Doc. 11412
3 October 2007

Presence of the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament at the Council of Europe

Written declaration No. 402
This declaration reflects solely the views of the members who have signed it

The undersigned

1.       Considering the invitation to the 4^th part-session in 2007 issued to Mr Haddad Adel, President of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly and Speaker of the Iranian parliament;

2.       Observing that this invitation to the President of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly neither conceals nor defends the fact that he is an eminent representative of a radical Islamic regime which flouts all the democratic rules set forth in the Statute of the Council of Europe;

3.       Underlining emphatically that any intercultural or inter-faith dialogue presupposes at the same time respect for fundamental principles; this therefore precludes such contacts, even if only indirect, with representatives of the Iranian regime;

4.       Point out that the Iranian regime obstinately continues to support the eradication of Israel, a member state of the United Nations and observer to our Assembly since 1957. Iran denies the Holocaust, and in so doing stands apart from the vast majority of civilised countries;

5.       Refer to the efforts made by Iran and its allies such as Syria to obtain a military nuclear capability, a new threat to world peace;

6.       Call on the Assembly, the authorities of the Council of Europe and staff members of the Organisation to stay away from the Council during Mr Haddad Adel’s visit if it is maintained;

7.       Call on the representatives of governments and the press to condemn this visit, in order to preserve the credibility of our Organisation.

Signed¹:

• DREYFUS-SCHMIDT Michel, France, SOC
• AGRAMUNT Pedro, Spain, EPP/CD
• BADRÉ Denis, France, ALDE
• DURRIEU Josette, France, SOC
• ERR Lydie, Luxembourg, SOC
• GARDETTO Jean-Charles, Monaco, EPP/CD
• GOERENS Charles, Luxembourg, ALDE
• GRAF Angelika, Germany, SOC
• GRIGNON Francis, France, EPP/CD
• GROSS Andreas, Switzerland, SOC
• GROSSKOST Arlette, France, EPP/CD
• HÄGG Carina, Sweden, SOC
• HAPPART Jean-Marie, Belgium, SOC
• HUSS Jean, Luxembourg, SOC
• JUNG Armand, France, SOC
• JURGENS Erik, Netherlands, SOC
• KUCHEIDA Jean-Pierre, France, SOC
• LONCLE François, France, SOC
• MARQUET Bernard, Monaco, ALDE
• MIGNON Jean-Claude, France, EPP/CD
• REYNAUD Marie-Line, France, NR
• RIES Roland, France, NR
• RUSSELL-JOHNSTON, United Kingdom, ALDE
• TOMLINSON, United Kingdom, SOC
• ZINGERIS Emanuelis, Lithuania, EDG

__________________________

Total = 25

¹     SOC: Socialist Group
      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
      EDG: European Democratic Group
      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
      NR: not registered in a group