Motion for a resolution - B9-0125/2019Motion for a resolution
B9-0125/2019

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Turkish military operation in northeast Syria and its consequences

21.10.2019 - (2019/2886(RSP))

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
pursuant to Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Malik Azmani, Hilde Vautmans, Petras Auštrevičius, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Phil Bennion, Sylvie Brunet, Olivier Chastel, Katalin Cseh, Anna Júlia Donáth, Laurence Farreng, Valter Flego, Luis Garicano, Barbara Ann Gibson, Klemen Grošelj, Christophe Grudler, Bernard Guetta, Svenja Hahn, Martin Hojsík, Karin Karlsbro, Nathalie Loiseau, Karen Melchior, Urmas Paet, Maite Pagazaurtundúa, Frédérique Ries, María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos, Susana Solís Pérez, Marie‑Pierre Vedrenne
on behalf of the Renew Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0123/2019

Procedure : 2019/2886(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B9-0125/2019
Texts tabled :
B9-0125/2019
Texts adopted :

B9‑0125/2019

European Parliament resolution on the Turkish military operation in northeast Syria and its consequences

(2019/2886(RSP))

The European Parliament,

 having regard to its previous resolutions on Syria and to its resolution of 14 March 2019 on a European human rights violations sanctions regime[1],

 having regard to the relevant statements by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR), and in particular her declaration of 9 October 2019 on recent developments in northeast Syria and her remarks upon arrival at and at the press conference following the Foreign Affairs Council meeting of 14 October 2019,

 having regard to the European Council conclusions of 17 October 2019 on Turkey,

 having regard to the Council conclusions of 14 October 2019 on northeast Syria,

 having regard to the speech by VP/HR Federica Mogherini at the European Parliament plenary session of 9 October 2019 on the situation in northern Syria,

 having regard to the statements of 11 and 15 October 2019 by the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, on Syria,

 having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 14 March 2017 on elements for an EU strategy for Syria (JOIN(2017)0011) and to the Council conclusions of 3 April 2017 on an EU strategy for Syria,

 having regard to the Charter of the United Nations and to all the UN conventions to which Turkey and Syria are States Parties,

 having regard to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 2254 (2015) of 18 December 2015 and the Geneva Communiqué of 2012,

 having regard to UN General Assembly resolution 71/248 of 21 December 2016 establishing the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011,

 having regard to the Rome Statute and the founding documents of the International Court of Justice, and to the precedent set by the establishment of international tribunals such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,

 having regard to the memorandum on the creation of de-escalation areas in the Syrian Arab Republic, signed by Iran, Russia and Turkey on 6 May 2017,

 having regard to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the additional protocols thereto,

 having regard to the Council conclusions on the EU regional strategy for Syria and Iraq as well as the ISIL/Daesh threat adopted on 16 March 2015,

 having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas following the decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw US troops from northeast Syria, on 9 October 2019 Turkey launched a military operation into areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF); whereas this has resulted in a grave number of civilian and military casualties on both sides of the border and, according to UN sources, the displacement of at least 300 000 citizens, including 70 000 children; whereas most international aid organisations have been forced to suspend operations and evacuate international staff over security fears; whereas journalists have been forced to leave the region over severe security concerns, therefore preventing fair and accurate coverage of the conflict;

B. whereas on 18 October 2019 the US and Turkey announced an immediate five-day ceasefire in the border region of Syria; whereas this agreement is temporary as Turkey has not agreed to withdraw its forces from northern Syria;

C. whereas the ceasefire concerns the territory between Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad, a territory on the Turkish border that extends over almost 120 km, and the fate of the other regions under Kurdish control has not been discussed;

D. whereas on 17 October 2019 the European Council endorsed the Council conclusions of 14 October 2019 on northeast Syria, in which it condemned Turkeyʼs unilateral military action in northeast Syria which has caused unacceptable human suffering, undermined the fight against Daesh and heavily threatened European security;

E. whereas this unilateral Turkish military operation has no legal basis, is only aggravating the eight-year-long conflict in Syria and causing additional humanitarian suffering, and will have a negative impact on efforts towards a negotiated solution and on the fight against terrorism; whereas Syria’s civil conflict continues despite several international efforts to ensure a ceasefire and work towards a negotiated solution;

F. whereas there are specific reports of killings, intimidation, ill-treatment, kidnapping, looting and seizure of civilians’ houses by Turkish-backed armed groups, with civilians accused of affiliation with specific Kurdish groups reportedly being forcibly removed from their homes or seized at checkpoints by members of these groups; whereas there are reports of the use of unconventional weapons against civilians, including children; whereas according to the UN there are reports of summary executions carried out by fighters belonging to the Ahrar al-Sharqiya armed group, which is allied with Turkey; whereas a well-known Kurdish female politician, Hevrin Khalaf, was reportedly tortured and executed by Ahrar al-Sharqiya fighters;

