Ashton takes flak in EU Parliament for weak statements on Egypt, Tunisia

The EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday told the European Parliament that the political systems in Arab countries such as Egypt have reaced a 'point of no return' and that change 'must come now.' But several members of the European Parliament told her that her public statement so far had been too weak and not supportive enough of the people protesting on the streets. SOUNDBITE (English) Adrian Severin (S&D, RO): "We didn't show enough vision and enough strength in addressing these challenges; this should include also our capacity to talk to all valid actors including the Islamic forces in such a way as to be able to integrate all of them into a positive process."
00:02'56" SOUNDBITE (French) Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, BE): "We are scared of putting out the wrong kind of statement, we are scared of an Islamic government after the elections. Well I am not scared because I have trust and faith in the Tunisian and Egyptian peoples (applause). They want democracy and that's why we see Copts and Muslims are marching in the streets shoulder to shoulder, because they want a real open democracy. When we see demonstrations in Yemen, Jordan, Syria and Algeria, Ms Ashton I call on you now to change the EU's position. I would like to hear you saying in this chamber that the EU stands 100% behind the Egyptian people and its demands".
00:03'48" SOUNDBITE (French) Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Verts/ALE, FR): "Ms Ashton you are calling for calm; now let's call a spade a spade, here; it's Mubarak's troops who are bringing the terror in the streets of Egypt. It's no the demonstrators, don't call for calm for everybody, call for Mubarak to stop the attacks on the demonstrators because he's doing that so that he can say afterwards 'I am going to restore order and stop chaos' Cairo is about to fall."

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[EUXTV]

01:45 EPP in Spanish

02:06 Socialists & Democrats in English

02:35 ALDE in French

[Nashorn8000]

a non-elected cunt, nothing more nothing less

[etetepete]

I can't believe they've put this cunt into this position.

Brittain doesn't deserve this position. They have been far too selfish on the European consensus.

And fuck their position against the financial transaction tax. I want that now, before the next self-inflicted stock-market crash happens!

Fuck those neo-liberal sons of bitches, and Regards to all my brittish brothers and sisters who agree with me!

Cheers!

[hotsatsuma]

What is democracy? Do elections deliver such things? American aid monies spent worldwide protect the interests of the USA. Is it better to have a dictator that obeys USA needs or an election that delivers a democracy that may be as corrupt as the former ways. When leadership, true leadership is missing and society and states have no values beyond that of commercial interest the results are now being shown in the world.

[TheMiamifuentes]

Tell egyptians they get FUCK ALL,England for English, and Egypt for Egyptians

[poodlesusan]

2:07 Romania's Adrian Severin, MEP, Socialists & Democrats group, on importance of all groups talking & asks the Council to facilitate that.

[americaisevil1]

Change needs to come from within the Egypt, NOT from White house or the EU's,

these protest are not just against the Mubarak regime but also against the America's foreign polices and the EU's,

Lets not make the same mistake that we made in Gaza, its time to respect the wishes of the Egyptian people, even if they choose the Muslim Brotherhood,

[americaisevil1]

very soon it will be jordan turn and hopefully saudi next

[sorealittty]

thank you, Guy Verhofstadt :)

[DefendYourFreedom]

Someone shoot this bitch....  please?