Lib Dems welcome Arab Spring (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems welcome Arab Spring

September 21, 2011 7:43 AM

SPEAKING today (Wednesday) in a key debate at Liberal Democrat party conference in Birmingham, Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood will call for governments across the middle east to respond peacefully to protest and to move towards safeguarding human rights within a democratic system.

As co-chair of the Liberal Democrat parliamentary party committee on international affairs, Martin will present the 'Arab Awakening' motion to conference for delegates' approval. It recognises the increasing popular movements for change in the middle east and calls upon the international community to learn from mistakes made in Iraq and ensure that a comprehensive post-conflict stabilisation strategy is in place in Libya.

Mohammed Nosseir, of the Egyptian Democratic Front party, is expected to take part in the debate. The Democratic Front is the Liberal Democrat's sister party in Liberal International and supported the revolution in Egypt against Hosni Mubarak.

In an amendment to the motion, which Martin will accept, there will be a renewed call for the middle east peace process to continue and for talks to resume between Israel and the Palestinians. This comes ahead of the expected vote in the United Nations on membership of the UN for the Palestinians.

Martin will say in the debate: "Liberals first championed worldwide human rights in the days of Gladstone. We have never accepted that human rights or democracy were too good for some parts of the world. We welcome and support the continuing Arab Awakening, and the government's policy of restrained intervention in Libya. But western governments also need to learn the lesson that repressive regimes need to be kept at arms length."

He added: "I support the idea of statehood for the Palestinians. It is a crucial precursor to getting both sides back round the negotiating table and we would urge the UK government to vote 'yes' to Palestinian membership of the United Nations.

"The path of peaceful diplomacy is the right one for the Palestinian people to take but they need to see some dividends from this approach."