Syria Today | British Parliament debates Syria and Association Agreement

British Parliament debates Syria and Association Agreement

A lively adjournment debate on British-Syrian relations, Syria’s role in the Middle East and the Syrian-EU Association Agreement took place in the British Houses of Parliament on June 24, with MPs arguing now is the time to deepen relations between the two countries.

Conservative MP Richard Spring, who called for the debate, said many of the criticisms of Syria during the past decade now appear to be out of date. “In the right circumstances, Syria could help to unlock a whole series of huge challenges – whether in relation to the security of Israel, the actions of Hezbollah or Hamas or through its long-standing relationship with Iran,” he said.

Spring urged the government to continue its engagement with Syria and utilise the country in solving the region’s problems. “Today, violence on the streets of Gaza inflames passions on the streets of our country,” he said.

Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Ivan Lewis encouraged Syria and Israel to resume indirect negotiations through any intermediary, without delay.

Addressing the EU-Syrian Association Agreement, Lewis said its ratification was linked to an improved human rights climate in Syria. “In the real world, questions of democracy and human rights cannot be separated from questions of trade and economic cooperation,” he said.

Labour MP Richard Burden noted that if the government is to have a rights-based approach to Association Agreements, it should treat all countries in the Middle East equally, particularly with respect to Israel and the country’s treatment of Palestinians.

By Julian Weinberg