Statement by the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean on
Recent events in the Middle East region
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) expresses its deep concern in light of the escalation of violence in the Middle East, including recent events in Iraq which have serious and deleterious consequences also in neighbouring Syria and Lebanon.
PAM condemns without reservations the repeated acts of violence against religious minorities in Syria, including Christians and the Druze community in the region of Idlib, where they are being coerced in declaring the adoption of the Sharia Law at the risk of their lives in case of refusal.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean also welcomes the progress registered in the preparation of the Geneva II Conference, which will be held under the chairmanship of the UN Secretary General, H.E. Ban ki-moon. The Syrian crisis will be among the main issues on which the PAM 8th Plenary Session on 20-22 January, to be hosted by the French Parliament in Marseille, will focus its debate, together with the UN, EU and representatives of regional powers participating at the event.
PAM has been following the developments in the region through its network of parliamentary diplomacy and high level missions in the area, including Damascus, Amman, Ramallah and Jerusalem, and in New York with meetings held with the UN Secretary General and other UN High Officials.
PAM strongly reiterates its appeal for the protection of the civil population, the facilitation of humanitarian assistance and the respect of human rights of the citizens in the region.
Malta, 7 January 2014