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The EU in Egypt: human rights or politics?
On January 17th, the European Parliament passed a resolution by 52 votes and 7 abstentions, condemning the human rights situation in Egypt. This deeply offended Cairo, who saw it as an interference in its sovereignty. Egypt’s Foreign Minister declared that “Egypt rejects all attempts by those who believe themselves authorised to investigate on human rights in our country”. Egypt counteracted by informing the EU member’s Ambassadors there, that it would not attend a Euro-Mediterranean meeting the next week in Brussels, and that is was annulling another meeting in Cairo on the recent Neighbourhood Policy agreement.
Nadine H. Abdalla. Politologue. Doctorate at the Institute of Political Studies at Grenoble
Hasni Abidi. Director of CERMAM-Genève. Study and Reseach Centre for the Arab and Mediterranean World
How can such a disproportionate reaction be explained? Egypt’s policy is to oppose any inquiry into its human rights record and real political reforms, and this is the way it behaves to do that. The arguments Cairo uses to defend this policy are based most often on accusations of foreign interference, the rights to national sovereignty and the State’s approval of any reforms. It also hesitates not in referring to the poor living conditions of Muslims in Europe and Guantanamo. Finally Egypt highlights its strategic importance and the role it plays in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as leverage against External pressures.
Cairo’s disproportionate reaction, threatening to cut all relations with the EU, allows for two hypotheses:
1) The Egyptian government, having strong economic and commercial ties with Europe, fears the negative effects of this resolution on the EU Governments.
2) Although Egypt and the EU have strong ties, the Egyptian government is convinced Europe has too many interests to loose in the country. Such an exaggerated response is meant to put a limit to the EU’s intentions of placing human rights as a condition for dialogue.
We believe, the second hypothesis is correct. It is the tactic Egypt employs in general to counter external pressures, especially regarding the EU. It did so to avoid ratifying the action plan of the European Neighbourhood Policy agreement, as it contains an obligation to discuss human rights with the EU, which Egypt regards as a private national affair.
Thus Egypt has placed the EU in a Zero Sum game:
- The EU can ratify the action plan of the Neighbourhood Policy Agreement with strict conditions on political reform and human rights as it wants to, but then it will loose what it has obtained while negotiating with such a strategic partner.
- The EU can ratify the action plan that the Egyptians want, which diminishes their credibility as promoters of human rights.
In all, the stakes are higher if Egypt is to quit the EU’s Neighbourhood Policy, as the latter would loose all credibility; it is preferable to loose credibility in human rights. So for us, the EU chooses the first option. Egypt fully understands the delicate position it has placed the EU in and is making the most of it. Our idea seems confirmed by a declaration of the German Ambassador to Egypt: “the storm that hovers over our euro-Egyptian relations shall pass, the importance of Egypt to the EU demands it”.
The Egyptian regime has also promoted the EU’s resolution as being the work of the Jewish lobby, as it mentions the importance of intensifying efforts against smuggling between Egypt and Gaza, which is a usual Israeli reproach. But that seems doubtful as the resolution also praised Egyptian efforts in protecting its Gaza border.
The deliberation in the EU parliament should not come as a surprise. It had already adopted resolutions condemning the human rights record of Congo, Tibet, Kashmir, Myanmar, the West Sahara and Tunisia. But the Egyptian reaction comes just a few days after the US government granted it 100 Million dollars in Aid for the advancement of human rights. Contrary to what Cairo affirms, human rights are no longer the exclusive domain of the State. Egypt’s strategic importance used as leverage also attracts the attention of all the countries having strategic relations with it when it comes to human rights violations, once again making this an international issue.
Updated and translated by Ines Ward
Research Assistant Trainee at CERMAM
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- Origin CERMAM
- http://www.cermam.org/en/logs/zoom/the_eu_in_egypt_human_rights_o/
- Publié le 22 February 2008