EU should place ‘concrete human rights conditions’ on Syria aid: Lawmaker

But the institutional formation - the way the treaties are prescribed - preclude the European Union from acting faster. Unfortunately, this is the reality by which the European Union has existed, by which the European Union has succeeded throughout its lifetime in many areas.

But when it comes to geopolitics, unfortunately, the European Union is more of a cruise ship than a speedboat. And I think that is regrettable because the European Union stands for human rights. But human rights should not stop at our borders. They should apply everywhere and anywhere.

It's not a federal state, it's not America, and for many people it means the European Union doesn’t have much power to, for example, pressure the Syrian government to not massacre the Kurds. Do you agree with that? After the resolution, are there more tools or teeth?

I tend to disagree. Why? Because the European Union has power. Unfortunately, that power sometimes is leveraged against its weakness. The European Union has a very, very strong and big single market and that is a big power on the global stage when it comes, for example, to trade agreements, to trade negotiations. The European Union is a big power, a big force to be reckoned with. But that power is many times leveraged against political weakness on the global stage.

Now, when it comes to Syria, as you know and as your audience would know, the European Union has pledged support for the Syrian transition. And that in itself at face value is positive because we want Syria to transition into a democratic state which respects human rights, which respects minorities, which respects communities, which determines its own future. That in principle is all good.

But what is regrettable in my opinion is that the aid package which was promised by the European Union, by the European Commission, does not have sufficient guarantees for - or let’s say conditionalities - based on the respect for human rights, on the inclusion of all minorities, of all communities, on the right of the Kurdish people to determine their own future and to be completely involved - not just theoretically but also practically - in the running of a future Syrian state.

So I think that is where the EU can use its power by conditioning its significant aid package against concrete human rights conditions. I think this is what we could do and this is what we are calling for in the chamber of the European Parliament.

In terms of legislation, the European Union is doing enough after the resolution there is enough done in terms of legislation. What should the Commission do after that?

As I said, I think it's up to us, co-legislators - the European Parliament and the European Council - to insist on conditionalities. We want the aid package for a transition in Syria based on the respect for human rights, on the inclusion of all minorities, on the inclusion of all communities. And when I say inclusion, it's not just giving a voice, but involving directly in the running of the state. A state which respects equality in all aspects and at all levels of a Syrian state. So that is what we should do.

Beautiful conditions, beautiful words - but what is the mechanism to ensure that is happening?

It is the same mechanism which we have applied in other aid packages in other countries. So, we have done this before. We should apply the same principles in Syria.

So you believe it works?

It could work, yes. It could work with vigilance and with consistency.

There's a new generation in Kurdistan; the Kurdistan region is now part of Iraq. And we also have a young generation in Syria. They never saw, for example, Iraq rule over them, or Syria rule over them. They grew up in their own administration, their own governments - Kurdish self-ruling governments. Are there any guarantees from you, from your side, from Europe, to protect those entities, Kurdish self-ruling entities?

That is what we are calling for. That is what I called for here in the European Parliament. But as I said earlier, the European Union is made up of different institutions. We are doing our job. We have spoken out consistently, repeatedly, and with credibility. And we will continue to hold not just the Syrian administration to account, but also the European institutions to account if they do not stick to our principles, if they do not ensure that any aid given to the Syrian transition is based on the respect for human rights. This is what we have been doing and this is what we will continue to do. This I can promise you: As a parliamentarian, I will continue along with my colleagues to hold not just the Syrian administration, but most importantly the European institutions to account.

You promised me you will push this process, but there is a lot of fear inside Kurdistan. [Kurds] say … [the international community] is shifting their focus. They are forgetting us again. Do you promise that you will never forget the people of Kurdistan and you will remain focused on their cause?

I remain focused on the cause for respect for human rights wherever they are breached. And we will be consistently defending human rights and the respect for minorities and the respect for democracy and democratic principles wherever they may be. So, in this Parliament, we have processes, of course. Every plenary session we have means to have urgency resolutions, to have urgency debates, and we will continue to speak out for the respect for human rights and for the respect for self-determination, for democratic determination, wherever it may be. So, this is what we will continue to do, what we have been doing, and what we will continue to do. I can guarantee that our door remains open for dialogue and for engagement.