been engaged in a transatlantic effort to avert a crisis in Ashraf over the past several months. Earlier this month, some 400 of my colleagues from all political factions in the European Parliament signed a declaration calling for the cancellation of Iraq’s deadline to close Ashraf at the year’s end. My distinguished colleague, Vice President of the European Parliament – Alejo Vidal Quadras – played a particularly important role. Our campaign has been forcefully supported by US Congressmen and Senators from the Republicans and Democrats, as well as an impressive assembly of highly respected former officials from both the Clinton and Bush administrations and thousands of human rights activists and supporters of the Camp Ashraf residents. Their joint efforts have prevailed in preventing a repeat of violence and bloodshed at Ashraf.
“The international community now has redoubled responsibility to make sure that all terms of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be fully respected especially with regard to the safety and security of the inhabitants”.
Struan Stevenson, however, regretted the inability of the Iraqi authorities to honour their commitments after signing the MoU with the UN in respect of security at Camp Ashraf. “Unfortunately, during the past few days, Iraq has repeatedly failed to prevent missiles being fired at Ashraf from a near distance, despite it being in an area where Iraqi forces are patrolling day and night.”
“These repeated acts of blatant terrorism, make a mockery of complaints about Ashraf being a threat to Iraq’s sovereignty, when in reality it is the sovereignty of the Iranian regime that seems to be dominating Iraq.
“I therefore fully support Mrs Rajavi’s emphasis that the relocation of 400 residents to Camp Liberty is “a test of the Iraqi Government’s attitude toward the commitments it has given to the United Nations and the United States in the MoU.
“The ball is now in Iraq’s court to show that the safety and protection enshrined within the MoU applies to each and every resident of Ashraf without exception. It also must keep away from police interference into the day-to-day life of the residents until the last resident has left Iraq for resettlement in a safe third country”.
Struan Stevenson, MEP
President of European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iraq