ood. [laughter] i liked the democracy offering people information. people living here do not understand the value that we all have equal access to information in oprah shing receives, most of the people will get streams -- oppressive regimes, most of people will get streams of propaganda. this is how they do it, they make everyone scared pixies his remarks as part of our lineup. -- see his remarks as part of our lineup. we will also have former new york governor and the assistant attorney general. it all starts monday at 8:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. -- 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> we have a country where millions of innocent people have had to go to prison.

they have put bars on their own windows and their own doors because we have abandoned their neighborhoods to crime. i cannot live with that. our neighborhood should be safe. children should be able to play in the streets. if you and i can fix that, together. >> it as a candidate's campaign this year, we look back at 40 men who ran for the office and lost. go to our website, c-span.org /thecontenders. the destiny of america is always safer in the hands of the people than in the conference rooms of any elite. [applause] >> and let us give our country the chance to elect a government that will speak the truth, for this is a time for the truth in the life of this country. >> c-span.org/thecontenders. >> on saturday, syrian troops

fired on a crowd marching near the capital who were morning three protesters killed on friday. according to the un and other reports, government forces cracked down on political protesters and opposition forces -- that has left more than 5000 dead in an uprising that has continued for close to one year. on thursday, the un general assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution condemning the government's actions and calling for syrian president to step down. that same day, members in the european parliament voted to impose tougher sanctions on the country. coming up, we show you an hour of the debate leading up to the parliament's thursday vote in france. >> ladies and gentlemen, the next item on the agenda this

afternoon is a statement by the vice president of the commission, the representative of the union for foreign affairs and security policy. on the situation in syria. on behalf of the vice-president of the commission, representing beehive representative of the union of foreign affairs, i would like to give him the floor. >> thank you very much. thank you for giving me the possibility to present to you the eu position. percentage of ashton. the e.u. convinced the totally

unacceptable escalation of violence in the area. the time as kind to speak with one voice and demand an end to the bloodshed and the democratic future for syria. the e.u. has been leading international calls for strong u.n. action. we are very disappointed like all of you by the recent failure of the united nations will to adopt a resolution due to a new feature of russia and china. last saturday following the vote, the high representative on the can ress up the eagles continue to support all efforts at the league of arab states and called once more on all members of the u.n. security council to assume their resonsibilities. the searing crisis is and will

remain very high on the e.u. agenda. the e.u. foreign ministers will discuss it again on the 27th of february. the e.u. has thrown out the conflict by the syrian people and the high representative continues to increase pressure on the syrian authorities through multiple levels. the priority for now is to stop the regimes repression and the escalating violence. in accordance with the arab league's plan, it is also a sense is that there's political detainees, remove troops, tanks and weapons from the cities and allow independent observance in the media to freely travel and report in syria. to this end the e.u. is intensively engaged with the league of arab states and other players to find a peaceful

solution. the higher the percentage high stress a key role of regional involvement inarab league leadership. on the diplomatic front ashton has been seeking to secretary general to discuss next steps and express our political support to the efforts that the arab league has undertaken to solve the searing crisis. she is also spoken to secretary general of the u.n. bonking man, turkish foreign minister and several other leaders at the same object days. the e.u. welcomes the league of arab states as efforts to increase international pressur on the syrian regime. leadership of the arab league is key. due to the escalation of violence against the syrian population the league decided

on the 12th of februa 2 and it's observation mission. the u.n. secretariat council to issue a resolution to form a joint area you in peacekeeping force to supervise the implementation of the cease-fire. the arab league has also decided to enforce the economic sanctions of previous resolutions of the arab league and agreed on a meeting of friends in syria to take place in tunisia on the 24th of february. we welcome this development. the meetings will provide a timely opportunity to build an international consensus area and put forward urgent proposals to stop the killings and seek a peaceful outcome of the current crisis. there is no doubt th the e.u. and the high representative will take an active path in this endeavor. the high representative has also

offered their expertise in the area sanctions and hs expressed the need to ordinate closely and a dialogue with opposition groups through the work of the u.n. front must go on. we continue to seek supportive part is said that the security council can come back to this issue in due course and agree on a strong resolution in syria. the high representative is making the case rapidly with members of the security council and regional partners to achieve this goal. the e.u.'s message for us in china is clear. they should not be on the wrong side. the international community has responsibility to stop the regimes killing machine. last monday, during the debate at the united states general assembly on the situation in

syria, the vast majority of u.n. members states condemned the widespread violence of human rights regime. the u.n. had permission of the human race in her testament that the proceedings had a quote, manifested to fulfill its obligation to protect its population and have engaged its crimes against humanity. the human rights council at its upcoming session should also take a per redaction on syria. the e.u. is ready to mobilize assistance to relieve the heart shape of the searing population. the commission is preparing a contingency plan in the area of humanitarian assistance. multilateral cooperation with the searing regime is entirely suspended, the committee and the external action service continue

to suppo the benefit of ngos , syrian civil society organization and human rights defenders as well as the palestinian refugees. the situation in syria requires that e.u. must maintain the presen there is a member missions and the e.u. delegation as syrian persistence is asking us to do. not only to observe and repor on the situation but also to say clearly that the regime cannot repress the population and total impunity and the syrian people will not be but gone. close court nation among the e.u. emissions in damascus is taking place also with respect to contingency planning. similarly, actions have been undertaken with respect to the neighboring countries.