G. whereas there are reports of airstrikes and ground-based attacks by the Turkish army and allied armed groups that have hit medical facilities, civilian infrastructure such as water pumping stations, dams and power stations, and oil fields; whereas thousands of people are at risk of being deprived of adequate access to clean water;

H. whereas following the withdrawal of US troops, on 14 October 2019 Bashar al-Assad’s troops entered a number of cities in the Rojava region for the first time in seven years after the Kurdish forces agreed to a Russian-brokered deal to try to hold off a Turkish attack; whereas the exact details of the agreement between Damascus and the Kurds remains unclear; whereas according to as yet unverified reports from Russia’s Defence Ministry, Russian troops are patrolling the front lines between the Turkish and Syrian army positions to keep them apart;

I. whereas the violations committed during the Syrian conflict, by the Assad regime and its allies, ISIS/Daesh and other terrorist groups, included attacks using chemical weapons, attacks on civilians, extrajudicial killings, torture and ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, mass and arbitrary arrests, collective punishment, attacks against medical personnel and the denial of food, water and medical aid; whereas these crimes amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide and have so far gone unpunished;

J. whereas the offensive led by Turkey, although an ally of NATO member states, and its consequences are nullifying the efforts made by the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, in which SDF forces currently still play a vital role by combating the ISIS fighters still active; whereas the ISIS fighters detained in Kurdish camps have already broken free in order to return to battle and spread terror, which must be prevented as a key priority for the security of the region and the EU;

K. whereas the vast majority of the thousands of European children born of Islamic State fighters are currently located in three different camps in northeast Syria, namely Al Hol Camp, Roj Camp and Ein Issa Camp, which are severely affected by the Turkish offensive;

L. whereas the forced displacement of people, including with the aim of demographic change, constitutes a clear breach of international humanitarian law and may lead to demographic and ethnic changes; whereas creating obstacles to the safe, unimpeded and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance, evacuations and medical care also constitutes a breach of international humanitarian law and of several UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions; whereas the UNSC has failed to reach an agreement despite the unity of the EU; whereas Russia has vetoed 14 UNSC resolutions in the past years and has played an active role in limiting the content of these resolutions;

M. whereas the US-Turkish agreement of 17 October 2019 on a temporary ceasefire does not take into account the real situation on the ground; whereas the emergence of new tensions and threats could lead to the erosion of the safety of civilian populations after the 120-hour ceasefire;

N. whereas it is the responsibility of the international community and individual states to hold to account those responsible for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed during the Syrian conflict, including through the application of the principle of universal jurisdiction and national law; whereas this can be done either before existing national and international courts and tribunals or before ad hoc international criminal tribunals yet to be established;

O. whereas the EU remains committed to the success of the negotiations held under the auspices of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, known as the Geneva process; whereas on 23 September 2019, in the margins of the UN General Assembly, the UN Secretary General announced an agreement on the formation of a constitutional committee, which may now be prevented from meeting as a result of Turkey’s unilateral military action;

P. whereas the situation in Syria and the lack of a comprehensive, genuine and inclusive political transition continues to impede the full implementation of the EU strategy for Syria and, in particular, the substantial assistance that the EU can provide for the reconstruction of the country; whereas the reconstruction of Syria should be based on a bottom-up approach and the successful empowerment of local actors, thereby excluding known terrorist groups; whereas on 18 February 2019 the EU hosted the third Brussels conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region; whereas all donors should fulfil their pledges;

Q. whereas the EU’s efforts in providing humanitarian support and planning for the future of Syria are commendable; whereas the EU should never provide unconditional assistance for the reconstruction of a Syria which is led and controlled by Assad and his allies Russia and Iran; whereas Assad, Turkey, Russia and Iran cannot be allowed to walk away from the economic consequences of their military interventions; whereas any reconstruction commitments must be leveraged towards peace and accountability;

R. whereas the Council has put in place a series of restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria targeting individuals responsible for the repression of the civilian population in Syria and individuals and entities associated with them; whereas the US has imposed sanctions on Turkish ministries and senior government officials in response to the country’s military offensive in northern Syria; whereas some Member States have imposed an arms embargo on Turkey;

1. Strongly condemns the unilateral Turkish military intervention in northeast Syria and calls on Turkey to immediately and permanently cease its military intervention; stresses that the opening of new fronts in Syria does not serve the interest of Turkey’s security and warns against a further deterioration of the Syrian humanitarian crisis; demands full respect for humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians;

2. Strongly condemns reported violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed during this conflict, not only those reportedly being committed by Turkish-backed forces, but also those committed by the forces of the Assad regime with the support of its allies Russia and Iran and by UN-listed terrorist organisations;

3. Calls on the VP/HR to take the EU’s position to the Turkish authorities and to lay the foundation for a strong and comprehensive EU response to this crisis; urges her to initiate a dialogue with the Turkish authorities aimed at providing for the rapid de-escalation of the situation and finding a sustainable solution to the crisis; underlines that the EU should consider all available options in working with its international partners, including aerial aid drops, humanitarian assistance corridors and the establishment of no-fly zones under a UNSC resolution;

