MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
4 March 2005
tabled by Joost Lagendijk, Hiltrud Breyer, Raúl Romeva Rueda, Jil Evans and Satu Hassi
on behalf of the Green/EFA group
on Saudi Arabia
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0189/2005
B6-0213/2005
European parliament resolution on Saudi Arabia
The European Parliament,
- having regard to the Interparliamentary Meeting between the European Parliament and Saudi Arabia form 7 to 13 February 2005
- having regard to the ratification in October 2000 by Saudi Arabia of the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW);
A. whereas on 10 February 2005 municipal elections started Saudi Arabia, the first nationwide electoral process in the history of the country
B. whereas women have been excluded from the poles and whereas only half of the 178 members of municipal councils can be elected, while the other half will be appointed by the king
C. whereas in withholding the most basic civil and political rights to the majority of its population, Saudi Arabia remains one of the few countries in the world pursuing a strongly discriminatory policy against women
D. whereas Prince Mut'ab bin Abdul Aziz, head of the Saudi Arabia elections committee, has declared that he expects "women to participate in elections in future stages" but that it would be "after conducting studies to assess whether it is useful or not";
E. whereas reports indicate certain electoral irregularities in the running of the elections, due to alledged purchase of votes by candidates and other violations of the rules
1. notes positively that for the first time in history Saudi male citizens were given a limited chance to elect their representatives, but considers it only as a first step towards the democratisation of the country,
2. strongly regrets that women have been banned from voting and demands that the electoral rules be revised in order to grant women equal passive and active voting rights in all future elections and underlines that this is a fundamental civil and political right which cannot be delayed;
3. Reminds the Saudi authorities of their international obligations in accordance with the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), to which Saudi Arabia is a state party;
4. Calls on the Saudi authorities to amend all discriminatory laws against women so that all citizens can play an equal part in the political and public life of the country and demands notably to abolish such basic restrictions as prohibiting women to leave the house without male company, to exercise a profession, to drive a car or to take out bank loans
5. considers that the EU cannot conclude any trade and cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia before a systematic reform process has ended the discriminatory treatment of women and girls in the country
6. Calls on the Council and the Commission to raise this issue during the next Joint Council and ministerial meeting between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council;
7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the government and parliament of Saudi Arabia and all the other Gulf Cooperation Council states.