last but not least, to e.u. continues to engage the syrian opposition groups. it is essential to encourage themtheir coordination in order to convince the syrian population and to promote an orderly and peaceful transition in syria. the high representative for your support to the arab league and the efforts towards bringing together the syrian opposition groups and their common mission for the transition. i would also like to thank you honorable members for your support in the past month. the value statesman made in the european parliament and the resolutions up to it by this house have helped the e.u. to shape its policy towards syria. it is important that we maintain

pressure on the syrian regime, the european parliament has a key role in ensuring that the syrian people are not left alone in the struggle. the high representative is committed to pair with you on joint efforts to support the arab league and to stop he ongoing violence. syria will be at the call of the meeting in washington at the end of this week. thank you. >> translator: transco thank you very much indeed, not on behalf of the political groups come out of first about two kids speaking on behalf of the european people's party. >> thank y madam president. members, the searing crisis has three independent factors going together. first of all there's a cold war

underway between saudi arabia and iran. then an effect from what has been known as the arab spring sent thursday the desire in china and russia's part as well as other things took a stronger profile in the middle east conflict, trying to move left by the u.n. and the united states. we've been following the steps taken by the higher representative humanitarian aid which is sanctions at the forthcoming 27th and support for the arab league presidents. but we felt that she missed opportunities, but the coordinated approach amongst the members states. unfortunately none of these decisions have helped cut the

appalling level of violence in the short term, which is effect in the syrian population. there is a concern we all share here. we heard the french foreign minister yesterday. we all lament the failure of the relation to go to the u.n. security council because of the russian 20 zito. they have refusal at the moment to seek the agreement, which we know will not be binding. what can we do in the situation? of course we have to keep pressure on russia and china. are two very appropriate opportunities to do so. one was the visit of the chinese deputy prime minister the united states to receive full honors on the other course is the e.u. summit, which has just terminated. of course you need to string them are links to syrian dissidents and we also need to seed to our extent we might

build up and developed a humanitarian corridor as they've asked us to oen up. and referring back to the question the other day and arab league foreign minister, this is something they'll need to consider. how long can they stand by passively light of the violence endured by the syrian people? how much can we tolerate what every initiative is being brought down one after the other in the regime continues to massacre the syrian population? the president office of the council that is the intimacy we must address. >> translator: thank you very much. i would like to give to an advertiser of the social

mocrats. transco thank you very much madam president. this is the european parliament's fourth resolution on syria. it's taught, robust resolution, but one aspect of its added value is that it communicates to the syrian people, the ata that we haven't forgotten them. even though nothing seems to be happening we'resaying we haven't forgotten the syrian people. the resolution doesn't do with the crucial question, nor did his various speeches we have heard in the real quetion is what do we do? do not do not think that the military strategy. that would be the worst solution. but a member of the syrian national council spoke to this morning, talking with tears in their eyes about the torture at

the syrian people. they were asking will you give us arms? would you give us hope? they want to fight. they don't want us to fight on their behalf. but i say it's not in the resolution. we said the syrian opposition is united to be done at the rate channels. but if we don'answer the fundamental question, what sort of credibili are we going to have? i'm not asking for easy review for the answer now, but i'm teing you, that is the question the country is in some specific action friday. and thirdly on the shower al-assad some of us thought for a long time that could change the syrian regime to some of us have had long meetingslasting an hour, hour and a half. i have been in te shower al-assad sat trying to hear how you will change the emergency

love. we've been tricked. now when i heard the promises of a new constitution n the past they might have believed it but i don't anymore. i don't want to see another saddam hussein, and other gadhafi, but we have to ke sure he is brought to justice. we have an international court of justice for her. but i'm saying to searing people please wait. we will do something. but i call on council and commission alike to work on specific plans at the european parliament to support you. transco thank you very much. now, transco yesterday sent me a letter at the first copaq or meeting on the 24th of

february. that's good, but i'll be honest colleagues, what is the strategy they are? i have to tell you minister. i didn't hear it. you have given her the strategy and requested the arab league but what is the strategy of the european union? what is the strategy towards syria for the moment? we are in the middle of this crisis. we have the problemsaround hans was clearly a scond solution appear during the middle of the war. it is war for the moment in syria. and i ask from you here today what is e strategy? it is not enou to say okay we shall be there in the 24th. but what we shall tell them what is our poition on the main issues that the main issue is can we have -- are we in favor of an intervention in.

