Debate during the plenary session of February in Strasbourg on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the perspective of the presidential elections.&nbsp;Statements by Federica MOGHERINI, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC,&nbsp;Davor Ivo STIER (EPP, HR),&nbsp;Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT),&nbsp;Louis MICHEL (ALDE, BE), Teresa RODRIGUEZ-RUBIO (GUE/NGL, ES) and&nbsp;Judith SARGENTINI (Greens/EFA, NL).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Democratic Republic of the Congo (T)

respect for human rights in the world (T)

MICHEL, Louis (ALDE, BE)

MOGHERINI, Federica (IT, EC)

SARGENTINI, Judith (Greens/EFA, NL)

KYENGE, Cécile Kashetu (S&D, IT)

STIER, Davor Ivo (EPP, HR)

RODRIGUEZ-RUBIO, Teresa (GUE/NGL, ES)

Situation in Democratic Republic of Congo: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, "i share the concersn of the EP for the situation of Dr Denis MUKWEGE and the Panzi Hospital."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, "The EU is following with great vigilance the situation concerning his physical security as a human rights defender"

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and EC Vice President, "I share your desire to curb the links between conflicts and exploitation of natural resources in the Great Lakes region. As part of its comprehensive approach the EU has started to address the situation. Together with the EC , my predecessor has issued a communication on responsible sourcing of conflict minerals and the EP and the Council are at this same moment examining the draft regulations that went together with this communication"

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Davor Ivo STIER (EPP, HR), "The problem of systematic rape of women  to which Dr Mukwege testified here as well as the problem of selective justice according to which Dr Mukwege,s hospital was closed down after he criticised the authorities. However the causes of all these problems are to be found in inefficient institutions and undemocratic institutions, the lack of rule of law and high levels of corruption."

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT), "No violation of human rights we ever be tolerated either  in the international community or the Court in Den Hague. We support the MONUSCO mission to consolidate peace  the whole of the Congolese territory , finally President I would like to express my own shame as a European citizen, against , yet another tragedy where  by 29 migrants lost their lives on their way to Lampedusa. These are more human lives to add to list of thousands of men , women and children whose only crime is to look for a better life in the EU."

SOUNDBITE (French), Louis MICHEL (ALDE, BE), "First of all , it is important that there are credible elections that are taking place  within the timeframe set out The President of the independent national electoral commission in the DRC Mr  Malu Malu should do this without any delay to draw up a timeline which would lead to elections in 2016."

SOUNDBITE (French), Louis MICHEL (ALDE, BE), "It is essential that the elections take place in a calm situation without any kind of armed or violent against opposition , civil society, against potential candidates, against journalists, freedom of press, freedom of expression and the freedom to demonstrate peacefully are fundamental rights . We can  not tolerate arbitrary arrests, nor intimidation and this is what is currently going on today in RDC."

SOUNDBITE (French), Louis MICHEL (ALDE, BE), "We underestimated the unresolved question of genocide has been left to become something that is destabilising the whole region. We must not underestimate that fact in the eyes of Rwandans.

SOUNDBITE (French), Louis MICHEL (ALDE, BE), "I think that we need to support the idea of having an observatory or a team of observers together with the UN and the EU to monitor the respect of human rights in the DRC."

SOUNDBITE (null), Teresa RODRIGUEZ-RUBIO (GUE/NGL, ES), "We also need to stress that in cases of conflict its of knows that women and girls suffer the most and we have to give them special attention"

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Judith SARGENTINI (Greens/EFA, NL), "We have to look at what is going on in Congo and human rights activists and human rights defenders and make sure we defend them. We should also make sure that we sort out legislation on conflict minerals. They have to be given teeth these rules. it's not self certification for companies . What this House wants is legislation binding for all products which would also lead to sustainable mining in conflict areas because how can you get war out of the country while you do it by making sure that the money is taken out of conflict."

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, "Death returned to the Meditarranean yesterday and not only yesterday"

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, "I intend to put this on the Foreign Affair Council for the EU agenda as soon as possible. I think that the EU has, if it has  the political will, the  tools to be able to prevent  these tragedies