4. Reiterates the gravity of the consequences that further escalation and destabilisation in the region present, both for the region itself and for the EU, with increasing security risks, humanitarian crises and migration flows; calls on the Commission to prepare the EU in all its aspects to best react to any situation that might arise and to inform the European Parliament of any consequences of further escalation and destabilisation in the region;

5. Welcomes the decision by various Member States to halt the granting of arms export licences to Turkey; reiterates, in particular, the need for the strict application by all Member States of the rules laid down in Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP[2]on arms exports, including the firm application of criterion 4 on regional stability; urges the VP/HR to launch an initiative aimed at imposing a comprehensive EU-wide arms embargo on Turkey, given the serious allegations of breaches of international humanitarian law;

6. Regrets that the Foreign Affairs Council of 14 October 2019 was unable to agree on an EU-wide arms embargo on Turkey pushed for by Germany and France;

7. Reminds those in charge of the current military operation that they are responsible under international law for the crimes they commit in Syria and that those perpetrating such crimes, be they states or individuals, will be held to account; recalls the obligation to strictly comply with international law; calls for the adoption of an EU accountability strategy for the crimes committed in Syria;

8. Calls on the Council to introduce a series of targeted sanctions and visa bans to be imposed on Turkish officials responsible for human rights abuses during its current military intervention alongside a similar proposal for the Turkish officials responsible for the internal crackdown on fundamental rights; urges all Member States to ensure full compliance with Council Decision 2013/255/CFSP[3] on restrictive measures against Syria, and in particular the freezing of assets of individuals listed therein and restrictions on the admission of persons benefiting from or supporting the regime in Syria;

9. Points out that Parliament has been proactive in reducing Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) II funding over recent years over concerns about lack of respect for human rights; concludes that the recent steps taken by the Turkish authorities are in breach of European values; calls on the Commission to freeze all IPA funds to Turkey and to make them conditional on Turkey’s behaviour in the future, and therefore to make sure that no (future) EU funds are used to finance the ongoing military operation or to facilitate any forced returns of Syrian refugees to the so-called ‘safe zone’;

10. Is extremely concerned about reports that hundreds of ISIS prisoners, including many foreign fighters, are escaping from camps in northern Syria amid the Turkish offensive, which increases the risk of a resurgence of ISIS; urges the VP/HR to ask for clarification and verification from the Turkish authorities concerning the assurance made by the Turkish President, in his letter to the Wall Street Journal of 14 October 2019, that no ISIS fighters would leave northeast Syria, and to seek information about Turkey’s policies on the matter; calls on national intelligence agencies and security services to increase vigilance as regards the possible return of foreign fighters and their families;

11. Is concerned about the dramatic situation and fate of European children born of Islamic State fighters in northern Syria; calls on the Member States to give special attention to the situation and needs of these children so as to ensure that their basic rights are respected; calls on Member States to take the best interests of the child as the primary consideration in all decisions concerning children;

12. Deeply regrets the failure of repeated regional and international attempts to end the war, and urges renewed and intensive global cooperation to achieve a peaceful, sustainable solution to the conflict in line with UNSC resolution 2254 and the 2012 Geneva Communiqué;

13. Calls on the Member States to ask the UNSC once again to adopt a resolution which will allow the Council to act in a targeted manner, ultimately aiming at a UN-led security zone in northern Syria for the benefit of the people living there;

14. Reaffirms its support for the efforts of the Global Coalition against Daesh of which Turkey is a partner; underlines that the coalition and Syrian partner forces have made significant progress in the campaign to defeat Daesh in Syria, but expresses its concern that Turkey’s unilateral military action undermines this progress; calls on the US to discharge its responsibilities in the coalition, keeping in mind the importance of fighting against Daesh;

15. Demands respect for the right of ethnic and religious groups and minorities in Syria, and anyone displaced, to continue to live in or return to their historical and traditional homelands in dignity, equality and safety;

16. Acknowledges the impressive solidarity demonstrated by Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey towards refugees and calls for the EU and Member States to pursue financial support aimed at addressing the urgent needs of refugees and their host communities; underlines the need to ensure that no EU funds are used to finance the ongoing military operation or to facilitate any forced returns of Syrian refugees to the so-called ‘safe zone’; underlines the need to fully respect the principle of non-refoulement; rejects the statements by President Erdogan threatening the EU with a flood of refugees;

17. Reiterates the recommendation issued in its resolution of 13 March 2019 on the 2018 Commission Report on Turkey[4] that the Commission and the Council of the European Union, in accordance with the Negotiating Framework, formally suspend the accession negotiations with Turkey and that any political engagement between the EU and Turkey should be built on conditionality provisions concerning respect for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights;

18. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the United Nations, Turkey, the members of the International Syria Support Group and all the parties involved in the conflict, ensuring translation of this text into Arabic and Turkish.

 

Last updated: 23 October 2019
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