to create the no-fly zones on the border with turkey and jordan? are just not in favor of that? i think they are not necessary. that is the genocide for the moment in syria. that is what is happening. if we don stop at the international community, it shall only ctinue. it is the second of what we are seeing today. in the second point is shall we could material and type the that is the question. we have to do it even if it is necessary at the moment. maybe not directly we can do it with our colleagues in the arab league but what is the answer the european union? material help? yes or no. they needed desperately to suit your technical. a fair question to you, what is it with the dissension regime?

we know from the beginning that list was too small. we knew from the beginning that at least 200 families have it be in the regime of the the shower shower -- bashar al-assad. so we shall have no sanction regime? on my fourth issue is what we do with russia and china. we have the opportunity to say sent in about that to them. our mission to china and where promising to china for the moment a free market economy at this moment. at the moment they are refusing to take the responsibility of the security council. i don't think it's the moment to do that.

until they have said yes to an intervention to see it is absolutely necessary. so i went to hear from you relate the position of the european union. and tommy which you ha felt a few minutes ago. we shall have a meeting of the foreign affairs on the 27. the 27th is three days after the 24th. i think you have to have your eting before mrs. ashton is going to care. and really we are making the same mistake and other issues, like in libya. [applause] >> there is a blue card for mr. david rejects the questions? >> could you please open up your

microphone. >> madam president come up with my honorable friend agrees me that and 2006 the united nations we started this process of the responsibility to protect which is downgrade. i don't hear those words come responsibility to protect coming from the council. what is our responsibility to protect using the united nations instruments that we have created? with my friend agrees me that this is where we should go to use those concepts that are responsible t protect within the u.n., which others use in syria and other places. going to syria to protect the innocent people throughthe u.n. and to challenge -- >> the question wasn't addressed to the council.

>> it is no problem. the issue is i think that if we have an agreement in the contact group, that can maybe change the position of china and russia. if they see china and russia and the contact group we are creating on the 24th wants to go forward in any way to protect the people then i'm sure there is more pressure than any discussion of lst month. but we have to stick to that. we have to show that we are really defending them and we want to go when if it is necessary. >> thank you very much. >> i would like to give to in flat on perhaps the green. >> thank you, and president. do indee think that is not a question of repression or oppress people, but intolerable terror exercise by the regime of

bashar al-assad. just take a look at the public hospital which has now become torture centers or centers for kidnapping am faced with death. i don't need to give you the figures, but huge mbers of people disappeared, people who are imprisoned with the death toll. the u.n. council of human rights said contrary to humanitarian want these are crimes against humanity that we need to go to the international criminal courts because of course i have to welcome the determination and courage, but the prosody chooses resist to the width it than organizing themselves in syria in spite of everything. after all who does the right thing, protection is provided to the people who are demonstrating

medicines and drug czar reaching certain rooms turn into emergency ward and channels have been set at that are quite precarious and dangerous should make us think very carefully or work towards starting to intend to five per delivery of protection and food and to send supplies, how we can provide this in a secure and safe manner, how we can protect those people who are risking their very lives to deliver these goods. i think this is the first specific and concrete means of taking action. i do believe we need to step up and ove all, to be sure it they are implemented correctly. i think really the european commission and the council need

to think how it is pssible that a ship full of arms is able to leave the poor to go to syria to supply al-assad with arms to use against the civilian population. we have tobe vigilant. we know that the arab league has its own agenda. we know that there are all sorts of initiatives being taken out because of the situation and delicacy, the european union needs to be very clear. and say on the 24th it's fine because it sends a message, an important message and that is that this is the story of the people fighting against oppressors and the way in which we consider that we have a chessboard and if we move this particulariece on the chessboard, which is syria and

all thoughts of outcome is made up her. we need to provide support for these people. and this story in syria is a story of society working for rights and for democracy. we must be aware that this is what is at stake and this is where we concentrate our efforts. so this meeting on the 24th, intervention from the president. those countries have continued to provide support for syria. alger iowa need to bring enough pressure to ensure that we isolate this regime. this is a concrete way of taing action. thank you very much to the president. you have really spoken far more than your allocated time.

[applause] >> i would like not to get the floor. >> madam president, to share in atrocious and must be condemned unequivocallby the international community. the decision of china and russia to veto a u.n. resolution condemning this crack running kind of many unarmed women and children is also shameful previous hearing or she must be called uponby the committee in an essay to withdraw forces in the cities of syria no access to the country and human rights agencies and to pave the way for eventual democratic elections. the turkish and saudi condemnation of the regime in turkey is in particar accepting refugees is commendable curre arab league in seeking to end the violence and producing a new piece blanch should also be congratulated, which the regime must implement without delay. syria must be made to guarantee peaceful protesters and upholds the human rhts to freedom of expression. this is not possible in